‘Do something different!’: Streatham man bringing fun to London Marathon

A 43-year-old from Streatham, who is no stranger to the London Marathon, is urging runners to have fun during the iconic race.

Tristan Walker-Buckton, 43, from Streatham, will be hitting the streets of London for the 26.2 miles this Sunday to raise money for Independent Age.

Having run more than a dozen marathons in his life, this will be his third time raising money for the charity that supports older people living in financial hardship.

Mr Walker-Buckton, who works for Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC), first heard of Independent Age through a partnership between the two organisations.

He said: “A number of my close colleagues give some of their time to Independent Age service users and find that incredibly rewarding, and I’ve met several beneficiaries at various events.

“Many of us at PIC are very proud of the partnership we have with Independent Age and really recognise the valuable work that they do.”

The keen fundraiser, who hopes to hit £2,000 for the charity, is one of seven people running for the Independent Age in this year’s marathon event.

Mr Walker-Buckton adds an extra layer of what he calls fun – which others may call difficulty – to his mammoth runs by wearing a costume.

Previous years have seen him don the attire of Superman, Batman and even PIC’s penguin mascot.

He said: “Do something different! Have fun and wear a costume.

“I have let top sponsors pick my outfits in the past. In the years to come I think I’ll remember the fantastic time that I had and the amazing crowd support rather than the race times.

“Enjoy your moment and your achievement. Recognise that you are doing something rewarding – for yourself and for others.

“I’ll never stop being surprised at how generous other people are, both in their encouragement and their donations.”

Independent Age fights poverty in later life through free, practical support to older people struggling with their finances as well as a grants programme which supports hundreds of organisations working directly with older people across the UK.

The charity uses the knowledge gained from their support services and partnerships to highlight the issues experienced by older people in poverty and campaign for change.

Joanna Elson CBE, chief executive of Independent Age, said: “Tristan’s continued and consistent efforts have been a great contribution to our efforts to support older people in financial hardship.

“We won’t stop fighting to end poverty in later life and we couldn’t do this without committed fundraisers like Tristan. From everyone at Independent Age, thank you.”

To donate to Mr Walker-Buckton’s fundraiser, visit: https://tinyurl.com/56cjd54x

Pictured top: Streatham’s Tristan Walker-Buckton running the 2021 London Marathon dressed as Superman (Picture: Tristan Walker-Buckton)