22 May 2026 Celebrating London Marathon Success
We made our TCS London Marathon debut this year – and what a start.
Three incredible runners took on the challenge in support of our social mobility mission, raising an amazing £10,000 to help create opportunities for young people from under-served backgrounds. From cold, early morning training runs to the electric atmosphere of race day, this was far more than a physical challenge for Pedro Domingues from Accenture, Rob Jones from SAS, and Stuart Forrest from Dell Technologies. Each runner brought a deeply personal motivation, united by a shared belief that every young person deserves the chance to succeed.
For Pedro, his connection to The Talent Foundry began through family. His sister has volunteered with the charity and often shared her experiences of the impact it creates. That inspired him to get involved. Pedro has also seen first-hand how access to education can transform lives through his own time teaching in Galicia. He wanted to support a charity that actively opens doors for young people who may not otherwise have those opportunities. Taking on the TCS London Marathon was already a personal goal but doing it for a cause with such meaning made the challenge even more powerful.
Rob’s motivation comes from reflection and a strong sense of fairness. He describes himself as grateful for the opportunities he had growing up, despite his parents not having significant financial resources. He benefited from strong state education and a supportive environment, which helped him build a successful career. However, his experience at university made him aware that not everyone values or even recognises the advantage they may have. Over time, he has become increasingly concerned that young people today face greater barriers, from rising costs of education to reduced funding in schools. Having volunteered with The Talent Foundry, Rob has seen the difference our programmes can make. He believes strongly that social mobility is a key measure of a fair and advanced society, and he is determined to play his part in improving it.
Stuart’s story is different. His motivation is rooted in direct experience working alongside The Talent Foundry in Manchester. As a Dell Technologies advocate supporting local workshops, he has seen the charity’s work in action and the positive effect it has on young people. This gave him a clear understanding of why the mission matters and the importance of creating opportunities that build confidence, skills and networks.
Crossing the finish line marked not just the end of 26.2 miles, cheered by thousands of people, but the culmination of months of training. Reflecting on the experience, Pedro shared:
Running for TTF gave me a purpose and the extra motivation to not only train hard, but to fundraise just as hard… I can’t thank the TTF team enough and would run the London Marathon for the cause again without a shadow of a doubt.
Rob spoke about the urgency of the cause, saying:
I’ve seen first-hand the work that TTF do. Young people are getting a worse deal by the day, whether that’s the cost of university fees, or the standard of education that is meant to get them there.
For Stuart, the moment was unforgettable:
Completing the marathon was like winning the World Cup and riding an open top bus around London for four hours... The power to influence in a positive way, inspire someone to think differently, or to create a spark in a young person is an incredible thing to do.
Feeling inspired and want to get in on the action? We have just four charity places available for the 2027 TCS London Marathon. If you are up for an unforgettable challenge and want to push yourself while inspiring under-served young people to dream bigger, we want to hear from you. Applications close 31 August 2026.