The 2025 Unblocktober Awards Are Here!

Wednesday 30th October, 2024

Unblocktober is underway, and individuals and businesses are once again joining forces to take part in our nationwide drain protection challenge. Throughout October, participants focus on simple but effective changes, such as keeping fats, oils, grease and other drain-blocking waste out of sinks and drains.

However, we also like to shine a spotlight on those individuals and organisations who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to keep pipes clear, reduce blockages and prevent pollution from reaching rivers, sewers and seas. With the fourth annual Unblocktober Awards, we’re looking to celebrate those who have really made a special effort to help us protect our water systems and support healthier, cleaner environments this year.
Keep reading to learn how individuals and businesses can put themselves or others forward for the Unblocktober Awards, and take their place alongside previous champions!

What are the Unblocktober Awards?

First launched in 2022, the Unblocktober Awards celebrate the individuals and organisations that go the extra mile to support the Unblocktober mission. Each year, these awards shine a spotlight on those who have helped to raise awareness, encourage positive drainage habits and promote cleaner sewers and seas.

There are three categories:

• The Unblocktober Individual Champion of the Year Award: recognising individuals who have distinguished themselves through their support for Unblocktober.
• The Unblocktober Business Champion of the Year Award: recognising businesses that have shown a company-wide commitment to the Unblocktober goals.
• The Unblocktober Newcomer of the Year Award: recognising first-time participants who have demonstrated real dedication to the cause.

There are many ways to show your support and put yourself forward as a potential Unblocktober Champion. For example, you could:

• Persuade friends, family and colleagues to sign up and take part in Unblocktober, helping to grow awareness and inspire collective action.
• Actively share your Unblocktober journey on social media to encourage others to make small but meaningful changes to their drainage habits.
• Purchase drain-friendly products - such as sink strainers for your workplace and home to help stop blockages before they start.
• Avoid putting fats, oils, grease or other non-drain-friendly substances, such as harsh chemicals, down sinks and drains to protect sewers and waterways.
• Display Unblocktober signage in your workplace to encourage participation and spark conversations about responsible drainage.
• Organise drain health awareness activities beyond October to keep the momentum going and maintain long-term positive change.

While you’re getting involved, consider nominating yourself, your business, or someone else who has shown outstanding dedication to Unblocktober. Nominations are open now - so if you or someone you know is embracing the campaign, this is your chance to be recognised!

Last year’s winners

The three winners from Unblocktober 2024:

• Business Champion of the Year - The Final Straw Foundation: This Hampshire-based charity helps communities and businesses cut plastic waste, runs education programmes and clean-ups, and fully embraces Unblocktober’s guidance year-round. The team promotes small, practical changes like avoiding flushing wipes or pouring oils away and plans to keep supporting the campaign annually.
• Individual Champion of the Year - Peter Henley: Head of Pollution and Flooding Reduction at the Water Research Centre (WRc), Peter has long supported Unblocktober by educating the public through articles, interviews and social media. He champions the “Three Ps” message - only pee, poo and paper should be flushed and calls for collective action to reduce blockages, pollution and harmful chemicals in waterways.
• Newcomer of the Year - Harkeerat Kaur - A community engagement officer at ECAS, Harkeerat led a project with Sikh Gurdwaras in the Midlands to prevent fat, oil and grease (FOG) entering sewers. The initiative installed free grease traps, encouraged safe FOG recycling and is expected to stop thousands of litres from polluting sewers each year. She continues to promote Unblocktober’s goals and sustainable drainage habits.

You can read more about our amazing 2024 winners here.

How to enter the Unblocktober awards

Taking part in the Unblocktober Awards is simple. To nominate, share the name of your chosen individual or business on social media and tag @Unblocktober, or email us at unblocktober@team.i-com.net. You’re welcome to put yourself forward or highlight someone else whose efforts deserve recognition - just let us know why they should win and which category you’re nominating them for.

Nominations are open until 17th November 2025, so be sure to send yours in before the deadline.

Choosing a winner

After nominations close, a dedicated panel of Unblocktober judges will carefully review every entry, looking at how each nominee has embraced the campaign’s values and demonstrated their commitment to protecting our drains, sewers and seas. The winners for the 2025 Unblocktober Awards will be announced before the end of November, with each category celebrating those who have gone the extra mile to make a positive difference.

Every winner will receive a commemorative trophy as a lasting reminder of their achievement, along with a digital winners’ badge to proudly display on their website or social media channels. These badges help share the Unblocktober message even further, encouraging others to get involved and adopt better drainage habits.

If you’ve taken action to support Unblocktober or know someone who has, now is the time to share their story. Enter your nomination today and help shine a light on the individuals and organisations making real change.

Terms and conditions

1. The competition is open to residents (18+) of the United Kingdom and Ireland, the Isle of Man and Channel Islands, excluding employees and the immediate families of Lanes Group or anyone else professionally connected with this prize draw.
2. The prize winner must be aged 18 or over.
3. Voting for the competition closes at 23:59 on 17th November 2025 - votes and nominations submitted after this time will not be counted.
4. The prize winner will be the individual who receives the most votes by 23:59 on 17th November 2025.
5. Lanes Group will contact the winners directly within five days of the date that voting ends (17th November 2025).
6. The winner must respond to notification of winning within five days, otherwise the right to claim the prize will be lost and Lanes Group reserves the right to reward the prize.
7. Lanes Group reserves the right to disqualify entrants who do not fulfil entry requirements.
8. No part of the prize is exchangeable for cash.
9. Lanes Group reserves the right to change these rules or cancel the competition at any time.
10. No entries from agents, organised groups or applications automatically generated by computers will be accepted. Any entries not in accordance with the entry instructions will be rejected. Any entries containing offensive or inappropriate content will be removed.
11. You agree to participate, at our request, in publicity and you agree that we own all Intellectual Property Rights in, and may use at our absolute discretion, such publicity/interviews. We may refer to your association with the competition and/or the prize in all publicity, marketing and materials.
12. No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.
13. Entry into the competition will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.