How The Conveyancing Foundation’s Charity Grant helped Michael Tobin raise over £4,000 for Miscarriage UK.

Michael Tobin shares his personal story of running the London Marathon and how the Conveyancing Foundation’s Charity Grant helped him raise over £4,000 for Miscarriage UK.

Where did you first hear about the Conveyancing Foundation’s Charity Grant scheme?

I applied for a place for the 2026 London Marathon very early with the aim of raising as much money for the Miscarriage Association (now known as Miscarriage UK) as possible. I set up a Just Giving page and put a post out on LinkedIn. The post was raw and very much out of my comfort zone but I did it. I then received a message from The Conveyancing Foundation letting me know about the grant process. I received the link, completed my application and was advised quite quickly that I was eligible for a grant to help me with my overall fundraising target.

How did you find the grant application process at the time?

As mentioned above, I was sent a link with a series of questions. I provided a very honest submission as the charity and the cause is something very close to the hearts of mine and my family. I was advised The Conveyancing Foundation that they would grant £500 to the cause which I was absolutely delighted with. Emily Butterworth then contacted me to say that the Conveyancing Foundation would double their contribution from £500 to £1,000 which I was absolutely delighted with.

Would you encourage others to apply for a grant in future?

100%. This is clearly something the Conveyancing Foundation are incredibly passionate about. There is an old saying “if you don’t buy a ticket, you don’t have a chance of winning” yet this was a very straightforward and easy process. I had no idea I would get anything so to receive the donation meant everything to us. It also meant I didn’t have to worry too much about harassing people – I did the London Marathon a few years back and did countless posts and sent various messages to the point it probably felt like I was pestering people.

How much did receiving the grant mean to you personally?

Quite frankly – and I’m not saying this lightly – the grant meant the world to me and my family. I was given a £2,000 minimum sponsorship amount and this got me halfway before reaching out to family, friends and colleagues. It took the pressure off me meaning I could focus on my training. Friends of mine were running their first marathon and had the weight of fundraising hanging over them while I could relax a bit.

What’s your story , whatever you feel happy to share about your experience and the journey that led you to the marathon?

I’d like to say I’m an experienced runner having ran two full marathons, a virtual marathon and various half marathons now. During my training, I was reaching 21 miles with no issues whatsoever. But taking a break of anymore than two-three weeks puts you back to the start – all the work and muscle memory is lost very quickly. So I am more than aware that every challenge is a case of starting from scratch. On top of this, I was recovering from a calf tear and three months off running from September 2025 and this was in the back of my mind once I started training.

Why did you choose to support the Miscarriage Association?

This is certainly the hardest question of them all. My partner Sarah and I have a beautiful 12 year old daughter named Lydia – she is everything to us. Prior to Lydia, Sarah and I had a miscarriage. We feel Lydia was meant to be. In 2024 and 2025, we experienced miscarriage two and three. The second one was complex – Sarah had to have surgery. The third one though was the most upsetting because we’d had the reassuring scan at 7 weeks and made it to week 10. It pains me talking about it now. I named him or her ‘Pip’. I was determined to run the marathon for Pip and they were the angel on my shoulder. On marathon day, it was very warm and after experiencing calf and hamstring strains in the past, I had quad issues but there was absolutely no stopping me on that day.

I am so proud to have completed the marathon again and managed to raise over £4,000 for the charity with Gift Aid included which is phenomenal. The £1,000 donation from the Conveyancing Foundation equated to a quarter of my fundraising and I am forever grateful for the support I’ve received. Thank you Conveyancing Foundation – from myself and my family plus Miscarriage UK (formerly the Miscarriage Association).

Charity Grants

Launched in 2023, this first-of-its-kind initiative offers £1,000 grants to support fundraising efforts within the property industry. Fully funded by our generous Partners, the scheme invites nominations for charities close to your heart.

Are you a property professional raising money for a cause close to your heart? Our Charity Grants can help support your fundraising for a registered charity.

 

Find out more & apply:

www.conveyancingfoundation.org.uk/charity-grants

October 9, 2026