For 130 years, the Painting and Decorating Association (PDA) has been a collective voice for the trade, bringing together individuals, businesses and associated trades to fly the flag for excellence.
The Association is Britain’s largest trade body dedicated to the sector and represents painting and decorating businesses of all types from sole traders through to large scale national contractors employing hundreds of operatives.
With a proud history and a long-standing legacy of promoting high standards and best practice, members are required to be insured and appropriately trained as well as committing to a Code of Conduct that includes providing quality work at a reasonable price.
PDA Chief Executive, Neil Ogilvie, said: “It’s a really exciting year for the PDA as we celebrate the Association’s 130th anniversary and mark the 35th Premier Trophy Awards in July. As a membership organisation, our priorities are centred around showcasing the professionalism and skill of our members alongside providing resources, information and services that support their businesses.”
Painters and decorators who fulfil the membership criteria and apply within the correct business category are entitled to display the Association’s logo across their vehicles, stationery, online platforms and more.
And members who make a commitment to drive down waste can also apply for Paint Green status – PDA’s first-step initiative that encourages businesses to kick start a sustainability journey by helping drive down waste across the sector.
Those who sign up to the scheme can display the Paint Green logo, informing clients and potential customers that they are actively working to reduce excess paint and containers going to landfill.
Members can also access a host of benefits, discounts and services, ranging from group legal cover and membership of UNIEP, BCIS and BUILD UK to discounts on fuel and paint products.
Neil added:“Our impartial mediation and arbitration service is available to both members and their clients, so in the event something does go wrong, we are on hand to provide support and help to find a solution. Members can also access legal and business support via the Markel Hub, which has hundreds of documents and templates available to download.
“In the last 12 months, PDA members have saved more than £54,000 through using the Markel Hub. Our Health & Safety handbook app offers up-to-date information on the latest regulations on a mobile or tablet, and we work with Associate Partners who offer a range of training opportunities as well.
“We partner with manufacturers and suppliers, as well as organisations such as Lighthouse Club, which provides mental health support to workers in the construction industry.”
As well as providing a host of discounts and benefits to its members, the trade association acts a voice for the sector as a whole, providing feedback and lobbying through its construction industry partners, as well as flying the flag for excellence in the sector.
The PDA’s Premier Trophy Awards is a glittering ceremony held at Plaisterers’ Hall, London, in July, where winners across seven categories are announced, with one project named Supreme Winner. This year marks the 35th annual event, and judging of short-listed projects is already well underway.
The winners of PDA’s popular Apprentice of the Year competition, which takes place across four regional heats followed by a grand final, will also be announced at the Premier Trophy Awards. PDA’s Apprentice Paperhanger of the Year also attracted record entries last year, with winners announced at the annual Networking Event Gala Dinner.
Both competitions test the accuracy, stamina and skill of junior and senior apprentices during a gruelling six-hour challenge – and both are fiercely contested by apprentices from across the UK, with young people travelling to Kent, Birmingham, Rossendale, Glasgow and Doncaster to take part.
Neil added: “To be the recipient of a Premier Trophy Award is to demonstrate that your business has been independently judged to produce some of the best painting and decorating work in the country. It’s a prestigious accolade and a key showcase of some of the incredible talent and expertise to be found among painters and decorators.
“Likewise, the apprentice competitions challenge young people embarking on a career in colour, encouraging them to network with their peers, push themselves to succeed and gain a deeper understanding of the value of their chosen trade. Ultimately, the PDA grew from groups of like-minded craftspeople working collectively to improve standards in their trade and work to fair rates of pay – and that founding ethos still runs through everything we do 130 years later.
“So, when painters and decorators are looking for support, advice, information, or a platform that showcases their skills and abilities, we’d encourage them to apply for PDA membership. With so much to gain, why choose anyone else?”
To apply to join the PDA visit https://paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk/join-the-pda/
