Lara's London Marathon triumph raises over £1000 for the RNLI

Lara Bird crossed the finish line in an impressive time of 3 hours 12 minutes, raising over £1000 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and over £800 for Reach Across.

This remarkable achievement marks Lara’s first official marathon since recovering from a serious torn spinal cord injury, which left her unable to run for more than a year. Her return to marathon running is a testament to her resilience, determination, and commitment to the causes she supports.

Lara, who has previously completed the London Marathon, undertook months of intense preparation for this year’s event. As part of her training, she completed an extraordinary 26 mile run from Montrose lifeboat station to Broughty Ferry, stopping at Arbroath along the way, battling challenging coastal conditions including strong headwinds.

Her motivation for supporting the RNLI is deeply personal. Lara’s father was rescued twice by RNLI crews while out sailing - once near Oban in 2023 and again near Tobermory in 2024. On both occasions, he was extremely fortunate, and the experiences left a lasting impact on Lara and her family.

“Knowing first-hand the difference the RNLI makes gave me a huge drive to take on this challenge,” Lara said. “I wanted to give something back and help ensure they can continue saving lives at sea.”

Lara is also supporting Reach Across, a mental health charity based in Arbroath. Suicide prevention is a cause close to Lara’s heart and she has been blown away by the wonderful work they do to support those in the community who are in crisis and their families.

Throughout her training and preparation, Lara received strong support from RNLI volunteers across Montrose, Arbroath and Broughty Ferry lifeboat stations, all of whom followed her journey and cheered her on in the build-up to race day.

During the marathon itself, Lara described feeling emotional as she ran through the RNLI cheer point, where supporters and volunteers created an unforgettable atmosphere along the route.

Lara’s achievement has inspired supporters across the region, with many following her journey from her early training runs to her successful completion of one of the world’s most iconic marathons.

Lara’s fundraising pages will remain open for a further two weeks, and she is continuing to accept donations in support of both charities.

RNLI donations - https://shorturl.at/AN5ub
Reach Across donations - https://shorturl.at/atueK

Donations to support Lara’s fundraising for both charities are still welcome.

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.