The 39th London Marathon is this weekend – with tens of thousands of runners lining up at the start.

People on Sheppey and in Sittingbourne have been training hard for the gruelling 26.2 mile fundraiser tomorrow.

It will be the first time Ash Holmwood, who lives on Sheppey and works for Cawston Specialist Roofing in Sittingbourne, has taken on the challenge.

The 30-year-old will be doing it in aid of the Ronald McDonald House Charities, which provide accommodation for families who have sick children in hospital.

The charity supported his family when his nephew, Oscar Riddick, was born 11 weeks early. To support him, click here.

Joanna Griffin, from Croydon but whose dad lives and works on Sheppey, will run for Nerve Tumours UK as her nephew, Stanley Nash, was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis Type 1.

To support her, click here.

Emily Wakelen, 27, a former Highsted Grammar School pupil, is raising money for Children with Cancer UK, chosen after the primary school teacher and children and their relatives in her class were helped by the charity.

To support her, click here.

Two teachers from Grove Park School in Sittingbourne will also be running in aid of that charity.

Christopher Denney and Nicola Day pledged to raise £3,000 and to help each child from the school took part in their own mini marathon – the idea being that if each child ran one mile, each class would run the equivalent of a marathon and more. It raised £3,764.50 and money is still coming in.

Luke Blanshard, of Albany Road, Sittingbourne, is to run to raise cash for Rushenden mum Summa Barker, who is undergoing treatment for Susac’s syndrome.

Charity worker Lisa Jury, of Ufton Lane, Sittingbourne, is to do it for Childhood First, which cares for youngsters with emotional issues.

And Jamie Gynne, from Sittingbourne but living in Germany where he is in the army, is running for the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, which supports people who have complications during pregnancy.

Read more: All the latest news from Sittingbourne and Sheppey