More than 25,000 set for the Big Half as community groups lead the way

At the heart of the event are London's rich and vibrant communities, with 7,300 people from almost 400 community groups set to take part. Supported by discounted entry fees of £25, these groups reflect the diversity, energy and community spirit that makes London unique.  

Groups taking part include Bloodlines, the NHS-supported campaign encouraging blood donation among Black communities; Roll & Run, one of London’s most accessible clubs; Acre Palm, a West London fitness and running community; and REP Runners, the high-energy run crew who were tasked with designing this year’s finisher T-shirt and medal. 

Below we introduce you to some of the groups taking part.

Bloodlines is a social-first brand and content platform designed to make blood donation feel culturally relevant, socially rewarding and personally meaningful to young Black people in the UK. Through real-life stories, trusted voices and community-led storytelling, Bloodlines is on a mission to normalise blood donation and inspire more young people of Black heritage to become regular donors. 

Around 19,000 people in the UK live with sickle cell disorder, the name for a group of inherited health conditions that affect the red blood cells and predominantly affects people of African and Caribbean heritage. NHS Blood and Transplant currently has around 775,000 active blood donors, yet only around 21,500 identify as Black or mixed Black ethnicity. 

To help raise awareness of the need for more Black heritage donors, a team of seven Bloodlines runners will take on the Big Half through community entries, sharing their personal stories and highlighting the positive impacts of blood donation. 

Nnenna Ohaka, founder of Bloodlines, said: “I wanted to bring blood donation closer to the Black community. The Big Half is an opportunity to bring people together around a shared goal, while starting important conversations about blood donation and the difference it can make to people’s lives. I really hope our team’s stories inspire more people to find out their blood type, register as donors and become part of a movement that can help save lives.” 

Jelissa Lutula who is running for Bloodlines, added: “As a sickle cell carrier, I know how essential blood transfusions are for many people living with sickle cell disorder. I want to encourage more people, particularly those from Black communities to become regular donors as there is an ongoing need for closely matched blood to provide the best care for patients with sickle cell.” 

As part of the event, Bloodlines, in partnership with NHS Blood & Transplant, will host a ‘What’s Your Blood Type?’ activation in the Big Half charity village. The activation will encourage participants and spectators to discover their blood type, learn more about blood donation and register to become donors.

REP Runners is a community that has brought together people from all backgrounds, ages and walks of life through a shared love of running. For many, it started with taking those first nervous steps as a beginner and trying something completely new. Today, those same runners have found a powerful sense of belonging, achievement and friendship.  

What began as a small community back in 2017 has grown into one of London’s most vibrant and recognisable run crews, bringing high-energy party vibes to every session. 

This year, more than 150 REP Runners will take on the Big Half, and the crew has had the unique honour of designing the event’s soon-to-be-revealed finisher T-shirt and medal, which will be worn and celebrated by thousands of participants. 

Founding member Saheed Mustapha said: “To know that 20,000 people are going home with a REP-designed medal and T-shirt gives me such a sense of pride that I never thought I’d experience.  

“Running has quite literally changed my life, and I have always wanted to share that positive high that a run can give you. When designing the medal and T-shirt, we wanted to celebrate the achievement of finishing, regardless of finish time. We wanted every Big Half finisher to have a reminder that they accomplished something amazing and should be super proud.” 

The finisher T-shirt and medal will be revealed on the Big Half socials in the coming weeks.  

Roll & Run Club is one of London’s most accessible running clubs, founded by Poppy May. Eight years ago, her life changed overnight when she woke up unable to feel anything from the waist down. Poppy went from being a happy and active 17-year-old to navigating life as a wheelchair user and was later diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder. 

After struggling with her mental health in the years following her diagnosis, Poppy joined a local gym, which became a turning point in her life. Her renewed love of sport and fitness led her to attend several running clubs that claimed to be accessible and inclusive. However, she was often left behind or taken on routes with stairs and other barriers that made participation difficult. 

Driven by those experiences, Poppy set out to create the kind of community she had been searching for. Roll & Run was founded as a genuinely inclusive running club where people of all abilities can take part, connect and move together.  

This September, five members of the Roll & Run community, including Poppy, will take on the Big Half through the event’s community entries. Together, they will represent the inclusive spirit of the club and highlight the importance of making sport accessible to everyone, regardless of ability or background. 

Poppy said: “Roll & Run is about creating a space where everyone feels welcome. Seeing members of our community take on the Big Half together is a powerful reminder of what can happen when people feel supported, included and encouraged to take part.” 

Acre Palm is a modern training club redefining what fitness can look like. Known for its social 5Ks, collaborative training projects and weekly strength sessions, the group focuses on building the physical and mental capacity to do more with life. 

This year, almost 50 Acre Palm members are taking on the Big Half, with many running their first-ever half marathon. The team includes founder Felix Morton who will take part in the 13.1-mile course dressed as a palm tree in memory of his mum who died last year.   

Morton said: “At Acre Palm we train for something more than performance. We train for life and want to contribute to something bigger than ourselves. Running a half marathon dressed as a palm tree won’t be easy, but it’s all for a bigger purpose, and I want to raise as much money and awareness as possible.” 

Felix is fundraising for Black Women Rising after losing his mum to cancer last year. The charity supports women of colour through every step of their cancer diagnosis, while also raising awareness and advocating for more equitable and accessible cancer care across the UK.  

Sanaa Qureshi, Head of Community Engagement at London Marathon Events and Event Lead for the Big Half: "The Big Half is so unique because it puts communities at the heart of the event. Every year we’re inspired by the incredible range of groups that take part, each bringing their own story and sense of purpose. Whether you’re taking on the Big Half or teaming up for the New Balance Big Relay or doing the Big Mile, there is something for everyone at the Big Half and that helps to make the event a true celebration of London’s diversity, energy and community spirit.”