The very best of our sector: Reflections on the ukactive Awards

ukactive Chair David Stalker looks back at a record-breaking night celebrating the people, organisations and initiatives driving positive change within the physical activity sector.

If ever you needed reminding what a remarkable industry we are part of, the ukactive Awards 2026 was it.

With more entries, more people in the room and more sponsors than ever before, this year’s event was a testament to the incredible depth of talent within our sector.

The people gathered in Birmingham represented the very best of an industry that continues to inspire, innovate and make a real difference to people’s lives.

What struck me was the diversity of stories behind this year’s finalists and winners. Across organisations of all shapes and sizes, we heard about barriers being broken down, standards being raised and constant innovation – all aimed at delivering the best possible experience for anyone walking into a health and fitness facility in the UK today.

What also stood out to me was a new level of appreciation and collaboration between the private sector and public sector representatives in the room – something we should all celebrate and recognise as it has not always been this way.

Ultimately, it’s the people that make this industry special. It was a privilege to be able to honour two trailblazers from Everyone Active – David Bibby and Stephen Hulme, both of whom dedicated their careers to championing the power of physical activity. Sadly, Stephen passed away last year, making this recognition especially poignant. His contribution to the sector is as important as ever and will be felt for many years to come.

At a time when the country faces significant challenges around health inequalities, mental wellbeing and economic inactivity, our sector continues to show what is possible when people are supported to be more active, more often.

On behalf of everyone at ukactive, I would like to congratulate all this year’s winners and finalists, and thank all our brilliant sponsors for helping to make the event such a success.

Now the celebrations are over, it’s back to business for our members, who will continue to deliver excellent services in gyms, leisure centres, pools and fitness facilities across the nation. I can’t wait to see what we can an achieve together over the next year and look forward to our next fiercely competed awards.

To find out more and see the full list of winners, click here.