10 December 2024

Press Release

For immediate release

Go the extra mile for Nature: Runfest announces WWF as official charity partner for 2025

Environmental charity WWF has been announced as RUN-FEST’s official charity partner for 2025, having supported since 2021
Participants can enjoy beginner-friendly distances or marathon-maker routes of Kew Gardens in March and Richmond in September, finishing with a music festival and fitness expo
Lift your spirit, get social, and step up to support WWF in bringing our world back to life

WWF is proudly partnering with RUN-FEST as their official charity of the year for the 2025 series of running events.

With events scheduled across some of London's most scenic locations, including Kew Gardens and Richmond upon Thames, this partnership offers participants the chance to turn their miles into meaningful change, raising funds to support WWF’s vital conservation work.

WWF has been powering runners with purpose since joining RUN-FEST in 2021, and next year will offer 150 exclusive places on their charity team.

More than your standard marathon, runners will stride through world heritage protected parks before crossing the finish line to enter a music and fitness festival, showcasing a stellar lineup of British bands.

‘Green exercise’ which includes running outdoors, can revive the mind and body, reduce fatigue and raise our self-esteem. This, combined with social support, fresh air, nourishing natural light, and giving to a greater cause makes for the ultimate feel-good family or fitness fanatic’s day out.

KEW THE RUN

London’s flattest 10k, the Kew 10k, will take place inside the Royal Botanic Gardens, whilst the Kew Half Marathon will begin in the gardens before runner’s circle the historic sites of Richmond Bridge and Ham House. A traditionally ticketed venue, race entries allow an additional 2x adults and 2x children (under 16) to enter with each runner free of charge.

RICHMOND RUN-FEST

With the starting line for Richmond running events also set in Kew Gardens, 5,000 runners will get a unique music festival finish – Britain’s Basement Jaxx singers headlining the stage. For the full line-up of talent, see the event page here.

Exhibitors including On Running and Monkey Sox[BE1] will fill stalls for the event’s on-site fitness expo, which also includes food and drink vendors such as locally loved The Park Brewery.

Beginner-friendly, this event is a London Marathon ‘Good for Age’ & Boston Marathon qualifier.

Sarah Maling, Head of Events at WWF UK, said: “WWF is thrilled to be the official charity partner for RUN-FEST’s 2025 event series. This partnership is about more than encouraging people to sign up for running - it’s about giving your body a workout, your mind a reset, and yourself a sense of purpose, all while supporting WWF in bringing our world back to life. We hope to see both beginners and seasoned runners out there in 2025 - feeling good, doing good, and enjoying their daily dose of nature in some of the most beautiful corners of London.”

Jade Bedford, Head of Charities at RUN-FEST said: “WWF have been a part of this event since 2021 and it’s been a joy to work with such a dedicated environmental charity and see their fundraising grow each year. Now as headline charity we have the opportunity to hit new targets and encourage more participants to support this vital cause.”

Whether it’s a PB you’re chasing or a jog-along with friends, RUN-FEST gives you the chance to turn fitness into a force for good - encouraging social connection whilst championing the work of WWF.

RUN-FEST events sold out in 2024, so if you’re ready to take the first step, visit WWF’s Events Pages listed below or RUN-FEST’s official website to sign up and makes strides to protect nature.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

Details & Dates:

KEW THE RUN

Kew the Run (Saturday 29th March 2025): Kew Gardens 10K
Kew the Run (Sunday 30th March 2025): Kew Gardens Half Marathon
Runners will receive a finishers medal and participants shirt (male and female cuts available)

RICHMOND RUN-FEST

Sunday 14th September 2025
Richmond 10K (all inside Kew Gardens, 10km)
Richmond Marathon (13.1 miles)
Richmond Half Marathon (26.2 miles)

Two ways you can go the distance with WWF:

Charity Place: Secure a WWF charity spot with a minimum fundraising pledge, giving you an official place on Team WWF.
Individual Place: If you’ve already snagged a spot, simply join Team WWF with no fundraising minimums.

Because nature looks good on you when you nurture it, all WWF participants will receive:

Team WWF branded eco-friendly top and finishers medal
Training and fundraising support including access to an online training hub, the WWF Team Panda Facebook Group, workshops, and a fundraising pack loaded with trail tips.
Race day VIP treatment - WWF runners will enjoy a VIP gazebo and on-hand support at the start and finish lines.

About WWF:

WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature) is one of the world’s largest independent conservation organisations, active in nearly 100 countries.

Our supporters – more than five million of them – are helping us to restore nature and to tackle the main causes of nature’s decline, particularly the food system and climate change. We’re working to ensure a world with thriving habitats and species, and to change hearts and minds so it becomes unacceptable to overuse our planet’s resources.