UNAWARDS WINNERS MASTERCLASS 2026 - YOUR GUIDE TO THE BIG DAY

It’s back - the best free learning event in the comms calendar - the UnAwards Winners Masterclass.

by Darren Caveney

The UnAwards 2025 generated a staggering 593 entries and the quality of the work submitted was higher than ever.

Attending the Masterclass each year is a unique opportunity to hear, first hand, the experiences, tips and lessons which lie behind the winners’ work.

The event is a 140 capacity SELLS OUT - Please email me if you would like to join the waiting list, at darrencaveney@gmail.com

Here’s your guide to the big day on 21 April…

Pre event meal - 7.30pm at Indian Streatery, Bennetts Hill B2 5QP on Monday 20 April. Places are limited - you can sign up HERE.

The Masterclass will take place on Tuesday 21 April 2026 at The UnAwards’ spiritual home, The Everman Cinema, in Birmingham’s Mailbox, just a 9-10 minute walk from New Street train station.

AGENDA - UNAWARDS WINNERS MASTERCLASS 2026

9.30       Registration, tea, coffee and pastries

10           Welcome to the day – Darren Caveney, owner of comms2point0 and UnAwards organiser

10.10      Best young comms professional – James Bird, Ealing Council

10.30     Best low cost comms – Paul Butler and Joanna McKibben, NHS England

10.50     Staffordshire Special: Best comms professional, Clare Abbott and best social media campaign, Freya Dawson and Lily Saeidi

11.10     Break

11.30    Best use of video – Magda Ibrahim, Wandsworth Council

11.50     Best human x AI collaboration – Alan Oram, Alive with Ideas

12.10    Morning winners panel Q&A

12.25    Partner Panel Q&A: Your chance to learn more about the latest in comms, design, social media, data, online campaigns, behaviour change and effective engagement – Orlo, CAN Digital, Local Government Association, e-shot, Alive with Ideas, Grey Fox Communications and Marketing, Letterbox Distribution, Seashell Communications, Whetstone Communications and Ruby Bhattal Coaching and Consultancy

12.40      Lunch

1.30        Bedfordshire Special: Best crisis comms – Leanne Ehren Ben Raza, Julie Allen and Victoria Cusack, Bedfordshire Local Resilience Forum

1.50        Best social media account – Olivia Mante, Lewisham Council

2.10       Best guest post – Jack Grasby, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service

2.30       Coffee break

2.50        Best comms team – Phil Parker, Telford and Wrekin Council

3. 10      Lifetime achievement winner – Eva Duffy

3.40        Afternoon winners panel Q&A

3.55        Reflections and wrap up

4pm        Finish, with drinks and chat in the Everyman diner afterwards for those who fancy staying on. Plus, more informal drinks are being organised at a follow-up venue for those who would like to stay longer.

UnAwards Winners Masterclass - After Party

If you're coming to the UnAwards Winners Masterclass on 21 April there is a special after-party celebration too.

It starts from 6pm and will take place at Society, a lovely street food market.

More info and sign up HERE.  

Huge thanks…

to the official UnAwards Winners Masterclass partners and sponsors for making this event possible 🖤

• CAN Digital

• Local Government Association

• Orlo

• e-shot

• Letterbox Distribution

• Alive with Ideas

• Grey Fox Marketing

• Whetstone Communications

• Seashell Communications

• Ruby Bhattal Coaching and Consultancy

Darren Caveney is creator and owner of comms2point0 and creative communicators ltd and organiser of the UnAwards.

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wonderful winners. mighty mugs. and jaws. the UnAwards 2024 had it all.

A few days on and I still have a lovely warm glow from the 9th annual UnAwards.

by Darren Caveney

I spent my weekend wading through lovely messages and chatter on social and email, reflecting on the love, celebration, connection and atmosphere at the UnAwards 2024.

I’ve said it many, many times but I am so fortunate to be able to run and host the UnAwards. Plus, it’s a great excuse to unleash the velvet once a year.

It is quite literally my favourite work day of the year. And the feedback from many is that they love it too.

Thank you to everyone who made it possible and who came along and supported it.

What a room-full of talent we had in the 141 capacity audience.

Here are some reflections…

Yes, the UnAwards is a work day.

As I always say, the UnAwards IS a work day, but work doesn’t have to be dull.

Over half of the audience were there for the first time. I just love that. If that’s you, please let me know how you found it.

Attendees travelled from Scotland, Wales and England and battled the usual UK train headaches.

Many attendees have been to the UnAwards multiple times. There were a couple of 8-time attendees in the room, plus ever-present, Adrian Stirrup. That’s quite a record.

Smile…

There are almost 400 lovely photographs from the big day – you can access them HERE.

Tunes!

King of digging in the crates, Ben Capper, pulled together a fantastic playlist for the day – You can listen back to it HERE.

What’s the film, Darren?

During the past couple of weeks almost every conversation I seemed to have with a comms person centred on the choice of film for the UnAwards!

I think some people were more excited about learning the identity of the secret movie choice than the actual UnAwards and ceremony itself, which I love and which makes me smile.

This year I went with what I think is one of the top 10 greatest movies ever made – the brilliant Jaws. 50 years old next year, this film has everything – great actors, a superb storyline, unforgettable quotes, an iconic soundtrack from John Williams, and the maestro director himself, Steven Spielberg.

A new look

So many people fed back on how much they loved the new look branding for the UnAwards this year. I know I did. Huge thanks to the talented Alan Oram and Alive with Ideas.

Talented teams, wonderful work – the highlights

From a record-breaking 593 entries the team of 30 external judges whittled them down to 128 shortlistees, resulting in 27 highly commended entries and 24 winners.

Receiving ‘highly commended’ in categories with over 40, 50, 60 or - in one case - 70 entries is a serious achievement so very well done to everyone who achieved this.

There are too many great stories, pieces of work and wins to single out completely here – we’ll do that at the UnAwards Winners Masterclass in spring 2025 (more news on that exclusively here in the new year. First, I have to smile nicely at the sponsors).

But, a few worthy of special mention are Staffordshire County Council who nailed a record breaking five wins. Jude Tipper lifted her 7th win, and 6th in the best guest post category - also a record. And we had our first ever tie in a public vote, with both Derbyshire Constabulary and West Mercia Police sharing the crown of best comms team. Well done to everyone on the list.

Local government were the big winners grabbing an impressive 14 UnAwards. For a sector under such extreme pressure it speaks volumes to the teams and individuals plugging away and still delivering quality work.

You can see the full list of winners and highly commended entries HERE. 

What next?

Well I’m looking forward to reading through the entries as I haven’t had a chance to look at yet, and with some down time looming in a couple of weeks.

The majority of the 593 entries this year will go into an updated new COMMS:FILES – surely the largest new treasure trove of commsy goodness anywhere and all free to access and browse. I’ll work with UnAwards partner CAN Digital on this in the new year and shout when it’s ready.

And pencil in Friday 5 December 2025 for the 10th annual UnAwards. We have big plans for it already.

Giving

Each year the UnAwards supports a charity and this year it’s one which is important me and a loved one – the Epilepsy Society. A wonderful charity which offers support and help often not available elsewhere. If you would like to support them you can do HERE. Thank you.

Saying thanks…

Thank you to everyone who entered. Finding the time to enter can be tricky I know but it’s always a useful exercise and opportunity for self-evaluation and reflection in my experience.

Thank you so much to everyone who came to the big day. I hope you enjoyed it. That’s always the aim.

And special thanks too to the official UnAwards 2024 partners and sponsors: CAN Digital, Alive with Ideas, Orlo, e-shot, the Local Government Association, Perago, Seashell Communications, Gey Fox Communications and Marketing, Whetstone Communications, the Behaviour Change Network and Ruby Bhattal Coaching.

And finally

I have come to realise is that the UnAwards is absolutely not my event. It’s the community’s event. It would be nothing without the people who make it happen and elevate it sky high with a hell of a lot of love and enthusiasm 🖤

Darren Caveney is creator and owner of comms2point0 and creative communicators ltd and organiser of the UnAwards.