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Jersey Rugby Football Club Wins 2026 SunWorks Solar Giveaway, Sponsored by Benest Estates

SunWorks and Benest Estates have joined forces to help Jersey Rugby Football Club reduce its energy costs and invest more into the club’s future, after JRFC was named the winner of the 2026 SunWorks Solar Giveaway. The club has now had a substantial solar installation completed at its facilities, following a two-day installation by the SunWorks team on Thursday 24th and Friday 25th September.

Speaking about the install, Mark Brandon, Managing Director at SunWorks, expressed, “It’s great to see this year’s giveaway come to life, with almost twice the number of solar panels as last year’s system thanks to the support of our sponsor. This initiative showcases local social enterprises and their volunteers while demonstrating the value of renewable energy in our community. I’m confident the installation will benefit Jersey Rugby for years to come.”

The 2026 Solar Giveaway, sponsored by Benest Estates, offered one Jersey charity, non-profit or community organisation the chance to win a solar installation worth up to £30,000. Following a strong response to the competition, four finalists were put forward to a public vote, with more than 1,200 votes cast.

André Benest, Founder and Director of Benest Estates, said: “We’re really pleased to have been able to support this year’s Solar Giveaway and help Jersey Rugby invest in its future. The club plays such an important role in the local community, and we hope this installation will help reduce its energy costs and allow more of its resources to go towards developing the club and supporting players of all ages.”

Jersey Rugby Football Club came out on top, securing a solar installation designed to help reduce the club’s future energy costs and enable it to reinvest more into the development of the club and the wider rugby community.

The installation was a real team effort, with the SunWorks crew getting started on Thursday before members of the wider team gave up some of their own time on Friday to help get the job over the line and celebrate with JRFC and Benest Estates.

Jersey RFC chair Dan McAlister said: “We’re thrilled by the news about winning the Solar Giveaway. It’s a ‘win-win’ for the club: we will be able to reduce our energy costs which will allow for more investment in all levels of the game across the community, from the youngest mini rugby players to our walking rugby squad; and at the same time we can demonstrate our commitment to the environment. JRFC would like to thank both SunWorks and Benest Estates, as well as all those who voted for us ahead of some very worthy competition.”

SunWorks and Benest Estates would also like to thank everyone who entered, and especially the other three finalists, Sanctuary Trust, Les Amis and Maison des Landes, for taking part in this year’s competition.

SunWorks would also like to thank Smart Scaffolding for providing their support to help complete the installation at JRFC. The 2026 Solar Giveaway is the third year of the initiative, which aims to help local organisations reduce their energy costs while supporting Jersey’s transition towards cleaner, more sustainable energy.

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SunWorks launches 2026 Solar Giveaway with backing from Benest Estates

SunWorks has announced the return of its popular Solar Giveaway for 2026, offering one local social enterprise or community project the opportunity to receive a fully funded solar PV installation, thanks to sponsorship from Benest Estates. 

Launching in May, the initiative is designed to help those providing vital services in the community to reduce their energy costs while supporting Jersey’s transition to a more sustainable future. The campaign has become a highlight in the local calendar, giving back to the community by making renewable energy more accessible to those who need it most. Benest Estates is a local family‑run agency based in St. Brelade, known for its friendly, customer‑focused service and commitment to community engagement. 

Previous winners of the initiative include The Sustainable Cooperative Jersey (SCOOP) and Oxygen Therapy Jersey. Since the installation, SCOOP has reduced its electricity costs by £1,300, with 99% of its solar generation being used directly onsite. As energy prices rise, these savings will only increase, making the initiative a gift that keeps giving, providing tens of thousands of pounds in savings over the decades ahead 

Mark Brandon, Managing Director of SunWorks, said, “We’re proud to bring back the Solar Giveaway for another year and to continue supporting islanders in a meaningful, practical way. We’re especially grateful to Benest Estates for their generous support this year; their contribution has made it possible for us to deliver an even greater impact, and it’s fantastic to be working with a partner that shares our commitment to the Jersey community and a more sustainable future.” 

André Benest, Managing Director of Benest Estates, said, “Benest Estates is proud to sponsor the SunWorks Solar Giveaway for 2026. Supporting initiatives that give back to our island community is incredibly important to us, and this donation is a fantastic opportunity to help a local charity or community project make a meaningful difference. We’re delighted to be part of something that encourages positive change and supports the people and organisations who work so hard for Jersey.”  

Applications for the Solar Giveaway will open in May and run through to June, with a shortlist of finalists announced in July. The public will then be invited to vote for the winning entry, before the successful applicant is revealed on 31 August. Installation of the solar system will take place in September. 

With energy prices remaining a key concern for many households, initiatives like the Solar Giveaway play an important role in demonstrating the long-term benefits of renewable energy. SunWorks continues to champion renewable energy solutions across Jersey, helping homes and businesses adopt new ways of using energy, with over 600 installations carried out in Jersey to date. 

 

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SunWorks Announces Winner of 2025 Solar Giveaway: Oxygen Therapy Jersey

We’re proud to announce that Oxygen Therapy Jersey has been selected as the winner of our 2025 Solar Giveaway, receiving a free solar installation worth up to £10,000.

Oxygen Therapy Jersey is a local charity providing innovative oxygen treatments to support islanders with a wide range of health conditions. Their dedication to improving lives across our community deeply inspired us—and clearly resonated with the public, who voted overwhelmingly in their favour.

💬 Supporting Community Wellbeing Through Clean Energy

“We’re thrilled to be supporting Oxygen Therapy Jersey with this installation,” said Mark Brandon, Co-Owner and Managing Director at SunWorks. “Their work provides essential health services to our community, and by reducing their energy bills, we hope to give them more freedom to focus resources on their patients rather than overheads. At the same time, this installation will help lower their environmental impact, showing how clean energy can power community wellbeing.”

The bespoke solar panel system will be installed in early autumn 2025, helping the charity reduce its running costs and carbon footprint for years to come.

🙌 A Community Effort

Oxygen Therapy Jersey shared their heartfelt thanks:

“On behalf of the Oxygen Therapy Centre, I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for us, to SunWorks for shortlisting us, and everyone involved in making this happen.
This will have a huge impact on the Charity and also on the environment. We can’t thank you enough for your amazing support.”

This year’s giveaway saw strong applications from across Jersey, with EYECAN shortlisted as a finalist. The public voting throughout July and August highlighted the incredible support islanders have for local charities making a difference.

🌍 Powering a Brighter Future

The Solar Giveaway is part of our ongoing commitment to making clean energy accessible and impactful across Jersey. This marks the second successful year of the initiative, and we’re already looking forward to what next year will bring.

Stay tuned for updates on the installation and more opportunities to get involved in future community projects.

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SCOOP’s Success Since the 2024 Solar Giveaway

In 2024, SunWorks launched the first Solar Giveaway worth £10,000! The Sustainable Co-operative (SCOOP) won the competition, which ran for several months and involved various challenges. The public voted for their favorite non-profit organisation to win this amazing prize!

As part of winning the competition, SunWorks installed a 5kW solar system worth £10,000. The SunWorks team also volunteered their free time on a Friday afternoon to help with the installation, alongside SMART Scaffolding, who kindly donated the scaffolding used for the project! This demonstrates that not only is SunWorks passionate about sustainability and supporting Jersey locals and businesses, but other businesses and individuals are too!

Since September 2024, the installed system has generated over 2,470 kWh of clean energy, with SCOOP using 98% of their solar energy, resulting in total savings of £550 to date. We are now edging into summer, so this is set to significantly increase over the next few months.

Kaspar Wimberley, the Director of SCOOP, said, “SCOOP was the lucky recipient of the SunWorks giveaway in 2024, which was the perfect fit. Switching to renewable forms of energy aligns with our focus on environmental sustainability and in times of increasing energy prices and economic uncertainty, harnessing solar power to be more energy independent can add resilience and reduce the running costs of the business. With a constant energy supply required to power our cold storage of fresh organic produce, solar power made sense and has helped lower our electricity bills. We are extremely thankful for the generosity of SunWorks and wish all those applying for support in 2025 the best of luck!”

The success of the 2024 Solar Giveaway underscores our commitment to sustainability and community empowerment. We look forward to continuing our efforts to make renewable energy accessible to all, especially by installing the 2025 Solar Giveaway for the lucky winner!

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