The Bathroom Association has announced that Adroit Services has joined the association, marking a significant milestone as the first independent retailer to become a member.

Based in Buckinghamshire, Adroit Serviceshas been delivering exceptional bathroom installations across the county since 1989. What began as a one-man enterprise has evolved into an award-winning family business renowned for its customer-centric service, technical expertise, and a deeply held commitment to three core values: Partnership, Integrity, and Quality.

With over 200 years of combined trades experience, the Adroit team is dedicated to helping clients achieve bathrooms that are both beautiful and functional, guided by expert advice, trusted products, and a seamless installation process.

Tom Reynolds, chief executive of the Bathroom Association, commented: “Welcoming Adroit Services into the Association is an exciting and important development. As our first independent retailer member, their joining signals the beginning of a broader conversation about how we engage with this vital part of the supply chain. The team brings a wealth of insight, and I’m confident they will help shape our future offer for independent bathroom retailers. We hope Adroit will be the first of many to join our community.”

The addition of Adroit Services follows the Association’s recent call to unite the entire bathroom supply chain, encompassing manufacturers, merchants, designers, specifiers, retailers, plumbers, and installers. By extensive industry-wide collaboration, the Association is seeking to overcome challenges and create a world where bathrooms are better for people and planet.

Emma Butt, managing partner at Adroit Services, said: “Joining the Bathroom Association is an important move for us, and we’re honoured to be the first independent retailer welcomed into the Association.

“We believe in delivering more than just amazing bathrooms; we’re here to build trust, raise standards, and support positive change in our industry. Partnering with the Association allows us to contribute to important conversations, connect with like-minded businesses, and ensure we’re staying ahead of the curve in delivering quality and compliance to our customers.”

New insights from B&Q reveal Gen Z tradespeople see a career in trade as a savvy business move. Over a third (39%) of young tradespeople chose the profession for its good career opportunities, as well as it being a platform to channel entrepreneurial spirit, with 30% seeing it as an opportunity to start their own business (30%).

However, whilst 17% of Gen Z are in trade to some extent, even as a ‘side hustle’, fewer young people are coming into the workforce and opportunities to enter the trade are potentially reduced due to a lack of SME apprenticeship options.

Data reveals 44% of Gen Z tradespeople hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent higher education qualification – highlighting a career in trade to be an ambitious and rewarding one for university graduates. This figure compares to only 12% of Boomers in the trade sector who possess a degree – a generation who typically went through the apprenticeship route to entry.

Yet, despite positive signs, there is still some way to go to ensure the trade industry is future-proofed and the apparent 47% of young people who reportedly have not considered working in the trade, are made aware of its exciting prospects.

Alongside university education as a route to the industry, more emphasis must be placed on improving apprenticeships. The results found the disappearance of many apprenticeship positions is undoubtedly hindering new recruitment and training, with just over half of tradespeople (52%) reporting it’s one of the biggest challenges to the industry.

B&Q is working to combat this by investing in initiatives to help support smaller businesses recruit and train trade apprentices, since the beginning of 2025/26 B&Q has donated over £1 million through the ‘Transfer to Transform’ scheme. In addition to this, B&Q has worked alongside Trade Point UK to launch ‘Do the Lift Thing’ – a campaign that showcases women trade professionals and provides a call to action for more girls and women to choose a trade profession.

The path for women entering the trades is even more challenging. With only 57% of respondents believing that the trade is welcoming towards them, there is a clear gap needing to be addressed. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of tradespeople back initiatives to improve this gap, such as a ‘return to work’ scheme specifically designed to support female participation in the sector.

John Morgan, director TradePoint UK, says: “A career in trade is one filled with immense opportunity and purpose – and one that could take you all over the world! With three teenage children myself, I always encourage them to consider the trades as a solid and rewarding path against a background of uncertainty in the job market.

Whilst it’s very encouraging to see the pattern of university graduates joining the trade industry, we must also focus on the fact that we need more people to enter the trade and to provide opportunities including apprenticeships for those who haven’t chosen that route. Industry players and Government must act to evolve and expand the apprenticeship offerings available – in order to improve accessibility to secure a skilled workforce for the future.

Separate research undertaken by Kingfisher *, found that by 2030, the UK needs at least 250k more tradespeople, a figure calculated before the increased plans for housebuilding under the new government. This workforce challenge also has implications for other parts of the economy, such as the roll out of green energy improvements to domestic property.

77% of trades see the lack of skilled labour as critical to their business thriving and they consistently identify apprenticeships as the solution to this problem. However, 9 in 10 tradespeople say that apprentices are vital to the future of the industry, but only 18% have hired one.

The Bathroom Association has today announced a change in leadership, with chief executive Tom Reynolds set to step down this September. Tom will leave the Association after six impactful years at the helm to take up the role of chief executive of the British Brands Group, the trade body representing FMCG brand manufacturers.

Since joining the organisation in 2019, Tom has steered the Association, previously known as the Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA), until its strategic rebrand in June, through a period of profound change. Under his leadership, the Association navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, responded to significant regulatory developments, and modernised its identity to better reflect its expanded mission and membership.

With Tom at the helm, the association has achieved many great things, including:

• The Windsor Summit, which led to several global organisations signing the landmark Windsor Declaration, a global agreement among leading bathroom manufacturers to intensify action on water scarcity and hygiene.
• Securing the title of UK Trade Association of the Year, recognising the Association’s growing impact across government, industry and society.

Tom will be succeeded by Daphne Doody-Green, who takes up the role of chief executive from 1st September. Daphne brings over two decades of experience from the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD), the global Professional Body for HR with 160,000 members. In her most recent role as UK market director, she led a significant change programme to modernise UK member engagement as part of CIPD’s growth plans. Daphne also served as head of CIPD in Northern England, representing the profession on numerous regional boards and forums, advising Metro-Mayors, Employers and Members, alongside leading PR and corporate affairs initiatives to drive good working practices across the region. She brings a wealth of experience driving membership growth, strategic engagement and influencing policy.

At the Bathroom Association, Daphne’s priorities will include expanding the organisation’s influence across the supply chain and deepening its strategic partnerships across government and industry.

To mark the transition in leadership, Tom and Daphne will jointly present the Connect Conference, the Association’s flagship event, taking place 16th–17th September at the Grand Hotel, Birmingham.

Tom Reynolds, outgoing chief executive, said: “Leading the Bathroom Association has been the privilege of my career. I’ve worked with incredible members, a brilliant team, and passionate stakeholders to shape a forward-thinking and values-led trade body, and ultimately, the success we have had has led to my ability to land my new role. I’m thrilled to be passing the baton to Daphne, whose experience and dynamism will, I’m sure, take the organisation to new heights.”

Daphne Doody-Green, incoming chief executive, commented: “The Bathroom Association has never been more vital to the built environment and sustainability agendas. The association has a key role in making buildings, and bathrooms specifically, work better for people and the planet. I’m excited to work with our members and stakeholders as we move into our next phase, extending our influence and continuing to modernise and grow the organisation.”

Craig Baker, president of the Bathroom Association, added: “Tom has done some great work during his time with us, leading the transformation of the Association into one focused on insight, influence and impact. On behalf of the Board and membership, I thank him for his dedicated service. We are delighted to welcome Daphne, whose leadership, strategic vision, and stakeholder expertise will ensure the Association continues to thrive in a the rapidly changing marketplace.”

The Bathroom Association’s annual conference will take place on September 16th and 17th at the Grand Hotel in Birmingham. With anticipation already building across the sector, this year’s event promises to be bigger and bolder, under the dynamic theme “Connecting the Dots”.

Following the recent rebranding of the Bathroom Association and the drive to unite the entire sector, the Connect Conference presents an opportunity to bring together the vast and interconnected supply chain to collaborate on shared goals and ambitions.

The conference will explore how collaboration among manufacturers, retailers, merchants, and the broader supply chain can foster innovation and drive sustainable growth in a rapidly changing market. Featuring keynote speeches, lively panel discussions, and exclusive networking opportunities, the event is designed to equip delegates with practical insights and new industry connections.

Unmissable Two-Day Agenda

Day One (Sept 16) is packed with member-only sessions, including essential technical updates and the much-loved marketing meeting. The day ends with an exclusive industry dinner – details are under wraps, but excitement is already brewing.

Day Two (Sept 17) opens up to all delegates, offering a full schedule of thought leadership and collaborative dialogue. Hear from headline speakers like the serial tech entrepreneur, Alex Depledge (Resi.co.uk), the economics expert Anna Leach (CBI), and Tim Smedley (author of The Last Drop).  Don’t miss the Big Debate, and cap off the event with our celebrated Gala Dinner, hosted by Diona Doherty, featuring the 30-Under-30 Awards, the Sustainability Award, and our ever-popular charity raffle and auction.

Register Now – Accommodation Going Fast!

Act quickly to secure your spot – accommodation at the Grand Hotel is already selling fast. This is your opportunity to connect, collaborate, and champion the future of the bathroom industry.

Let’s connect the dots – and shape the future, together.

Register now via the Connect Conference website to avoid disappointment.