The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) has teamed up with the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH) to donate equipment used at this year's UK Skills Forum to Euston Skills Centre in London, where it will be used to train the next generation of plumbing and heating engineers.
The invitational UK Skills Forum took place at InstallerSHOW 2026 in June and was part of the World Plumbing Conference, organised by the CIPHE and World Plumbing Council. The Skills Forum, featuring tradespeople from 16 countries, was designed to give plumbing and heating competitors the chance to put their training to the test as they prepare for the forthcoming WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 Plumbing and Heating competition.
Product for the competition was donated by leading manufacturers including Mueller Europe Copper Tubes, Hinton Tools, Polypipe Building Products, Rothenberger, Aalberts, Monument Tools, LIXIL-GROHE, Fernox and Knipex.
Determined to build a lasting legacy from the conference, and unwilling to see the equipment go to waste, the CIPHE turned to IWSH, a global social impact organisation based in Ireland, to help find the kits a good home. Working together, and with the help of Camden Council and The Plumber Awards 2026 winner, Louchavan Lemard, Euston Skills Centre was identified as the worthy beneficiary. Further donations were made to Treloar School in Alton, a specialist education centre for young disabled people to live and learn.
The donated tools and materials will be used for hands-on student training and, where suitable, out on live projects near the college, allowing students to learn their trade while directly reusing materials in their local community. IWSH works on similar projects around the world, but this marks the first time the organisation has delivered a project like this in the UK.
Kevin Wellman, CEO of the CIPHE, said: "When we brought the World Plumbing Conference back to the UK for the first time since 2011, we were determined that its impact wouldn't end when the doors closed. Seeing the kit and tools that inspired the WorldSkills competitors now going on to train the next generation of plumbing and heating engineers is exactly the kind of legacy we hoped for. Our thanks go to IWSH for making this happen, and to Louchavan Lemard."
The donation brings together the generosity of some of the industry's leading manufacturers, the international reach of IWSH, and the on-the-ground commitment of tradespeople, ensuring the equipment showcased during the World Plumbing Conference continues to have a real, practical impact long after the contest ended.