Team Donkey Sanctuary take on London Marathon

On 27 April, our incredible team of fundraisers ran the iconic London Marathon on one of the hottest days in the event’s history, with temperatures reaching up to 22 degrees.

Each of our runners faced the 26.2-mile course through the heart of the city with a shared goal of raising funds for donkeys.

This year, our runners made history as part of the Guinness World Record for the most-ever finishers in a marathon, with a record-breaking 56,640 runners crossing the finish line. The marathon also saw an estimated 800,000 spectators cheering on the efforts of all the runners.

One of our runners, Luke Roche from Gloucestershire, found the experience unforgettable. He said: “The weather was an absolute scorcher, and many struggled with the heat, but the record number of spectators made the difficult conditions a little more bearable with what I can only describe as the most incredible support I’ve ever witnessed.”

Luke ran the marathon in memory of his late grandad Roger, who loved donkeys and was a long-time supporter of The Donkey Sanctuary.

Luke said: “I want to thank everyone who has donated to my grandad’s charity. He would have been over the moon with the support received. Not only did we hit our target of £2,000 but we also absolutely smashed it and have raised over £3,000.” 

For another runner, James Woolley, the London event was his first attempt at running a marathon and has inspired him to run more. He said: “This was my first marathon and it really was something I will never, ever forget. It was easily one of the best experiences of my life, and I’ve come away from it a helpless marathon addict.

“I am incredibly grateful to The Donkey Sanctuary for giving me the opportunity to be a part of it, and when I look at the amount we raised as a team and think of the good it will do for these lovely animals, it’s just the gigantic cherry on top.” 

Experienced marathon runner, Maria Vaughn, who travelled more than 4,500 miles from her home in the United States, couldn’t have imagined a better marathon experience. She said: “The energy from the crowd was electric, and the iconic landmarks along the route made every mile special.

“The best part (and my only reason for) running the London Marathon was representing The Donkey Sanctuary. The impact of their work is remarkable, providing care and protection to donkeys in need.”

While in the UK, Maria took the time to visit our Sidmouth sanctuary before the marathon and described her experience as ‘phenomenal’.

This year, we also had one of our very own Donkey Welfare Advisers, Jess Bush, take on the challenge in aid of the donkeys we support at our Sidmouth sanctuary and in the community.

Jess said: “I wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone that donated and supported me running the 2025 London Marathon. To say I enjoyed the whole thing would be a lie but I am super grateful to have crossed the finish line and to have raised the funds I wanted to for all our donkeys.”

Part of her role as a DWA involves supporting Guardian owners on our Rehoming Scheme, but on this occasion it was the Guardians who supported Jess. She said: “I want to say a massive thank you to my Guardian homes that donated. They were all so supportive.”

An incredible effort

Our amazing team of runners raised more than £17,600 and it is through the incredible efforts of people like these that we can continue to reach donkey and mules across the globe.

Rose Huxham, Community Fundraising Officer, added: “This year we had a team of eight runners who complete the course. We had set a team fundraising target of £12,000, which they smashed.

“This year’s marathon was a great success and the efforts from our team of runners have left us all feeling so proud and grateful. Thank you Team Donkey Sanctuary.”