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Volunteer role

Royal Parks Half Marathon cheer station volunteer

Join us at our charity cheer station to represent Breakthrough T1D on race day and give the Team Breakthrough T1D runners the best experience possible.
Content last reviewed and updated: 22.06.2026

A group of people wearing Breakthrough T1D t-shirts are cheering and waving flags.

The Royal Parks Half Marathon is London’s original half marathon! 

Lucky participants get to run on closed roads through many of the capital’s world-famous landmarks and four of London’s eight Royal Parks – Hyde Park, The Green Park, St James’s Park and Kensington Gardens. 

What will I be doing?

  • Cheering on the Breakthrough T1D runners taking part in the half marathon. 
  • Helping to make our cheer station the loudest on the route. 
  • Looking out for runners wearing Breakthrough T1D tops and pointing them out to your fellow cheerers. 
  • Helping to support families of our runners who may also come along to the cheer station to support their loved ones.  

What skills or experience do I need?

No experience is necessary. We are just looking for people who are enthusiastic about supporting the charity and who aren’t afraid to get stuck in and create a fun atmosphere for our runners and their supporters. 

Please note:  

  • this role may require you to be outside and on your feet for a long time. We will not provide any seating, but you will be welcome to take breaks when you need to. 
  • if you are under the age of 18 you will need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian who is over 18 and will be responsible for you while you volunteer.

When do you need me?

Date: Sunday 11 October 2026 

Time: Our staff will be there from 8am to set up. You can arrive any time from this point, but we ask you to be there by 10am at the latest.  

The cheer station will be packed down when it is clear that all Breakthrough T1D runners have run past. We anticipate this will be approximately 2pm. However, if you’re not able to stay for the full day, any amount of time you are able to provide is greatly appreciated.

 

Where will I be based?

The cheer station is located in Hyde Park, near the Band Stand.  

 Please note: In the interests of minimising costs and maximising charity funds, we prioritise volunteers who live near to the cheer station. 

There will be no parking nearby on the day. The cheer point is a 5 minute walk from Hyde Park Corner station (Piccadilly Line). Other nearby stations are Bond Street (Jubilee, Central, Elizabeth Lines) and Edgeware Road (Hammersmith & City, Circle and District Lines). There are also plenty of local bus routes, but some of these may not be running due to road closures. 

 

What training and support will I receive?

  • We’ll send you a copy of our Volunteer Handbook, which will give you all the information you’ll need to know about volunteering with us. We’ll also ask you to sign and return a copy of our Volunteer Agreement, which sets out what we’ll do to support you, and what we expect from you, during your time volunteering with us.  
  • We’ll make sure you have the name and contact details of a staff member who will support you before the event. On the day, there will be at least two members of Breakthrough T1D staff managing the cheer station. They will be your main contacts at the event, and their names and contact details will be provided in your volunteer briefing document nearer the time. 
  • We’ll send you a volunteer information pack with details of timings for the day, maps to where the cheer station will be located, what to bring with you and more. We’ll ask you to complete and return an emergency contact form before you volunteer at the event. 
  • We’ll give you a Breakthrough T1D t-shirt to wear at the cheer station, and there will be cheering materials such as flags and bang-bang sticks. You can collect these when you arrive at the cheer station. 
  • We’ll reimburse all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in accordance with Breakthrough T1D volunteering policies (see details in your Volunteer Handbook).  In the interests of minimising costs and maximising charity funds, we prioritise volunteers who live near to the cheer station. 
  • You can contact the Volunteer Team at volunteering@breakthroughT1D.org.uk or on 020 3410 6084 at any time. 

How do I apply?

If you’d like to join us at our cheer station, please email us at events@breakthrought1d.org.uk and tell us: 

  • Your name 
  • Your mobile number 
  • Your home postcode 
  • Why you’d like to volunteer with us on the Breakthrough T1D Royal Parks Half Marathon cheer station 

If you have any questions about volunteering with Breakthrough T1D, please contact us at: volunteering@breakthrought1d.org.uk 

If you have any questions about the Royal Parks Half Marathon, please contact us at: events@breakthrought1d.org.uk