William, smiling directly at the camera. He is wearing a Retina UK tshirt and has two medals hanging around his neck

Meet our supporters: William Taylor

William took part in the London Marathon in 2021. He talks here about his motivation and what it meant to him to be part of #TeamRetinaUK.

Fundraising for Retina UK means a lot to me - both my dad and my nephew have been affected by inherited sight-loss, and I've seen first-hand the incredible work this charity does.  My beautiful nephew, Arthur, is only two, but sadly has a faulty gene that causes retinitis pigmentosa, so I know how much this charity is going to help him in his lifetime.

“Having really gotten into my running over the last year or so, I was eager to get involved with some races as the world began to open up again, post-COVID. I have already entered a number of 10ks, but I was really looking for something bigger and more challenging and that was when I discovered the London Marathon was being held in October this year. Immediately I got in contact with Retina UK, the charity that is closest to my heart and enquired if they had places. I’ve run the marathon for them before and done various other fundraising activities in their name, so I was excited when I found out I could join the team.

“I’m most looking forward to the final mile. I remember very little of the Marathon from when I ran it in 2014, but that final mile sticks in my mind like it was yesterday. It’s the sound of the crowd, the atmosphere, people cheering your name and that pure adrenaline as you turn round the corner onto The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace, knowing that just an hour or two before you some of the most famous names in world running have done the exact same thing. The feeling is like no other and why people go back year on year.

“If you’re thinking of taking part this year, the best advice I can give – train hard, race easy! If you put the hard effort in beforehand and cover those training miles come rain or shine, you’ll be fine on the day!”

Take on a challenge for Retina UK

The Big Half 2025

The Big Half is a vibrant, inclusive half marathon with a fun, festival atmosphere and you could be taking part with #TeamRetinaUK!

Paris Half Marathon 2025

The Paris Half Marathon is one of the world's most iconic races. Fancy taking on a race for Retina UK in 2025? We’d love to hear from you.

Paris Marathon 2025

The Paris Marathon, which sees more than 60,000 people take part yearly, is the marathon with the second-most finishers in the world, behind the New York City Marathon. Fancy taking on an iconic race in aid of Retina UK? We’d love to hear from you.