Purple Umbrella Award 2026 entries opening soon
Entries for the Purple Umbrella Award 2026 open on 11 May 2026 and close on 12 June 2026. With submissions opening in just a few weeks, now is the time to start planning your entry.
The 2026 awards mark a major milestone as we celebrate 10 years of the Purple Umbrella Awards, recognising outstanding Apprenticeships in hospitality. Over the past decade, the awards have championed organisations and individuals who go above and beyond in hospitality apprenticeships.
The Purple Umbrella Award 2026 will once again showcase excellence across a range of categories, including:
Best Level 2 Apprentice
Best Level 3 Apprentice
Best Level 4 Apprentice
Best Level 5 Apprentice
Best Level 2 Chef Apprentice
Best Level 3 Chef Apprentice
Best Apprentice Mentor
Plus several special awards.
Sam Coulstock, Executive Director for Partnerships and Growth at Umbrella, said:
“The Purple Umbrella Awards are about more than recognition. They shine a light on what great inclusion looks like in practice and give organisations the confidence to keep pushing standards higher in hospitality apprenticeships.”
The 10 year anniversary awards ceremony will see the Purple Umbrella Awards return to BAFTA in September 2026, providing a fitting backdrop for this landmark celebration.
Adele Oxberry, Chief Executive of Umbrella Training said:
“We are incredibly excited and proud to be celebrating 10 years of the Purple Umbrella Awards back at BAFTA this September. Looking back at how far the awards have come, and the impact they have helped create, makes this anniversary year especially meaningful for everyone involved.”
Full category information, entry guidance and submission details will be published when entries open on 11 May. In the meantime, we encourage organisations to start gathering evidence, reviewing projects and thinking about the stories they want to share.
Save the dates
Entries open: 11 May 2026
Entries close: 12 June 2026
We look forward to celebrating another inspiring year.