London Marathon organiser names online fundraising partner

Donations technology firm Enthuse has been named as online fundraising partner for the London Marathon and several other major charity events.

The three-year deal will see Enthuse support digital fundraising across London Marathon Events activities.

As well as the iconic London Marathon this also includes RideLondon, the Vitality Westminster Mile, Vitality London 10,000, the Big Half and Swim Serpentine.

Through the link up Enthuse will provide an official branded fundraising platform for each event.

“We were looking for a new online fundraising partner that would provide the best possible service for our charities, our participants and their donors,” said LME event director Hugh Brasher.

He added: “We look forward to working with Enthuse to raise many millions more for good causes through our world-leading events.”

Fundraising pages will be fully branded with the logo and colours of the charity each participant has chosen to support.

Organisers add that through the partnership charities “will have full access to real time fundraising and donations data, insights and analytics for their supporters”.

Enthuse replaces London Marathon Events’ long standing online fundraising partner Virgin Money Giving, which closed last year.

Enthuse founder and chief executive Chester Mojay-Sinclare said: “We’re absolutely delighted that London Marathon Events has entrusted us to take the baton from Virgin Money Giving as its official online fundraising partner.

“It’s a real honour to be powering some of the largest and most prestigious fundraising events in the world and we can’t wait to get to work with the brilliant London Marathon Events team.”

Earlier this week Enthuse published a online fundraising trends report, which highlighted concerns around volatility in small charities finances due to the Covid pandemic.

This also raised concerns about take up of digital fundraising in the charity sector.

The London Marathon takes place on October 2. It will once again involve a virtual fundraising element to run alongside the in-person race in the capital. This gives participants the chance to run the 26.2 miles distance anywhere in the world.

Last year’s hybrid event marked a return to mass participation after being staged virtually in 2020.