Our Work

For more than 26 years, Octopus Community Network has been a driving force for neighbourhood health and wellbeing. Our work focuses on prevention and early intervention, supporting people to stay well, connected, and confident long before they reach crisis. This long-term commitment has helped residents build stronger social networks, improve their wellbeing, and access support at the right time. 

Through our network of independently run community centres, we create welcoming spaces where people can take part in activities that boost physical and mental health, reduce isolation, and strengthen resilience. Our programmes consistently lead to improved confidence, increased social connection, and better self-management of long-term conditions. Many participants go on to volunteer or lead activities themselves, demonstrating the lasting impact of community-led support. 

Our deep roots in local neighbourhoods make the network trusted anchor organisations in emerging health models. We bridge the gap between statutory services and everyday community life, offering insight into what works on the ground and helping partners design approaches that are preventative, person-centred, and shaped by local experience. By convening organisations, sharing learning, and championing community voice, we help create neighbourhood health systems that deliver better outcomes for residents. 

Collectively, our work results in stronger communities, earlier access to support, improved wellbeing, and a more resilient local health eco-system. Octopus Community Network continues to play a vital role in ensuring that prevention, connection, and community leadership remain at the heart of how Islington supports its residents to live well. 

Our Health & Wellbeing Programme…

  • Local Wellbeing Networks

    Octopus collaborated with Voluntary Action Islington to develop the infrastructure needed to deliver the ambitions for local residents to take a proactive role in tackling health issues in Islington. Wellbeing Networks aimed to deliver Fairer Together to build and strengthen the partnership of services working together to tackle inequality and create a fairer Islington. Have a look at the website.

  • Stay Well, Live Well

    Stay Well, Live Well ran from 2016 - 2022, and designed a community-led model for reaching out to, and engaging with marginalized communities experiencing health inequalities. It was funded through the National Lottery Partnerships programme with the aim to strengthen partnership and collaborative working.

    Read the 2016 - 2019 evaluation report.

  • Community Food Hubs

    Members of the Octopus Network stepped up their role as Community Food Hubs during the Covid-19 pandemic by maximising the redistribution of food from farms and the hospitality sector to individuals and families needing support. Food co-ops, luncheon clubs, community cook-ups, and Super Soup events are just some of the ongoing community-led activities to tackle food insecurity.

  • Breathe

    The Breathe stop smoking service was delivered by Octopus between 2018 - 2021, offering people who would like to stop smoking the opportunity to access various levels of support suited to their lifestyle and individual preferences. Octopus opened five clinics, St Luke’s, The Light Project, Hornsey Lane, Walter Sickert and Andover.

  • Hyperlocal Vaccine Programme

    In partnership with Islington Council’s Public Health Department, community centres across the Octopus Network have held a number of pop-up Health & Wellbeing events, which include information about Covid-19 vaccinations.

    Community Organisers have been employed at three centres to work with communities to encourage vaccination uptake.

  • Super Soup Week

    In January 2022, eight centres from across the Network came together to host a programme of Super Soup events.

    Each event included an activity, ranging from bingo to live music, and a free bowl of soup. Running across the Network, and therefore across the borough enabled these events to reach over 500 Islington residents.

  • Food Power Picnics

    With food justice the focus of 2022’s Community Centre Week, July bought a great opportunity to get together to celebrate summer, our community centres, and the power of food.

    Six centres in the Network hosted Community Food Power Picnics across the borough.

  • Arts, Crafts and Culture Cluster

    Members of Stay Well, Live Well’s Art Cluster came together for a Postcard Project, where local residents created a postcard to celebrate what community means to them.

    Hilldrop, Mildmay, Whittington Park, HNG and Caxton House each held exhibitions for the postcards, and all of the artwork is shared together here.

  • Latest News

    Keep up to date with all of the latest news and events from our Health & Wellbeing Programme here.