The 2025 TCS London Marathon was an opportunity for a world record 56,640 runners to raise funds for charities of their choice – 110 of which chose to run for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity.
The weather was bright and unusually warm as runners snaked through the streets of London, over Tower Bridge, past SSAFA’s office at Queen Elizabeth House (QEH) and towards the finish line just opposite Buckingham Palace.
Among the SSAFA runners was Joss Mowforth, a Scots Army Major from East Dunbartonshire who attempted to break the Guinness World Record for fastest marathon while carrying a 25kg fridge, dubbing himself the “London Fridge”. While he was unsuccessful in his attempt, Joss was in high spirits after finishing in just over five hours:
“I definitely underestimated the heat out there, so unfortunately, I wasn’t able to beat the record. But seeing all my family at the SSAFA cheer points, as well as getting to do a mid-race interview with JJ Chalmers and BBC Sport, it was well worth it.”
Robert Jenrick, MP for Newark, also took part on behalf of SSAFA, taking the opportunity to do interviews with GB News and about the importance of supporting military charities and the work that SSAFA does.
After finishing the marathon, runners and their families were invited to SSAFA’s central office for food, drinks, chats, and even massage therapy to help them recover after the race. The London Underground was experiencing some delays and closures, meaning that some Marathoners walked three miles to get to QEH – having just run 26.
Samuel Ellis, a serving Royal Navy Officer, on his London Marathon experience and choosing to run for SSAFA:
“The Marathon was an unbelievable experience, with the crowds, the course, everything. The massage here at the SSAFA office was especially brilliant, and just what I needed. The only downside was that it didn’t last long enough!
“I come from a military family – I’m the son of a British Army soldier, my father-in-law is an ex-Army Officer, and my wife is also a serving Royal Navy Officer. And with all the great work SSAFA do for the military community, it made perfect sense to choose SSAFA.”
