OCTOPUS COMMUNITY NETWORK

Octopus is a collaboration of community centres working together to develop and deliver innovative community-led health and well-being activities, informal and non-formal learning projects, growing and bio-diversity projects, skills and back to work programmes.  In working together we achieve greater synergy avoiding unnecessary duplication, and maximum resource utilization.

Plant an orchard, grow a gift for the generations to come. Join us to plant three new orchards in the Tufnell Park area. These training and upskilling workshops are free and open to all with no prior experience needed. Join us for the second of three planting days to create three new community orchards! Join the full programme, with workshops taking place on the first Tuesday of every month from September 2025 to February 2026, with additional workshops in January for tree planting days. Workshop series:2nd September: Orchard introduction7th October: Fruit: a hands-on workshop (Hilldrop Community Centre)4th November: Designing our orchards2nd December: Winter pruning techniques Orchard Planting Days:6th January - Whittington Park Community Centre, N19 4RS13th January - Octopus Community Plant Nursery (behind the Hollins and McCall Houses on Tufnell Park Road, N7 OEF20th January - St George's Open Space (meet at St George's &amp; All Saints Church, Crayford Rd), N7 OND 3rd February: Orchard care planning <a href="https://book.plinth.org.uk/org/qDQ1wd7bVtD1dwkgYrcB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: inherit;">See all dates and book your place here</a>. All sessions include a free lunch!

Orchard Planting and Training - Tree Planting Day 2

Whittington Park Community Centre

Plant an orchard, grow a gift for the generations to come. Join us to plant three new orchards in the Tufnell Park area. These training and upskilling workshops are free and open to all with no prior experience needed. Join us for the final of three planting days to create three new community orchards! Join the full programme, with workshops taking place on the first Tuesday of every month from September 2025 to February 2026, with additional workshops in January for tree planting days. Workshop series:2nd September: Orchard introduction7th October: Fruit: a hands-on workshop (Hilldrop Community Centre)4th November: Designing our orchards2nd December: Winter pruning techniques Orchard Planting Days:6th January - Whittington Park Community Centre, N19 4RS13th January - Octopus Community Plant Nursery (behind the Hollins and McCall Houses on Tufnell Park Road, N7 OEF20th January - St George's Open Space (meet at St George's &amp; All Saints Church, Crayford Rd), N7 OND 3rd February: Orchard care planning <a href="https://book.plinth.org.uk/org/qDQ1wd7bVtD1dwkgYrcB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: inherit;">See all dates and book your place here</a>. All sessions include a free lunch!

Orchard Planting and Training - Tree Planting Day 3

St George's Open Space

Plant an orchard, grow a gift for the generations to come. Join us to plant three new orchards in the Tufnell Park area. These training and upskilling workshops are free and open to all with no prior experience needed. Join us for our rescheduled planting day at Whittington Park Community Centre. Join the full programme, with workshops taking place on the first Tuesday of every month from September 2025 to February 2026, with additional workshops in January for tree planting days. Workshop series:2nd September: Orchard introduction7th October: Fruit: a hands-on workshop (Hilldrop Community Centre)4th November: Designing our orchards2nd December: Winter pruning techniquesOrchard Planting Days:13th January - Octopus Community Plant Nursery (behind the Hollins and McCall Houses on Tufnell Park Road, N7 OEF20th January - St George's Open Space (meet at St George's &amp; All Saints Church, Crayford Rd), N7 OND27th January - Whittington Park Community Centre, N19 4RS 3rd February: Orchard care planning <a href="https://book.plinth.org.uk/org/qDQ1wd7bVtD1dwkgYrcB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: inherit;">See all dates and book your place here</a>. All sessions include a free lunch!

Orchard Planting and Training - Whittington Park

Thank you for registering to join Islington's Food Assembly!

What do you think about food in Islington?&nbsp; What do you eat? Where does it come from? What makes it hard to waste less? How could food be fairer, greener and better in our borough?&nbsp;&nbsp; Help shape the future of food in Islington.&nbsp; Have your say!Join Islington Climate Centre, Islington Food Partnership and Octopus Community Network for a People’s Assembly all about food — what works, what needs to change, and what we can build together.&nbsp; What is a People’s Assembly?&nbsp;A People’s Assembly is a simple, welcoming way for a community to think, talk and act together. With facilitators to guide the process, everyone gets space to speak, listen and contribute ideas for collective action.&nbsp; What we’ll explore&nbsp;We’ll be guided by key themes, but open to anything you bring:&nbsp;<ul><li>Food waste&nbsp;</li><li>Food supply chains&nbsp;</li><li>Right to Grow&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Politics of food&nbsp;</li><li>Access to affordable &amp; healthy food&nbsp;</li><li>Sustainable food choices&nbsp;</li></ul> Specialist speakers will kick things off, followed by small-group discussions.&nbsp; Event details:6.30pm–9.30pm, Tuesday 27th January 2026&nbsp;Brickworks Community Centre, 42 Crouch Hill, Finsbury Park, London N4 4BY&nbsp; Come along to share your experiences, frustrations, hopes and solutions — and help shape a better food future for Islington. Please note, this event is a collaboration between Octopus Community Network, Islington Climate Centre and Islington Food Partnership. By registering, you consent to your information being shared between organisations for event organisation purposes. Please contact us by email if you do not consent to this.

Brickworks Community Centre

Thank you for signing up! Please note, to complete the course, you will have to attend both dates, 31st January and 14th February.

Have you got an idea you want to make happen in your community? Join two Community Organising Workshops to learn how to engage your community in creating positive change locally, working together to develop project ideas for the Palmer Estate and Calcott Community Centre. Workshop dates:Saturday 31st January, 10am - 1.30pmSaturday 14th February, 10am - 1.30pm Both workshops must be attended to complete the Introduction to Community Organising Course. Across the two dates, you will learn about: <ul><li>what community organising is</li><li>the importance of listening to build relationships and explore issues</li><li>power in communities and why it matters</li><li>what motivates people to act</li><li>how to take your next steps in community organising</li></ul>

Calcott Community Centre

Plant an orchard, grow a gift for the generations to come. Join us to plant three new orchards in the Tufnell Park area. These training and upskilling workshops are free and open to all with no prior experience needed. Now we've planting three new orchards, during this final workshop we'll be learning about and planning maintenance and care. Join the full programme, with workshops taking place on the first Tuesday of every month from September 2025 to February 2026, with additional workshops in January for tree planting days. Workshop series:2nd September: Orchard introduction7th October: Fruit: a hands-on workshop (Hilldrop Community Centre)4th November: Designing our orchards2nd December: Winter pruning techniques6th, 13th and 20th January: Tree planting days3rd February: Orchard care planning <a href="https://book.plinth.org.uk/org/qDQ1wd7bVtD1dwkgYrcB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: inherit;">See all dates and book your place here</a>. All sessions include a free lunch! Please note, all workshops will take place at Whittington Park Community Centre apart from the 7th October, which will take place at Hilldrop Community Centre.

Orchard Planting and Training - Orchard Care Planning

OCTOPUS COMMUNITY NETWORK

CPN Community Growing Session

Orchard Planting and Training - Tree Planting Day 2

Orchard Planting and Training - Tree Planting Day 3

Orchard Planting and Training - Whittington Park

Islington Food Assembly

Community Organising Workshops

Orchard Planting and Training - Orchard Care Planning