Record breakers! Brighton Half Marathon runners raise more than £300,000 for Sussex Beacon

Setting new records at the Brighton Half Marathon is par for the course, but Brighton-based HIV charity Sussex Beacon has done it once again, announcing a truly remarkable fundraising total and number of Team Beacon runners for this year’s event.

Last year Team Beacon comprised 400 runners, up from 250 in 2024, but this year’s race at the beginning of March saw more than 800 enthusiastic individuals donning the prized Team Beacon vest. Having announced it had raised more than £100,000 at last year’s Half Marathon, the Beacon has revealed its Team Beacon runners have collectively raised more than £300,000 at this year’s event, in aid of Sussex Beacon.          

Commenting on the result, Sussex Beacon’s CEO Rachel Brett said “This year’s Half Marathon was our biggest and best yet. We are truly astounded that more than £300,000 has been raised by over 800 incredible Team Beacon runners. This success reflects an enormous amount of hard work and demonstrates just how valued the Sussex Beacon is within our community.

"These vital funds will allow us to continue supporting people living with HIV and to reinstate our palliative care services, ensuring we can provide inclusive care for those most in need and facing the greatest inequalities. We are deeply grateful to all our supporters; without them this essential work simply wouldn’t be possible.”

There was a strong celebrity contingent again within Team Beacon, most noteworthy being Olly Alexander, who also started the race. Olly was joined in Team Beacon by “star seasoned runner” Zoe Lyons along with her Running Joke podcast partner Esther Manito, Dr Tom Crawford (mathematician of Countdown fame) and comedian Patrick Monahan. Alongside them was Chris Ward, MP for Kemptown and Peacehaven. Bringing additional excitement to the day were Jodie Ounsley and Jamie Christian of Gladiators fame, who posed for photos post-race, as well as Amanda Collier from The Traitors, there to cheer on her wife Caroline, who ran as part of Team Beacon.   

Of particular note within the team this year is Gareth Honor, with this year’s Brighton Half Marathon being his 40^th event for Sussex Beacon. Joining him were Andrew Buchan (co-creator of Team Beacon), who recruited more than 40 keen runners from Littlehampton to join him within Team Beacon, David Hill (running in his iconic Panto Dame outfit), Ian Puttock (who recently completed the UK’s only marathon in a multi-storey car park) and Peyton Vellaa (a Disability Ambassador, running in memory of David Raven, aka Maisie Trollette and Jason Sutton, aka Miss Jason).         

Each Team Beacon runner had a fundraising target of £200, although a large number of runners have raised far in excess of this amount, in many cases more than £1,000. 

Sussex Freemasons Community Charity Chairman Mike Harris, main sponsor of Team Beacon, said “As Sussex Freemasons we live and work in our communities. To have the opportunity to assist Sussex Beacon both financially and physically gives a real sense of pride to our membership and gives hope to Sussex Beacon’s service users. We are delighted that the effort of all the amazing runners has resulted in yet another record-breaking year for the charity”.