By Becs, PACT’s Marketing and Communications Assistant
This May saw lots of individuals, families, schools and companies getting active for PACT’s Marathon in May challenge.
For those who don’t know, Marathon in May is PACT’s much-loved fundraising challenge, where we ask you to complete a marathon (or more) throughout the month of May, in support of PACT’s life-changing work.
This year, there were new and exciting ways to get involved, including a Walkiethon for pets, Mini Marathon for children and Marathon in May Ultra for those who wanted to push themselves to do more than the 26.2 miles.
So… how did participants get on?
We saw more than double the number of participants taking part compared to last year and an incredible total of just over £3,600 raised to support our work building adoptive families and empowering women, children and parents to embrace a positive future!
The great thing about Marathon in May is that you can complete it any way you like… And this is exactly what participants did. Whilst some ran their miles, others enjoyed scenic walks with their families and dogs. Several individuals took part by cycling and others ticked their miles off by going to the gym!
Jeanie, who not only raised over £550, was top of the leaderboard and covered a massive 211.3 miles. She said: “Taking part in Marathon in May with Asha, my dog, was great fun. We both walked loads, Asha also ran and swam and I went off on a cycling weekend (Asha hasn’t mastered cycling yet!)
“Knowing every step or pedal was helping PACT’s amazing work spurred me on to do more walks which, unsurprisingly, Asha didn’t complain about! I’m very grateful for all the friends who supported us both.”
Let’s hear what others had to say:
- “This was mine and my dog Hamish’s first Marathon in May and we loved it. It was great to get out and explore new places whilst supporting such important work – bring on next year!” – Heather
- “PACT’s Marathon in May was a fantastic opportunity to support a charity close to my heart, and a terrific way of getting fit. It was great to be out mountain biking again and even better knowing I was helping others at the same time.” – David
- “We love PACT!” – PACT adoptive parents
- “When I looked at my total, I was shocked that I had done over 125 miles.” - Jane
Marathon in May also saw teams from companies and schools get involved. Clean energy technology company Enviromena raised just over £600 and covered 245 miles.
John, from AWE, particularly enjoyed the competitive side of the challenge. He said: “Setting your own goals and targets is an excellent way to keep both your mind and body sharp. If you have a competitive nature, it’s also a great opportunity to push beyond your comfort zone and discover just how far you can excel.” AWE staff raised a total of £312!
Overbury, a school in Tewkesbury, also signed up. They raised a huge £533 and said: “During May, Overbury, alongside our valued supply chain partners, proudly took part in the PACT Marathon fundraiser. Our collective efforts aimed to positively impact the lives of families, women, and children within the community, fostering a more promising future for them. This challenge was all about movement, fresh air and family fun! We had the flexibility to walk, run or cycle a marathon distance, encouraging everyone that took part to get active and enjoy time together outside of work.”
On the last weekend of the month, we invited Marathon in May participants to join us for our Two Towers Challenge! The 6.2 miles from Caversham Water Tower to Tilehurst Water Tower was a final push to tick off any remaining miles. It was lovely walk, with beautiful riverside views and birdsong-filled woodland whilst raising the profile of PACT and Marathon in May. If you fancy joining us next year we’ll be repeating the walk on Saturday 30th May 2026.
Thank you to everybody who got involved for your fantastic efforts – you are helping us to change lives! We’ve loved seeing the photos you’ve taken during Marathon in May (see the slideshow below).
Marathon in May might be over for another year but there’s still lots of exciting ways to support us, whether that’s taking on a challenge, buying something from our shop or becoming a friend of PACT. By supporting PACT, you can help us to ensure that our dedicated teams can continue to meet the needs of women, children and families for many years to come. Visit our support us page here. We would love to hear from you!
