Headway Derby is proud to be a Gold Ballot holder for the London Marathon for 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029, which secures us four guaranteed charity places each year. For the 2026 race we are inviting committed runners to join our team and help raise a minimum of £2,000 each to support people affected by acquired brain injury in Derbyshire and the surrounding area. Your fundraising will directly fund vital services including rehabilitation support, community outreach and specialist advice.

If you prefer to apply for the public ballot and are fortunate enough to gain a place, we would be delighted to have you represent Headway Derby instead. Runners who secure a place through the normal ballot can transfer their entry to our charity and join our fundraising team; we welcome this and can provide promotional materials, fundraising support and a team place on race day.

If you are interested in one of our guaranteed places, or wish to run for Headway Derby after winning a ballot place, please get in touch with the fundraising team. We will provide guidance on fundraising targets, training support and event logistics so you can focus on preparing for the challenge while making a meaningful difference for people affected by brain injury.

This unrestricted fundraising gift is exceptionally significant for Headway Derby. Gifts without restrictions give us the flexibility to direct funds where they are needed most — whether that’s supporting day-to-day running costs, developing new services, investing in staff training, or responding to emerging needs within the local brain injury community. We rarely receive donations of this nature, so the impact is both immediate and far-reaching.

For people living with acquired brain injury across Derby and Derbyshire, unrestricted funding will enable improvements across our core services: rehabilitation support, community outreach, aftercare, and carer support. It will help us sustain and expand vital projects such as specialist advice clinics, cognitive rehabilitation groups, employment support, and social integration activities. It also allows us to pilot new initiatives tailored to local need and to maintain services when other income is uncertain.

Beyond direct service delivery, this funding strengthens our organisational resilience. It covers essential overheads that keep our centre accessible and safe, supports staff retention and development, and allows us to respond quickly to referrals and crisis situations.