The London Marathon Trust has appointed the chief executive of the Jo Cox Foundation to lead the organisation.

Catherine Anderson will take up the role of executive director at the Trust in April.

Her appointment follows the resignation of Sarah Ridley, who has led the charity for the last seven years. She is returnomg to consultancy work and spend more time in her role as a carer.

Prior to leading the Jo Cox Foundation, Anderson was chief of staff to former international development secretary Rory Stewart and was a founder of 50:50 Parliament and the Angus McDonald Trust, which works in Myanmar.

“I am honoured and excited in equal measure to be joining The London Marathon Charitable Trust, and the London Marathon family, at this time,” said Anderson.

“It’s a privilege to continue the deeply impactful work that the Trustees, Sarah and the brilliant team have delivered so far - inspiring activity for all and dismantling the barriers to participation in physical activity right across the country.

Trust chair Sir Rodney Walker added: “The Trustees of The London Marathon Charitable Trust would like to thank Sarah for her dedicated work and for all that she has done to make The Trust what it is today.

“We look forward to welcoming Catherine to The Trust in April and continuing our work to support organisations and communities to enable more people across the UK to become and remain active.”

Anderson is joining ahead of the Trust’s 40th anniversary.

Ridley said: “The London Marathon Charitable Trust has grown tremendously during my tenure and distributed more than half of the £93m awarded across The Trust’s 40-year history. Governance, strategic and staffing changes have transformed our grantmaking enabling us to support local and national projects of strategic significance.

“It has been a privilege working with amazing individuals and organisations who are delivering opportunities for everyone to reap the benefits of physical activity. I know Catherine shares The Trust’s commitment to inspiring activity and that she will take the organisation from strength to strength.”



The London Marathon Trust promotes an increase in physical activity by improving facilities in the capital and backing activity sessions including its core communities of young people, women, those from ethnically diverse backgrounds, older people, those with disabilities and families on low income.

Jacqui Smith, chair of the Jo Cox Foundation said: “I want to say a huge thank-you to Catherine for her dedicated and enthusiastic leadership of the Jo Cox Foundation for more than two years. During that time JCF has expanded and been put on a sounder financial footing.

“Catherine has achieved a three-fold increase in staffing levels, with a greatly increased turnover to match, as part of our first ever multi-year strategic plan. The impact of the Foundation across an expanded range of programmes has grown every year thanks to the team Catherine has successfully built up.”

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