The London Irish Centre’s mission is to empower and enrich lives through Irish Community and Culture. We are the Irish heart of London and offer services to everyone in need across London. The London Irish Centre was established in the 1950s to provide accommodation and support to newly arrived Irish migrants. Our services have evolved over the years according to need and are broad and holistic.

We are the largest Irish community charity in Britain and the first place that Irish people in London turn to for support. We provide well-developed and high-quality community services, such as our Befriending Service addressing loneliness and isolation or our Advice & Support service addressing homelessness and mental health issues, to very vulnerable clients, alongside a strong cultural and heritage offer which keeps people connected and addresses loneliness and isolation. We have specialist knowledge and cultural understanding of the challenges that our community faces, including barriers to accessing support.

In recent years we have seen a surge in demand for our services in both the numbers of clients and the complexity of needs. The number of advice appointments delivered in 2024 had increased 35% from the level in 2023.

Money raised through the London Marathon will go towards supporting our community services, helping to secure for us the proper resources to continue serving our community and achieving the best possible outcomes for our clients.