We are delighted to announce that Connect Padel UK has been shortlisted for the Community Initiative of the Year at the prestigious 2026 British Padel Awards.

This nomination serves as a recognition of our ongoing efforts to make padel accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or experience.

More Than Just a Sport: Our 1,000-Hour Pledge

At the heart of this nomination is our 1,000 free hours commitment. We believe that the biggest barrier to sport is often the initial cost and access to facilities. By pledging and delivering 1,000 hours of free court time to local youth and grassroots programmes, we have aimed to remove those hurdles and foster a genuine love for the game among the next generation of players.

From school groups picking up a racket for the first time to community leaders utilising the sport to improve local well-being, these hours have been about much more than just court time; they have been about building a more inclusive sporting culture.

Delivering free community hours to primary school children at Connect Padel Birmingham.

Supporting the Wider Padel Community

The British Padel Awards celebrate the very best of our sport in the UK. As part of this community, we are also incredibly proud to see several of our colleagues and partners nominated for their outstanding contributions.

While you are casting your votes, we encourage you to support these fantastic individuals and businesses who are doing so much to grow the game:

  • Adaptive Player Award: Nathan Young
  • Coach of the Year: Paul Berry
  • Best Court Construction: Hexa Padel
  • Best Racket Supplier: Y1 Padel
  • Padel Ambassador Award: Sarah Horrocks

Help Us Cross the Finish Line

The final winners are decided by a public vote, and we would be incredibly honoured to have your support. If you believe in our mission to open up the sport and want to see our 1,000-hour initiative go even further, please take a moment to vote for us.

Click here to cast your vote for the 2026 British Padel Awards

Thank you to everyone who has played a part in our story so far, from the players on our courts to our dedicated partners. This nomination is a milestone, but we are only just getting started. We are incredibly excited to build on this momentum, with plans already in motion to roll out our community-led model across new venues and regions in the very near future.