On Sunday 27th April, the huge team of runners set off from Blackheath in South East London and crossed the famous finish line in The Mall, in support of local hospice charity Havens Hospices. Runners have collectively raised more than £132,000 and counting so far.
The charity, which has two hospices Fair Havens and Little Havens, heavily relies on fundraising from events like the London Marathon every year to continue providing its specialist care and support to everyone in the community living with incurable conditions.
Among the runners was Jenna Venables, Havens Hospices’ Clinical Lead Physiotherapist. This was her third London Marathon, running for the charity. She said after the race, “This race was the hardest of the three by far, the heat really got to me, but I did it and I’m proud. Each day at work, I’m inspired by the amazing people I support and their families, and that’s what got me around those 26.2 miles.”
Susie May, Challenge Fundraiser at Havens Hospices, said: “We’re incredibly proud of every single member of Team Havens. Completing 26.2 miles is no small feat, and their dedication, passion, and perseverance mean the world to everyone at the charity. The warm weather on marathon day made the challenge even tougher, but our runners rose to the occasion and powered through. We were there cheering them on at every stage of the route—it was truly inspiring to watch.
“We must raise more than £207,000 each week to be there for everyone who needs us and we can’t thank our supporters enough for helping us continue ‘Making every day count’ for our local community.”
Havens Hospices will be opening applications for its London Marathon 2026 charity places soon, following the result of the public ballot which is now open for registrations. Follow @havenshospices on social media for the latest updates.
Published 30th April 2025
