Winners of WSA Sports Industry Awards 2025 announced

The nine winners of the 2025 WSA Sports Industry Awards, sponsored by Howden, were announced on Thursday 12 June, as the Parkgate Hotel played host to a glittering celebration for the third time.

Our wonderful host, Lauren Jenkins, once again welcomed an array of figures from across Welsh sport and leisure to the Awards, as the sector gathered to celebrate the successes of WSA members from the past 12 months.

Following a powerful start to the evening, courtesy of the night’s entertainment, Only Four Men Aloud, Daniel Abbott, Corporate Director at Headline Sponsor Howden, took to the stage to talk about how Howden supports Welsh sport and the organisation’s pride at doing so, as well as their exciting headline partnership with the British and Irish Lions.

With a welcoming address to the audience, WSA Chair, Lynn Pamment CBE, then discussed the WSA’s commitment to building resilience and developing the sport and leisure sector as well as the work and progress of the Welsh Sports Foundation – for which money was raised throughout the night.

The first Award followed, with GLL receiving the Best Collaboration Initiative, sponsored by Sport:80. The organisation has collaborated with community providers and individuals throughout the NHS, using their lived experiences to co-design and continuously improve high-quality rehabilitation and education programmes.

Weightlifting Wales were next onto the stage to pick up the award for the fiercely contested Best Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative, sponsored by PureCyber, for their work in removing barriers, embracing diversity, and creating opportunities for all. As a Disability Sport Wales InSport club, a Special Olympics GB centre, and a British Weightlifting licensed facility, SAW leads the way in delivering strength training for underrepresented groups.

The Best Innovation Award, sponsored by Hugh James, was the next prize to be collected, as Caerphilly Sport and Leisure Services came to the stage. The organisation became the first provider in Wales to introduce SWIMTAG across four Leisure Lifestyle Centres. The cutting-edge technology has transformed participants’ swimming experience through real-time performance tracking, personalised insights, and gamification, making swimming more engaging, measurable, and motivating.

Byw’n Iach was the next WSA member to scoop an award, with the organisation winning Best Commitment to the Welsh Language, sponsored by CBS. The social enterprise manages 11 leisure centres in North-West Wales and is proud to be the only independent leisure provider in the world operating primarily through the medium of Welsh, a commitment central to their relationship with the local community and their mission to normalise and grow the use of the Welsh language in the leisure sector.

For the second year in a row, Dragons RFC were awarded Best Sustainability Initiative, sponsored by Floodlighting and Electrical. Their Eco Dragons campaign lead the way in sustainability; an ambitious initiative designed to reduce their carbon footprint and inspire meaningful environmental change across the local community.

The award for Best Initiative to Promote Women in Sport & Physical Activity, sponsored by Howden, was then given to MyRounders. Since their formation in 2022, they have engaged over 7,000 women aged 16 and over – 83.7% of whom were previously inactive – in regular, socially rewarding physical activity.

The award for Best Social Impact Initiative, sponsored by Bute Energy, was then distributed to the Cardiff City FC Community Foundation, for harnessing the power of football to empower children, young people, and families across South Wales to reach their full potential. In 2023–24, CCFC Foundation delivered an estimated £33.4 million in social impact, marking a record year of engagement.

The award for Most Influential Campaign, sponsored by Sportscover Europe, went to Welsh Athletics for their simple yet powerful Daily Mile campaign which encourages primary school children to run, walk, or wheel for 15 minutes at least three times a week – with no equipment, kit, or special space required. There are over 50% of schools in Wales who are actively implementing the Daily Mile in their weekly curriculum.

The third edition of the WSA Sports Industry Awards would be the first to present nine awards, with Best Business Growth, sponsored by Quill Business Solutions, being added to the categories.

Its inaugural winner would be Commonwealth Games Wales, who picked it up courtesy of their Business Club. It has created a transformational new revenue stream for Team Wales, with over 250 businesses engaged and 20 new commercial sponsors secured to date.

With the distribution of awards wrapped up, WSA CEO Andrew Howard took to the stage to conclude proceedings and present the raffle draw.

Accompanying the raffle draw was a silent auction for the night’s special prize, a new Lions jersey signed by legendary Lions Jamie Roberts and Gavin Hastings as well as current squad member, the Wales captain Jac Morgan. Guests were delighted that two additional British Lions who were present on the evening, Ken Owens and Richard Hibbard also signed the shirt, which raised £350 for the Welsh Sports Foundation. The WSA would like to thank guests for their incredible generosity.

With a message of gratitude to all that made the 2025 WSA Sports Industry Awards so special and a reiteration of the importance of recognising the fantastic work that takes place across the sector, Andrew was followed by Only Four Men Aloud who closed the event with another blockbuster performance.

The WSA would like to offer a huge congratulations to all nine winners at the WSA Sports Industry Awards 2025, as well as their fellow nominees for deservedly earning this recognition for their outstanding work.

Throughout the application process, we saw entries of amazing quality which truly demonstrates the importance and value that sport and leisure bring to society. These will be shared with Sport Wales and Welsh Government.

We were thrilled to host another successful edition of the WSA Sports Industry Awards, and would once again like to thank the Parkgate Hotel for their amazing hospitality, Only Four Men Aloud for their spectacular voices, as well as Engage and Genero for their invaluable logistical support.

A huge thank you must also go to Lauren Jenkins, who once again expertly led a memorable night.

Congratulations and thank you all!

Photo Credit: Ashley Crowden Photography