Charities are being invited to take part in a ballot for running places at next year’s TCS London Marathon. 

London Marathon Events is offering 500 charities the chance to secure a running place in the event, which will be held on 27 April. 

It is the first time organisers have been able to run the charity ballot for five years because of the redistribution of places from the 2020 event, which was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The ballot is open to UK-registered charities with no places in either the 2024 or 2025 event. 

Successful charities will be awarded one place each and will be asked to pay £400 plus VAT to secure their place. 

The average amount raised through a charity place in the event is more than £2,600, London Marathon Events said. 

About 50,000 people are expected to take part in next year’s race. This year the marathon broke its own record for the highest amount raised by a one-day annual fundraising event.

The final total is yet to be announced but the event had raised more than £67m the day after the race was held, organisers said. 

Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events, said: “Fundraising is at the heart of the TCS London Marathon and we work with more than 2,000 charities every year. 

“We are delighted to provide this opportunity for 500 more charities to be involved in the 2025 event. 

“It will be a very special year as we will be celebrating the 45th edition of the London Marathon, the world’s biggest annual one-day fundraising event.” 

The deadline for applying to the ballot is 4pm on 1 August and charities will be told the results by 9 August. 

For more information and to apply, click here.