Simon Acres from Northamptonshire wins National Outstanding Contribution Award

Simon has been honoured with The David Caulfield Outstanding Contribution Award for his exceptional passion, dedication and commitment to supporting industry apprenticeships.

The BKU Awards has been running for 10 years, recognising and rewarding excellence in the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom (KBB) industry. The David Caulfield Outstanding Contribution Award is designed to celebrate the achievements of a member of the KBB industry who consistently goes above and beyond for the sector. The award was presented to Simon Acres at the BKU Awards ceremony on Friday 6th June 2025 at the Grand Connaught Rooms, London.

With over 30 years of service to the KBB industry, notably 20 years as Group Sales Director at Omega PLC and 10 years in the role of Retail Corporate Chairman for The Kbsa, Simon founded Simon Acres Group in 2018. Simon established the company to continue supporting the sector with dedicated training and recruitment services, while leading the charge for the next generation. Simon Acres Group has a profound commitment to bridging the skills gap in the KBB industry. A pioneer for change, the group has hosted two Apprenticeships Careers Day events and has created an Apprenticeship & Skills Hub to provide advice and guidance to individuals looking to start their career, as well as businesses looking to navigate the apprenticeship route.

Simon himself has accomplished the title of End Point Assessor with Achieve & Partners, an independent assessor specifically trained to evaluate apprentices in the furniture, wood and merchanting industries. He is also a member of the training and education committee at the Worshipful Furniture Makers Company, a member of the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network (AAN), joined a Department of Education apprenticeship working group, is a board member of The Kitchen Education Trust (TKET) and is on the advisory board of the British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI).

In addition, the group is currently working in collaboration with Adroit Services, a family business that specialises in bathroom installation, to document the entire journey of hiring and developing apprentices. The docuseries project is in association with SENSTEC anti-slip shower tray and is spanning over 18 months. Adroit Services has taken on two apprentices, backed by Ideal Standard, and Simon Acres Group is capturing every step in Adroit Services’ real life apprentice journey to create a practical guide to help KBB businesses combat the skills gap and build a stronger workforce for the future.

Simon Acres comments: “I’m ecstatic to have received the David Caulfield Outstanding Contribution to the Industry Award. Early on in my career in the KBB industry, I was given training, coaching and support from mentors and colleagues that has stayed with me to this day. More than 31 years later and my passion for training and education remains incredibly strong. Apprenticeships are key to bringing in fresh, diverse talent and, together with my wonderful team, we will continue to spotlight the real impact apprentices can have when given the right support. Thank you to the BKU team and judges for this very much appreciated award.”

The BKU judging panel noted: “A passionate advocate for bridging the skills gap in the KBB industry and leading the charge through innovative apprenticeship initiatives. With decades of experience and involvement in key industry committees, this individual goes beyond recruitment to focus on developing future talent. They’ve hosted national careers events, led educational talks at trade shows, and even pioneered the industry’s first Apprenticeship Swap Day – giving young professionals real-world insights across companies. Their team continues to spotlight apprenticeship success stories to show how accessible and impactful these programs can be.”

Continuing the momentum, Simon Acres Group is sponsoring InstallerFUTURES, which is a dedicated student and apprentice programme at the InstallerSHOW exhibition. It aims to provide a structured and meaningful visit to the show for the next generation. InstallerSHOW takes place from 24th to 26th June at the NEC, Birmingham. The must-attend event welcomes 30,000 professionals including installers, specifiers, developers, housebuilders, and decision-makers from across the heat, water, air, energy, and built environment sectors.