Our new London Marathon Masterclass is bursting with insights, inspiration, and fundraising brilliance!
The masterclass was led by particular friends Polly Debnam from Barnardo’s and Sarah Goddard (aka Fundraiser Sarah).
Now we’re excited to share Barnardo’s successful stewardship technique and how one can apply the identical ways to your charity’s 2026 marketing campaign.
Let’s first look again on the excellent JustGiving fundraising from London Marathon 2025 (or click on right here to skip straight to the Barnardo’s technique).
A glance again at London Marathon 2025
It’s clear as to why JustGiving is the primary selection for London Marathon fundraisers, with over £40 million raised (thus far) for good causes…and donations are nonetheless pouring in!
Engagement was by way of the roof as nicely, with a punchy 94% activation price (the proportion of London Marathon web page homeowners who acquired not less than one donation).
Now let’s see how Barnardo’s ran a profitable London Marathon marketing campaign as a part of their mission to make youngsters really feel safer, happier, more healthy, and hopeful.
How Barnardo’s Raised £375,000 in London Marathon 2025
Barnardo’s raised a complete of £375,000 (together with Present Assist), had 178 JustGiving Fundraising Pages created for them, and noticed a 93% activation price from fundraisers. Phenomenal!
The charity’s Occasions Fundraising Officer Polly Debnam gave us a behind-the-scenes have a look at how they turned their London Marathon Marketing campaign Web page right into a fundraising powerhouse.
Setting significant marketing campaign goals
The charity set goals that drove a powerful concentrate on personalised communications, sharing their mission, and supporting fundraisers all through their journey.
- Construct a human centred journey. Ensure contributors really feel supported by displaying them simply how a lot of a distinction they make to the charity.
- Preserve their mission entrance and centre. Guarantee all comms are reflective of the charity’s values.
- Encourage long-term engagement. Create an unforgettable expertise to spice up loyalty and future fundraising.
Begin fundraising for London Marathon 2026 as we speak!
Flip Barnardo’s methods into motion. Go to our London Marathon fundraising hub for all the pieces your charity wants for a profitable London Marathon marketing campaign.
A refined stewardship journey (that begins early)
Barnardo’s will get their crew excited and fundraising early with a considerate, 15-month stewardship journey that features 4 overlapping e-mail streams. Every one is tailor-made, well timed, and full of worth.
- Utility Journey (Finish of April – till locations are stuffed)
Fundraisers get these emails after they apply to lift cash for Barnardo’s in London Marathon. They seize the thrill proper earlier than marathon weekend, plus share the potential influence fundraisers may make. - Poll Journey (Could – April)
This collection helps convert profitable poll runners who wish to fundraise for Barnardo’s, plus presents charity locations to those that missed the official poll. - Console Journey (September – March)
This journey reminds runners to finish their LM console and keep on observe with their fundraising. - Stewardship Journey (June – June)
That is the center of the marketing campaign’s technique, guiding and motivating fundraisers from the second they join, throughout race day.
That’s not all. Polly is aware of how private connection drives dedication, so incorporates just a few additional contact factors to point out fundraisers how valued they’re:
- Two rounds of cellphone calls (together with “good luck” calls)
- Handwritten playing cards for high fundraisers
- Personalised thank-you letters and certificates
- A letter from the CEO for standout supporters
Ensure all of your comms come again round to the charity’s values and what your charity stands for. That can go an extended, good distance.
POLLY DEBNAM, BARNARDO’S
A thriving on-line and in-person neighborhood
Right here’s how the charity helps, motivates, and celebrates its fundraisers.
- Fb Group. A buzzing social media hub of peer assist and encouragement.
- Fundraiser meetups. Digital meetups and an in-person coaching day that join runners with one another and the charity’s crew. In addition they usher in previous runners to share ideas and encourage the following group of contributors
- WhatsApp. Barnardo’s is trialling the usage of WhatsApp to make communication even sooner and extra private in 2026.
Polly additionally personally emails runners to supply additional assist (segmented by how a lot they’ve raised), which earns the next response price than charity-branded emails. Constructing one-on-one relationships together with your fundraisers helps them really feel seen and supported to an entire new diploma!
Milestones that encourage
On high of finishing the marathon itself, fundraisers have an much more significant objective: reaching their fundraising targets! Barnardo’s helps fundraisers do that with inspiring and achievable milestones:
- Elevate £500 by Christmas
- Attain £1,500 raised by March
- Elevate 80% of your goal by race day (figuring out 20% typically is available in last-minute!)
Barnardo’s additionally thanks their fundraisers with social media shoutouts, complimentary working tops, and particular hospitality passes.
The rationale now we have these milestones is as a result of it helps runners break down their goal and make it really feel much more manageable.
POLLY DEBNAM, BARNARDO’S
Observe the confirmed timeline
Timing is all the pieces, particularly for London Marathon success. We’ve spent years analysing how charities elevate extra within the yr forward and created a timeline for excellent communication planning.
Discover how there’s not a gradual rise in fundraising exercise to race day. As a substitute, web page creation and activation ideally begin climbing nicely prematurely of the occasion:
With an extended lead time, your web page worth will enhance, and your whole raised will comply with swimsuit! Get the JustGiving Information to London Marathon 2026 for extra on tips on how to use our confirmed timeline in your stewardship journey.
Make your London Marathon 2026 a breeze
If aren’t already, we invite your charity to lift cash on the earth’s greatest marathon with JustGiving, the primary selection for London Marathon fundraisers.
Right here’s among the JustGiving magic you received’t get wherever else:
- Easy, highly effective on-line fundraising instruments
- Make data-driven choices
- Attain extra individuals
- Leverage JustGiving platform information and insights
- Unique incentives and bonuses
- 1-1 assist from begin to end
- Prime trade efficiency
- Library of fundraising assets
Impressed? We’re too!
Watch the total webinar replay to listen to much more from Polly about Barnardo’s successful technique, Fundraiser Sarah’s knowledgeable tips about maximising your marathon, and extra.
YOUR FIRST STEP
Begin fundraising for London Marathon 2026
Go to the hub for steps to creating your web page, plus all the pieces you have to elevate extra at London Marathon 2026!
