Hackney Half 2026 charity places

Hackney Moves

Hackney Moves is East London's unmissable weekend of sport, entertainment, and community celebration.

At the heart of it all is the hugely popular Hackney Half, which sold out in just two days this year (its fourth sell-out in a row). But the weekend offers so much more. From the free Community 5K and Schools’ Challenge to the buzzing Fitness Festival and vibrant Event Village on Hackney Marshes, there's something for everyone.

This really is a standout moment in London’s running calendar.

Timetable

• Saturday | 09:00–18:00
• Sunday | 07:00–16:00

Sport & movement

• Live fitness sessions and entertainment on the Main Stage
• East London’s top instructors, DJs and performers
• From Fight Klub, Zumba and Pilates to Soca Step, dance and post-race stretch sessions
• Drop in, join in, or soak up the atmosphere

Children & families

• Dedicated Family Fun Zone in the south of the village
• Hackney Playbus activities for under-5s
• HulaFit, face painting and hands-on sports games
• Basketball, hockey, trampette classes and fun fitness challenges

Fuel & refresh

• Local street food and drink traders all weekend
• Pizza, burgers, vegan and plant-based options, fresh juices and more
• Full bar serving your favourite drinks
• Catered for gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan diets

Traders

• Market on the Marshes open all weekend
• Artisanal food, drink and fitness merchandise
• Ideal for post-race treats, gifts and browsing

Overview

Run through London’s most creative and inspiring borough with vibrant street art and entertainment on course!

Cruise down Mare Street through a carnival of sound, pass by the famous Town Hall, head through the historic Broadway Market, and then take in Hackney Wick, which is flush with vibrant street art. Explore green spaces including Haggerston and Downs Parks, cross over twelve canals and rivers, and enjoy a panoramic view of the Olympic Park.

Map

Cut off

3hr 30 mins.

There is a race cut-off time of 3 hours and 30 minutes for each runner, after which any runners still on the course will be asked to move to the pavements so that roads can be reopened.

Event HQ

Hackney Marshes
London
Greater London
E9 5PY
UK

The venue

The Hackney Festival village is located on Hackney Marshes, E9 5PF.

• Considered the spiritual home of Sunday League football, Hackney Marshes are inextricably linked with exercise and movement. 
• Easily accessible by public transport, Hackney Marshes are serviced by both overground and Tube links.

Parking

Westfield Stratford City (E20 1EJ): 25-minute walk.

Getting there

London Overground

• Clapton Station | 30-minute walk
• Hackney Wick Station | 20-minute walk
• Homerton Station | 20-minute walk

Train

• Stratford Station | 25-minute walk
• Leyton Station | 20-minute walk

Bus

Local bus services will be running on diversions on event morning. Please check the TFL website for detail.

Cycling

There will be numerous bike parking facilities within the Festival Village. Don’t forget to bring an appropriate cable or chain lock!

Every year thousands of runners take part in this event and fundraise for charity. While this is hugely beneficial to the charities it gives the runner advantages too, from supporting a cause that is close to your heart to securing a place in this highly sought-after event and much more.

Benefits of running for charity

Committing to raising money for charity gives you motivation to get outside and run, plus all of these extras which will elevate your event experience:

• Fundraising support

  Charities know that raising money is all part of the challenge, which is why they provide advice, branded materials and a personalised online fundraising page to help the donations roll in. Think videos for social media, branded imagery and testimonials from previous runners.

• Training support

  Whether this is your first run or your fifth, you'll need to train for it! You'll receive an in-depth training plan with guidance, plus many charities have access to expert coaches and elite runners too, who can provide exclusive tips for your race preparation. Experts include Runningwithus, Full Potential and five-time Olympian Jo Pavey!

• Branded running kit

  When you show up on the day, people need to be able to see clearly that you're supporting a charity. Most charities will give you a branded and personalised t-shirt or vest to run in on the big day, and often a training top too.

• Support on the day

  When you're partway through your run and your energy is flagging, what you need is a boost from cheering spectators to keep you moving. Many charities set up a cheer station along the route, keeping an eye out for you to send up a huge cheer as you run past!

• Post-race recovery

  Refreshments and an indulgent post-race sports massage are often provided by charities for their runners. This is the perfect way to recover alongside other people who have run for that cause.

• Exclusive social groups

  You won't be the only person running for that charity, so it's well worth meeting other runners through the charity's invite-only social media pages! You can organise to meet up for training runs, chat with the charity's expert coaches and share tips and stories with each other to keep the motivation levels running high.

Running a half marathon and charity fundraising go hand-in-hand - which charity will you run for?

First ever charity run. Hackney Half Marathon was brilliant, crowds were great, community spirit as it should be, locals were amazing, everyone played their part, a great day and a memorable day which I can look back at with pride. Thank you to all of you. Blisters on my feet, but walking tall 😉 John E

This was my first Hackney Half. Really enjoyed it, it was a great atmosphere and experience all round. And most importantly running for TeamMonk - raising funds for my good friend Michael Monks cancer treatment. Sarah W

This was the first time I ran Hackney Half. It certainly didn't disappoint in terms of crowd support and music around the course, very on par with my experience of running the London Marathon. Plenty of aid stations providing water in cups, which helped cut down on the plastic waste, and designated rubbish points for them nearby once emptied. There were pacers available if you needed support on the day. Carmen

This is a brilliantly organised, very, very cool race. The support is wonderful from local people and Marshall’s. it’s heavily staffed from start to finish, despite some 22k people competing I felt I  hardly spent any time in a queue. Highly recommend it. Alistair

Brilliant atmosphere, with bands dotted along the short course, and lots of friendly encouraging stewards, volunteers and supporters. My first ever organised run, it was a great experience and I intend to do more! Rebecca

Amazing event. The festival feel they create makes this one really special. The route is one of the best supported I have ran in. Not much elevation. A couple of short sharp hills but nothing terrible. Lots of aid stations and the paramedics were amazing as the heat put a few people out. The atmosphere at the finish line was the best. The medal and t shirt are in my top 3 faves of all my races. If you get the chance, I highly recommend this half. Angela S

Loved the whole thing from booking to finishing. Andrew B

Amazing event, great atmosphere. Also, great organisation. Karol S

Throughly enjoyed my run this morning through Hackney! The support was fantastic the course was a nice flat run! Had a great time running and have already booked my place for next year! Great experience thank you Hackney x Ricci S

Included

• Finisher’s medal
• Official event T-shirt
• Chip timing and official results
• Water and aid stations on route
• Fully closed-road course
• Bag drop facility
• Live music, DJs and on-course entertainment
• Access to the Hackney Moves event village