RuPaul’s Drag Race star named as JustGiving Awards finalist after running London Marathon in full drag

33-year-old Elektra Fence, also known as Julian Riley, ran the marathon in support of Scope, an organisation that has supported their family for more than 70 years. Both of Elektra’s parents were born with cerebral palsy and received lifelong support from the charity, empowering them to overcome stigma and build full, independent lives.

Running in full drag, Elektra, originally from Burnley, used the marathon as a platform to raise awareness for disabled people and their families, as well as vital funds for Scope. Their journey was closely followed on social media, where they shared updates to their over 100,000 followers across all their social channels.

In addition to marathon fundraising, Elektra has worked with Scope for years, co-hosting a charity gala that raised over £300,000, presenting an award alongside their mother at the charity’s annual ceremony, and speaking in Parliament on cerebal palsy. They’ve also attended awareness events at the House of Lords, using their platform to advocate for a world of equal futures for disabled people.

They said: “I was surprised and incredibly flattered to hear that I had been nominated for a JustGiving Award! I feel truly honoured, but honestly, this isn’t why I do what I do. My hope is that this nomination will only help me continue raising awareness and inspire others to get involved with causes that ignite a passion in them, just as fighting for the disabled community does for me.

“This award would mean a great deal to me, but even more importantly, it would mean the world to my mother. She’s immensely proud to see the child she raised against the odds in the 90s now standing strong, flying the flag for equality in her name, my father’s name, and for people like them all over the world.”

Elektra is among 20 finalists to be put forward for this year’s JustGiving Awards, after over 18,000 nominations were made by the general public. To be nominated, entrants had to have used JustGiving to raise money for a charity or personal cause over the last 12 months.

The finalists were shortlisted by an internal judging panel from JustGiving for the five new categories. Alongside the Influencer: Social for Good category, the others are: Team: Stronger Together, Endurance: Mind over Miles, Kids: Rising Star and Community: Outstanding Commitment.

Pascale Harvie, President and General Manager of JustGiving, said: “In 25 years, over £7 billion has been raised for good causes by millions of incredible fundraisers on JustGiving. The Awards is our way of shining a light on those remarkable individuals whose courage, compassion and commitment inspire us all.

“With thousands of remarkable nominees this year, narrowing them down to just 20 finalists was no easy task. Elektra’s story is a powerful testament to how personal strength and creativity can drive meaningful, positive change. They lead by example, showing us all that we have a part to play in building a more inclusive and compassionate world. We’re proud to celebrate Elektra as one of this year’s inspiring award finalists.”

This year the awards coincide with the fundraising platform’s 25th anniversary. Instead of being recognised with a traditional award ceremony, JustGiving is offering them an immersive experience that they’ll remember forever.

The winners will be chosen by the public, with voting opening on Monday 11 August. Members of the community will have three weeks to make their decision, with voting closing on Sunday 31 August.

For more on the JustGiving Awards, and to vote for the winners, visit https://page.justgiving.com/justgiving-awards-vote

To find out more about Elektra’s latest fundraising challenge or to support their efforts, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/elektrafencelondonmarathon