Over 150 London Marathon volunteers will travel on a special private c2c service on Sunday 23 April, helping them to reach the course and make the world-famous event a success.

Trenitalia-owned train operator c2c is running the bespoke early-morning ‘Volunteer Special’ service from Shoeburyness and Southend Central to Limehouse and Fenchurch Street, to ensure that the volunteers from local running clubs are in position to steward the event and marshal runners. The operator ran a similar service five years ago.

Two volunteer teams will operate on the day, together comprising more than 150 volunteers. One is being coordinated by Pitsea Running Club and the other by Flyers Southend in conjunction with The Finish Line Fund.

c2c’s Finance Director Phil Leney is also taking part in this year’s London Marathon in aid of Essex children’s cancer charity, Gold Geese. The charity provides practical and emotional support to families of children and young people fighting cancer in the Southend and Basildon areas, with support ranging from funding for mental health therapy and food shop vouchers to toys, weekend trips away and practical help with travel to and from hospital.

Phil’s effort will build on c2c’s existing support for the charity – Gold Geese has a special ‘wrapped’ c2c train, which has run on the London and south Essex route since September.

To make a donation to support Phil’s marathon effort, click here.

Phil said: “I’m so pleased to have the opportunity to support this fantastic charity as part of this personal challenge; anything we can do to support Gold Geese and the brilliant work they do in our local communities and help raise awareness for the organisation. ”

c2c Service and Resource Manager Jon Dear worked with Pitsea Running Club event coordinator Nigel Pointer to organise the train, and said: “I am thrilled to be organising our special volunteer train again this year. So many local people are stewards at the London Marathon and needed to be on the course extra early so we decided that running a special private train for them would make their lives easier and help the whole event run smoothly.”

c2c Managing Director Rob Mullen, who is a keen runner himself, said: “The London Marathon is one of the biggest charity events of the year, and we are keen to play our part in helping our local volunteers.

“Running a ‘Volunteers Special’ train for members of Pitsea Running Club will ensure they can reach their posts and assist the thousands of runners taking part in one of the best races in the world.”