Loo of the Year Awards

03/11/2026

💙 1 NOVEMBER | MEN’S HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH 💙

🚻 A toilet is more than a toilet. It can help protect men's health.

As November begins, let us shine a light on men's health and the important role toilets and away-from-home washrooms play in physical health, mental wellbeing and everyday life.

So, why do toilets matter?

🔵 Prostate and bladder health

Changes in urinary frequency, difficulty passing urine, a weak flow or blood in urine can signal an underlying health problem. They do not automatically mean cancer, but should never be ignored. Recognising changes and seeking medical advice matters.

🔵 Bowel health and cancer awareness

Changes in bowel habits, blood in stools or persistent symptoms need checking. Access to clean, safe and private toilets helps people manage their needs with dignity and without embarrassment.

🔵 Mental health and wellbeing

Men's health is not just physical. Anxiety, stress and mental health challenges can affect everyday routines, including using public facilities. For men with health conditions, continence issues or anxiety about finding a toilet, fear of being caught short can prevent travelling, socialising, working and enjoying life.

🔵 Dignity, privacy and accessibility

Clean, well-maintained and accessible washrooms should never be a luxury. Everyone deserves somewhere safe and private to attend to their needs without judgement. For older men, disabled people and those managing long-term conditions, suitable facilities support independence and quality of life.

🔵 Breaking the stigma

Too many men feel uncomfortable discussing urinary symptoms, bowel changes, cancer or mental health. We must encourage open conversations, challenge embarrassment and remind men that seeking medical advice is a sign of taking responsibility for their health.

At the Loo of the Year Awards, we believe washrooms are about people, not just facilities. Standards, cleanliness, accessibility and availability matter because behind every washroom door is a person with individual needs.

💙 Want to find out more or get support?

Here are some trusted sources of information and advice:

🔹 NHS – www.nhs.uk
🔹 Movember – www.uk.movember.com
🔹 Prostate Cancer UK – www.prostatecanceruk.org
🔹 Cancer Research UK – www.cancerresearchuk.org
🔹 Action Bladder Cancer UK – www.actionbladdercanceruk.org
🔹 CALM – www.thecalmzone.net
🔹 Samaritans – www.samaritans.org
🔹 Macmillan Cancer Support – www.macmillan.org.uk

This November, let us start conversations, encourage men to look after themselves and recognise that access to suitable toilets is essential to health, dignity and inclusion.

Look after your health. Know your body. Speak up. Seek help when something changes. Never underestimate the importance of a good toilet. 💙🚻

01/11/2026

🎙️ MORE THAN A MEDAL – AN HONEST CONVERSATION WITH Christopher Hunt Skelley MBE PLY
What happens when life takes you down a completely different path to the one you imagined?
In this month’s episode of The Bog Cast, Becky sits down with Chris Hunt Skelly MBE, Paralympian, mentor and Loo of the Year Awards Ambassador, for a truly fascinating, honest and inspiring conversation.
Chris shares his remarkable journey, from growing up deaf and with a sight condition, to the challenges of getting a diagnosis as a teenager, discovering his future in judo and ultimately competing at the Paralympic Games.
But this conversation goes much deeper than sport and medals.
Chris speaks with real openness about mental health, self-doubt, some of the darkest moments in his life, receiving his MBE and facing the challenges of retirement from elite sport. He also shares how he has found a new purpose through mentoring, speaking and becoming an Ambassador for Loo of The Year Awards Ltd.
We talk about disability, visible and hidden conditions, accessibility and why toilets are so important to dignity, independence and everyday life. And, of course, there are plenty of laughs along the way – including the story of how we first met, his love of Japanese toilets and the discovery that Chris and Charles share a mutual appreciation for c***r!
This is a powerful, educational and uplifting conversation, and one we believe everyone should take the time to hear.
❤️ Please take a listen, share the episode and help us spread the conversation. Chris’s story has something important to teach us all.
🎧 Listen to The Bog Cast

31/10/2026

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the Herefordshire Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs Annual General Meeting, with members from across the county representing their individual clubs and the various committees they have served on at County level throughout the past year.

I went along wearing two hats: firstly, as Vice-President and representative of Allensmore Young Farmers’ Club, and secondly, as a County Vice-President, Trustee and Vice-Chairman of the Management Committee.

It was a particular privilege to second a resolution, although, given that it related to an increase in membership fees, I did question in my speech just how much of a privilege that actually was!

It gave me however, the opportunity to talk about why Young Farmers is so important and what it has given me personally over the years.

Having joined at the age of 14, the opportunities, experiences and life skills I have gained through being a competing member, taking on roles within the organisation and continuing my involvement into later life as a Trustee have been invaluable.

The skills I learnt along the way, particularly public speaking, communication, teamwork, leadership and confidence, have all played a huge part in my business life. Add to that the contacts, mentors and lifelong friendships I have made over the years, and the value of being part of this organisation is quite phenomenal.

The Federation has enjoyed a fantastic year under the leadership of Kate Lawrence as County Chairperson, supported by her team of Officers. Kate has brought tremendous drive, enthusiasm and camaraderie to the role, and I hope that spirit will continue into the coming year under our new County Chairman, Tom Ward. I wish him and his team every success.

I am incredibly proud to be part of this organisation, both as someone who benefited so much from it as a young member and now as someone who has the opportunity to give something back.

Young Farmers is, at its heart, an organisation run by young people, for young people, giving them opportunities, experiences and skills that will stay with them for life.

And if a few of us 'have-beens' can lend a helping hand, offer a little guidance and support along the way, then that has to be a good thing!

Long may Young Farmers continue to thrive across Herefordshire. 💚

27/10/2026

What a day it has been!
From an early morning coffee meeting with John Finch of JOHN FINCH COMPUTERS LTD, to celebrating business success and finishing the day with an inspiring evening of networking, it has certainly been a busy one!
The day continued with the Herefordshire Business Awards After Meeting, celebrating the winners, sponsors and judges. I was proud to attend alongside Jane Kibble, our Employee of the Year at the Herefordshire Business Awards. A wonderful opportunity to celebrate the achievements of so many fantastic businesses and individuals across our county.
This evening, we headed to the Business Leaders Tour and Dinner, hosted by Westons C***r and organised by Herefordshire Means Business Ltd. We enjoyed an inspiring speech from Managing Director Helen Thomas, alongside a fantastic opportunity to meet and connect with fellow business leaders.
Both the morning and evening were filled with great conversations, catching up with familiar faces and meeting people we had not known before, but do now!
Days like today are a great reminder of the strength of our Herefordshire business community, the importance of collaboration and the opportunities that come from getting out, sharing ideas and building relationships.

-Wave

22/10/2026

💻 Driving Digital Transformation at Loo of the Year Awards!

Today, Jane Kibble and I visited the offices of JOHN FINCH COMPUTERS LTD for another of our many meetings with John Finch and members of his team, Antony Fernandez and Siobhan Cole, as we continue working together on our bespoke digital platform for the Loo of The Year Awards Ltd.
We are incredibly excited about what this means for our 40th anniversary year, with the platform set to launch at our Awards Day in January 2027! This digital transformation will open up so many new opportunities for what we can offer our entrants, supporters and sponsors, making information and data more accessible at the flick of a switch and helping us work smarter and more efficiently. Developing a bespoke platform for a scheme as detailed as ours is no small task. From the moment an establishment enters the Awards, through the inspection process and grading, right through to our annual Awards Day, there is a huge amount of detail to consider.
What has been particularly important to us is working with a team who have taken the time to truly understand our business, our processes and what makes the Loo of the Year Awards unique. That understanding is essential to creating a platform that works for us, our inspectors and everyone involved in the scheme. The journey is well underway, and we are looking forward to bringing this exciting new chapter to life as we celebrate 40 years of recognising excellence in away-from-home washrooms.
A huge thank you to John, Anthony, Siobhan and the wider team at John Finch Computers for their continued work and commitment. We cannot wait to share more as we get closer to launch! 🚀

21/10/2026

17/10/2026

🎙️🚽 Can a smell really change the way you feel about a washroom?
Our latest episode of The Bog Cast, featuring Becky chatting with Mark Wintle, Brand Manager at P-Wave, explores exactly that!
From the power of fragrance and washroom standards to health awareness, sustainability and education, it is a fascinating conversation about how much more there is to washrooms than meets the eye.
Discover how P-Wave is helping raise awareness of bladder cancer through its urinal mats, and hear about our shared work at Madley Primary School.
🎧 Missed listening to the podcast? You can now watch the full conversation on our YouTube channel! 🎥
Catch up, have a watch and let us know what you think.https://youtu.be/AqWOZV4TSn8

17/10/2026

🏆🎉 SHE’S ONLY GONE AND WON! 🎉🏆
We are absolutely delighted and incredibly proud to share that our very own Jane Kibble won Best Employee at the Herefordshire Business Awards 2026!
Held last night at Lyde Court, it was a wonderful evening celebrating with Jane and recognising the fantastic people and businesses that make Herefordshire so special. Jane has been an integral part of Loo of The Year Awards Ltd for 10 years, and we could not be prouder to see her hard work, dedication and commitment recognised in this way. She is such an important part of our team, and this award is so thoroughly deserved.
Behind every successful business is a great team, and Jane is a perfect example of that. Her knowledge, support and dedication make such a difference to what we do, and we are incredibly lucky to have her as part of the Loo of the Year Awards family.
We had the loveliest evening celebrating with Jane, and this is a moment we will remember for a long time!
A huge congratulations to all the finalists and winners across every category. It was fantastic to see so much talent, passion and achievement being celebrated across Herefordshire.

A big thank you and congratulations also go to all the sponsors for supporting the awards and helping to make the evening possible, and to the Herefordshire Means Business team for organising such a fantastic event and bringing everyone together to celebrate local business success.
Congratulations, Jane! You are an absolute star, and we could not be happier for you! ❤️

16/10/2026

Today we'd like to say a huge thank you to Becky and Charles from the for exhibiting with us on October 10th and a huge thank you to Becky for being one of our brilliant speakers!