Royal Parks Half Marathon 2026
Fundraising pledge: £450 (can include match donations)
Are you ready to take on London's most beautiful half marathon for the Children’s Book Project?
Run one of the capital’s most iconic races while helping transform children’s lives through the gift of books.
The Royal Parks Half Marathon takes you on a breathtaking tour of London. Beginning in Hyde Park, the route winds through Green Park past Buckingham Palace, loops around St James’s Park, and sweeps towards the riverside, passing some of the city’s most famous landmarks, including the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square, and the London Eye.
Enjoy a final flourish through Kensington Gardens, taking in views of Kensington Palace, before finishing like a champion beside the Royal Albert Hall.
Join 16,000 runners on a closed-road course that’s mostly flat, with only a handful of gentle slopes, perfect for half marathon beginners or those chasing a personal best.
When you run and fundraise with Team Children’s Book Project, you’ll be helping to put inspiring, high-quality books into the hands of children who need them most.
You must be at least 17 years old to run the Royal Parks Half Marathon
Already have your own place?
If you were lucky enough to secure your own spot in the ballot, you can still join Team Children’s Book Project and use your place to help eradicate childhood book poverty. We’d love to have you on the team.
Join Team Children’s Book Project
All our fundraisers receive:
- a Children’s Book Project running top
- personalised fundraising support
- cheer squads to spur you on around the course
Every pound you raise helps us get carefully chosen, pre-loved books into the homes, schools and community spaces where they will help inspire a lifelong love of reading.
Your £450 fundraising target could help us run a ‘Pop-up bookshop’ gifting event in a UK school, supplying hundreds of books to children with little or none of their own.
Fundraising for the Children’s Book Project
We recommend starting with a justgiving page and asking friends, family and colleagues to sponsor you. You can also boost your total by hosting events such as bake sales or quizzes. Browse our fundraising resources for more ideas.
Please ensure you feel confident about meeting the fundraising pledge before signing up, every place costs us £154 to purchase and Royal Parks is our main fundraising event of the year.
If you have any questions or would like to talk through fundraising ideas, our friendly team is here to help, email fundraising@childrensbookproject.co.uk.