The 2024 Unblocktober Awards Are Here!

Wednesday 30th October, 2024

Unblocktober is coming to a close for another year, and we’ve once again been thoroughly impressed by how individuals and businesses have come together across the country to take part in Lanes Group’s annual drain protection challenge. By avoiding fat, oil, grease, hidden plastics and other forms of drain-blocking waste going down the drains throughout October, you’ve all played a significant role in preventing fatbergs, keeping the pipes flowing and saving our sewers and seas.

With the month itself now at an end, it’s time to once again shine a light on the supporters who’ve been going above and beyond to demonstrate their commitment to the Unblocktober message. That’s right - it’s time for the third annual Unblocktober Awards!

Read on to find out more about how individuals and businesses can nominate themselves or others as Unblocktober Champions, and join the ranks of our past Unblocktober Award winners.
 

What are the Unblocktober Awards?

First launched in 2022, the Unblocktober Awards are an awards scheme designed to celebrate the achievements of those who have gone the extra mile to exemplify the spirit of Unblocktober, or raise awareness of the campaign and its goals.

As ever, there will be three categories:

• The Unblocktober Individual Champion of the Year Award - celebrating individuals who have distinguished themselves in their support for Unblocktober
• The Unblocktober Business Champion of the Year Award - celebrating businesses who have shown a company-wide commitment to our Unblocktober goals
• The Unblocktober Newcomer of the Year Award - celebrating first-time Unblocktober participants who have really shown their commitment to the cause

There are all sorts of ways that individuals and businesses can demonstrate their Unblocktober Champion credentials, and put themselves in with a chance of winning one of our awards. For example:

• Have you persuaded friends, family and colleagues to sign up to Unblocktober?
• Are you actively promoting your Unblocktober commitment through your social media profiles and channels?
• Have you purchased drain-friendly products - such as sink strainers - for your workplace?
• Has your workplace put up Unblocktober signage to encourage colleagues to get involved in the month-long effort?
• Have you helped to coordinate drain health awareness efforts beyond Unblocktober, in order to keep the momentum going all year round?

If the answer to any of these questions is “yes” - or you know an individual or a business who have demonstrated their Unblocktober spirit in some other way - then it’s time to start nominating!

Last year’s winners

• Our second annual Unblocktober Awards were presented to three very worthy winners in 2023:
• Our 2023 Business Champion of the Year was The Forth Rivers Trust, who’ve supported Unblocktober since day one. The Trust has campaigned extensively to promote Unblocktober, and last year ran an initiative to help local residents to recognise signs of pollution in their local river
• Our 2023 Individual Champion of the Year was Fleur Anderson, MP for Putney, Roehampton & Southfields. Fleur is one of the most committed champions against plastic pollution in Parliament, and has been instrumental in pushing for the ban on plastic in wet wipes
• Our 2023 Newcomer of the Year was the University of Hertfordshire, which organised a wide range of activities to promote the Unblocktober message last year, including a “What Can Go Down the Drain?” game to educate students and staff on proper drainage habits

You can read more about our amazing 2023 winners here!

How to enter the Unblocktober Awards

Getting involved in the Unblocktober Awards couldn’t be easier. All you need to do is send us the name of your nominee via social media, tagging us at @Unblocktober, or email unblocktober@team.i-com.net. You can nominate yourself, or any other individual or business that you believe is deserving of an award - explain to us why they deserve to win, and what category you are nominating them for.

Nominations will close on 22nd November 2024, so make sure to get nominations in before then!

Choosing a winner

Once the nominations have closed, a panel of Unblocktober judges will evaluate the entries and select worthy winners, based on which entrants best exemplify the specific criteria for each category. The winners of the 2024 Unblocktober Awards will be announced before the end of November.

Each of our Unblocktober Award winners will win a special commemorative trophy to celebrate their achievement, and will be able to display their digital winners’ badge on their website or social media page of choice.

Do you think you’ve got what it takes to be an Unblocktober Award winner? Or do you know someone who deserves to win? Then enter your nomination today!

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 22nd November 2024 - 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 22nd November 2024.
5. Lanes Group will contact the winners directly within five days of the date that voting ends (22nd November 2024).
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.