" />A brand-new set of awards for the trade has launched – and we’re right in the middle of the excitement! The Plumber Awards does exactly what it says on the tin; a new set of UK awards to celebrate the achievements of some of the hardest working people in the trade.
The regional winners of the awards will be announced in March next year, and all will then be invited along to InstallerSHOW, the leading show for the trades which takes place at Birmingham’s NEC in June 2026. On the middle day of the show, on InstalllerPLAZA, the regional finalists will have their moment in the spotlight while they wait for the 2026 national winner to be revealed.
Launching a new set of awards
Planning for the new awards began over 12 months ago. Refresh spent time with plumbers to understand how their lives differ from other trades. This led to an entry mechanic like no other awards. But as these awards are seeking out the most technical plumbers, those with the most credible reputations locally due to their top-class customer service, and those who regularly find solutions to problems, it was crucial that the entry could set apart the best-of-the-best.
Following this background research brand guidelines were produced by Refresh, and a website built. While all this hard work was going on in the background, the sales team was out talking to potential sponsors.
Sponsors of The Plumber Awards 2026
Committing to sponsoring a new set of awards takes bravery and vision. We’re incredibly grateful to those who have given the awards a chance of success: CT1, Kingsbridge, Polypipe Building Products and Powered Now so far – with more to be announced soon. As well as providing sponsorship to get the awards off the ground, each has committed to some fantastic prizes which means the winners can take away far more than pride. Thank you to every single one of you.
The CIPHE will also moderate the awards in its inaugural year, providing advice and bringing impartiality, in addition to being central to the judging process.
And of course, we’ll be running the media relations for the campaign, ensuring that the news of the awards is regularly seen in the local papers and in the trade. Added to this, Refresh will be supporting the sponsors to ensure they maximise the value of the awards. As we specialise in PR to the trades (and the wider construction sector) and work with several global brands in the plumbing and heating sector to deliver true value and impact with creative, engaging campaigns, we’re in a great place to get the job done.
Being backed by a specialist trade PR agency means that the awards can pull on the full weight of a specialised communications outfit to deliver for both sponsors and entrants.
Installer Awards group
The Plumber Awards is one of the award schemes run under the Installer Awards umbrella. Another is the Heating Installer Awards, which goes into Year 11 when it launches next month. The Plumber Awards will pull on the mechanic already in place, while being tailored for this unique audience.
Rick Hollister, associate director at Refresh, said: “The fact that the awards have already been so well received by both sponsors and plumbers alike shows we got the strategy right. All impactful campaigns start with strong strategy and while it would have been easy to get excited and jump straight into implementation, being strategic and considered has paid off. It took time to listen to the audience we’re working with and communicating to, and we changed a lot of our ideas along the way due to stakeholder feedback.
“We work with the trade on many of our agency campaigns, meaning we’re chatting to, and collaborating with, tradespeople every single week. These relationships are integral to us really getting it right for this audience and being able to deliver great campaigns.”
Amongst the fantastic prizes on offer from sponsors, Refresh will be offering a day of free media training to the winner of the awards to ensure they have the right tools to capitalise on the win and can make the most of any media opportunities that come their way.
You can read more about The Plumber Awards here.
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