The event was attended by over 160 representatives from across the sector, including the CIWM, LARAC and FCC Environment.
It included a daytime conference and awards ceremony hosted by renowned magician Ben Hanlin, followed by an evening celebration and BBQ.
Mark Hayton, Chair of the WRA, said: “Reaching a quarter of a century is no small milestone and is testament to this industry’s resilience, innovation and above all, shared commitment to make better use of one of our most valuable natural resources.
“This industry has come so far in a relatively short space of time and we look forward to what we can achieve together over the next 25 years.”
The event was held at the Forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club near Birmingham on 2 July 2026.
It was sponsored by letsrecycle.com, the RWM Expo, Blue Machinery, Doyle Machinery, EGGER Timberpak, Enva, and Vermeer UK & Ireland.
25 years of the WRA
The WRA was founded in 2001 by a small group of wood recyclers looking to advocate for the growing sector.
At the time, the main market for waste wood was the panel board industry, which processed around 400,000 tonnes of material a year.
According to the WRA, the waste wood industry and its end markets now contribute £1.2 billion to the UK economy each year.
The association now has over 120 members which represent 90% of all waste wood processed in the UK.
WRA awards
The awards honoured organisations and individuals who have demonstrated excellence in areas such as environmental best practice, sector impact and advocacy.
Entries were judged by the WRA Board, who noted that they were impressed by the high standard of submissions.
Hayton added: “Our winners exemplify the innovation and dedication at the heart of the wood recycling industry. Their achievements highlight the progress we’ve made over the past 25 years and the expertise and dedication that continue to drive our industry forward.”
The winners are:
WRA Business Champion Award
- Community Wood Recycling
WRA Rising Star Award (joint winners)
- Ivan Szabo, Westminster Waste
- Connor Paterson, EGGER Timberpak
Outstanding Contribution to the UK Wood Recycling Industry
- Vicki Hughes, McPhee Associates
Partnership Award
- Howard Leberman from the Environment Agency
Lifetime Achievement Award (joint winners)
- Geoff Hadfield, Founding Member of the WRA and former WRA Chair
- Richard Mehmed, Founder and Managing Director of Community Wood Recycling
Leadership Excellence Award
- Julia Turner, WRA Executive Director
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