Runners from across the UK have found out the results of the TSC London Marathon ballot for 2026, and two lucky runners received a guaranteed place through Derwen Charity.
Meet Connor Barker and Dan Jones, who are taking part in next year’s London Marathon whilst fundraising for Derwen Charity.
Both won one of our two charity places in our own ballot earlier this year, and have started their training and fundraising schedules ready for 26 April 2026.
Connor and Dan’s fundraising pages are now live, so please consider supporting them with your sponsorship. Every penny helps so please donate if you can.
Connor Barker |
Dan Jones |
| Connor is running the London Marathon in memory of his dad who was meant to take part in the iconic run in 2015 but sadly died a couple of weeks before he was due to race.
Connor’s younger sister Amy is a student at Derwen College. He says: “Derwen College is helping Amy to thrive into an independent young lady. With the support of all the wonderful staff and amenities she is able to express her passions for life, build relationships and have the most exciting experiences during her young adult life. He goes on to say: “To see my sister excelling so rapidly in the short amount of time she has attended, makes me so proud. I am so very grateful to Derwen College for giving her the opportunity to experience aspects of independent living and supporting her every step of the way. Thank you for helping adults like Amy in achieving their dreams.” |
Dan is a member of the horticulture pathway staff team here at Derwen College.
Dan says his motivation for running the London Marathon is to improve his fitness and wellbeing. He wants to be able to push himself towards a significant achievement and be a role model for the students. He says “I love Derwen College. All the staff and students are fantastic and if there is anything I can do to improve everyone’s experience I will give it a go.” Dan is aiming to raise more than £2,000 to provide extra experiences and facilities for our students. As part of his preparation, he recently took part in Chirk 10k – his first official race! |
| Sponsor Connor |
This is an exciting moment for Dan and Connor, as well as for the College as it is the first time we have had fundraisers taking part in the London Marathon.