Latest news with #RebeccaDibbSimkin
The Sun
23-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Win free kit for your kids' football team courtesy of Octopus Energy in our brilliant competition
FANCY getting your kids' footie team kitted out for the new season? The Sun has teamed up with Octopus Energy to offer 100 teams across the UK a FREE set of football strips including shirts, shorts and goalie kits. There are 1,000 Octopus-sponsored kits up for grabs and the 100 selected teams will be able to choose from 13 kit options in different colourways. Apply by midnight on July 31 and the kits will be ready for the new season in September. Open to teams serving children aged 16 and below, you just need to enter the code SUNOCTOKIT, tell us your team name, age group and contact details. The energy firm started its Kits For Kids drive last year and gave away 27,000 strips to clubs around the country. The costs of kits is one of the biggest outlays for grassroots clubs, with average prices for strips costing £250-£300 in total. After seeing huge demand for its original campaign, Octopus has teamed up with us to offer a special batch of strips just for Sun readers. Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, chief product officer at Octopus Energy, said: 'We've decked out more than 27,000 kids in free Octopus Kits, and we're delighted to extend an exclusive offer to Sun readers with an extra 1,000 strips. 'With opportunities for grassroots teams to win more goodies and awesome prizes, we can't wait to see the next generation of stars dazzle their opponents in their new Octokits.' Here we meet some of the teams who benefitted last year. Footie hero backs campaign to give grassroots football teams free kits - here's how to get your freebies SAVING SOULS FC 3 SAVING Souls established a football team for young women and girls in Lewisham, South East London, in 2024 with the aim of creating a community, combating isolation and helping mental health. A Savings Souls men's team launched in 2022 but founder Kerry Phillips, 38, wanted to set up a women's team, too. He said: 'Thanks to the Octopus kit we have now been able to realise our dream of establishing a women and girls' team because our funds go much further as the kit costs are covered. 'Before then, our ambitions were limited by resources. 'We chose bright yellow shirts and black shorts because we want women's football to shine bright.' Saving Souls goes beyond football. At the end of every session there is a circle where the players can chat and older girls can mentor younger girls. Club captain Nevaeh Phillips said: 'Our new kit really gives us our own identity, separate from the boys' team. 'It's vibrant and unique, and it will help us stand out, attracting more girls and young women.' POOLE TOWN FC WESSEX 3 POOLE Town FC Wessex began in 1989 with just one team. Today they have grown to 29 teams providing football for 400 local children. The club is also linked to the Poole Town Kids Initiative, which provides free football sessions for youngsters across the area. Alex Crabb, coach at Poole Town FC Wessex Under-8s, said: 'Football clubs unite all people from different cultures and backgrounds and bring them together with a shared passion. 'By having access to initiatives like this, it's enabled the children to feel proud to be part of a team and learn social and sporting skills.' Austin Smyth, one of the players with the Under-8s, said: 'I love the kit, especially the bright, cool colour of it. 'I've been wearing it to the park, around the house and to school on special days.' ALMONDSBURY UTD FC, GLOUCS 3 THE Gloucestershire team has been a powerhouse for youth football since it was established in 1969. With more than 300 kids playing each week, plus a men's team, the Under-11s side were the lucky winners of the Octokits. Coach Matthew Jackson, 41, said: 'The free Almondsbury Utd kit is a dream come true. 'The vibrant colour is eye-catching, and the quality is top-notch. 'Plus, the iconic club crest adds the perfect finishing touch. 'The kids love it and they all feel like they've won a competition.' Club player Lana-Jane Roberts, 11, said: 'Thank you Octopus Energy for supporting Almondsbury United FC in making us a kit. 'I love how the blue, pink and white looks. 'I really feel it makes us look like a professional team. 'Thank you so much for choosing us.' HOW TO ENTER SCAN the QR code above or go to Enter the code SUNOCTOKIT. Then tell us your name, email address, phone number, team name and its age group. Applicants must be 18 or over and resident in England, Scotland or Wales and be a reader of The Sun newspaper to be eligible to apply on behalf of the football team. One hundred teams will be chosen at random. Entries close at midnight on July 31. Promotion closes at midnight on July 31, 2025. Open to residents of England, Scotland and Wales aged 18 or older, excluding employees/agents of Octopus Energy Ltd or News Group Newspapers Ltd. One entry pp. Nominated teams must not have a shirt sponsor and must consist of players under 16, with the exception of mixed-age teams that include children under 16. Winners selected at random and notified on August 1, 2025. No cash alternative. and prize non-transferable. Your info will be used to administer this promotion and otherwise. For full T&Cs, see
The Sun
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
EV drivers can get 5,000 miles of FREE charging this summer – and you can apply now
THE UK's biggest energy supplier is launching its first electric vehicle home charger and you can get your hands on it for free. Octopus Energy has designed and built its own EV charger which will provide charging for as little as 2p per mile and new users will get heaps of free charging. 2 Named Octopus Charge and launching in August, new customers who sign up will get a 5,000 free miles bonus. The offer is only available to the first 100 people, so EV drivers will have to be quick to snap up the offer. Combined with Octopus' Drive Pack tariff, customers can get unlimited charging for just £30 a month. The saving don't just end there, because those with Octopus solar panels can power their EVs with any surplus solar electricity. The new EV charger has built-in 4G and a uniquely designed charging cable holster so it can fit snugly in tight spaces. 'Charging at home is already better than queueing up at the petrol station – and now we've made it even simpler," said Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, chief product officer at Octopus Energy. 'Octopus Energy was the first energy company to launch a smart tariff, an EV tariff, an export tariff, and our very own heat pump." She added: "We're delighted to add Octopus Charge to our stable, initially designed to work seamlessly with Intelligent Octopus Go, and with other features to follow shortly.' Octopus Charge will first be exclusively available for customers of Octopus' EV leasing business, Octopus Electric Vehicles, before being launched to all Octopus Energy customers in August. Those interested can register their interest at the Octopus Energy website. New Nissan Leaf tested - it's bigger, better and goes further It's been a big week of announcements from Octopus Energy, who only days ago said it was bringing back its popular Saving Sessions for households. The scheme is a way for customers to earn rewards by reducing their electricity consumption during specific times when the national grid is under pressure. Over the summer, households have a chance to use their washing machine and charge their devices for free if they shift their usage from peak times. Octopus said the free electricity will be available during one-hour slots that will usually be held in the early afternoon. To be eligible for the scheme, you must be an Octoplus member, which is a free rewards program for the smart meter customers. 2
