Being part of Team United response at the London Marathon doesn’t just mean being a runner. A key part of every event is our crew of volunteers who are there to support, share information about United Response, and add to the atmosphere of the London Marathon, which is what makes it so special and well known around the world.  

We’re currently looking for volunteers for the 2027 Double TCS London Marathon so why not take your opportunity to join us and be part of this amazing day? 

We sat down with Maxine Spry, who was a volunteer at the 2026 event, to find out what’s involved and what you can expect as a Team United Response volunteer.  


What was the most exciting part of volunteering at the London Marathon?  
 
I think having some of the people that we support join us to on the volunteering cheer line. We had some colleagues running and many of the people we support were there to cheer them along. That was just a really rewarding moment having people that we work with, raising money for United Response, but also having people that are supported by United Response there, wearing the United Response t-shirt and supporting their staff to run the marathon. 
 

What was the atmosphere like on the day? 

 
The atmosphere at the London Marathon is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. It’s absolutely electric. You’ve got 55,000 runners participating and every single person there typically has someone supporting them. London is absolutely a chock-a-block with people having fun and cheering. 
 

What was the most memorable or emotional moment you experienced while volunteering?  

 
Celeb spotting is fun. There are always celebrities running in the London Marathon and seeing them out in the wild whilst running the London Marathon is quite unique. I saw Chris Evans one year; that was really funny. I was just trying to kind of like place him and I couldn’t. I mean, running a marathon is just a huge physical and mental feat. But then you see people running along with fridges strapped to their back and in full army gear wearing stilettos all in the name of accomplishing something huge for a cause that’s close to them. 

The humanity in it, it’s just wonderful. It’s hard not to get caught up in the moment. 

But then of course supporting our team as well, it’s always incredibly rewarding. It’s just wonderful actually being able to greet them, thank them for their support, tell them how wonderful they are.  

 
How easy is it to volunteer for the London Marathon?  
 
It’s a long day, but it’s a rewarding day and it feels really special to be part of a group that’s there to support our runners as well. And when you do spot somebody, everyone gets so excited trying to get photos and cheering them. It’s just always really, really fun. 
 

How rewarding was it to support the runners and help them achieve their goals? 

 
It’s risky business running a marathon. People can get tired, injured or sometimes need to stop altogether. Being a volunteer means providing that boost that might push people over that final finishing line.  

 
Would you recommend volunteering at the London Marathon to others?  

I would absolutely recommend volunteering at the London Marathon. It’s a great day out, soaking up that atmosphere and being a part of it. The runners have put in so much to their training and fundraising journeys, and they absolutely deserve our support and recognition. I think that’s possibly like the best reason to get involved. 

Sign up to become a 2027 Team United Response volunteer: 2027 London Marathon Volunteer Form