Octopus Foundation

The Octopus Foundation, established in 2016 by four directors with over 75 years of combined experience in community work with vulnerable populations, is a Medway-based charity dedicated to improving mental health and emotional wellbeing for those on the margins of mainstream services. Rooted in direct experience of mental health challenges, its mission emphasises empathy, understanding, and inclusivity, fostering resilience, confidence, and independence through peer-led support. Volunteers, often former beneficiaries, deliver impactful programmes that bridge gaps in statutory services, prioritising social inclusion in areas of multiple deprivation across Medway and Kent.

It funds initiatives tackling depression, self-harm, addiction, abuse, isolation, and complex needs among children (from age five with behavioural challenges), young offenders, adults with autism/learning difficulties, and those with dementia. Supported activities include mentoring, life-skills training, creative/therapeutic groups, and targeted programmes like carpentry/employability schemes for long-term NEET men, partnering with organisations such as Royal British Legion Industries to build skills, combat loneliness, and enable volunteering progression.

Eligible entities are limited to UK-registered charities and community groups operating exclusively in Medway and Kent, with a preference for small grassroots organisations under £500,000 annual income demonstrating frontline engagement. Unsolicited applications are not accepted; funding targets pre-identified local partners via trustee referrals and networks. Grants, typically £5,000–£20,000, cover project costs, core funding, capacity building, and volunteer support on an ad hoc basis with no deadlines. Distinctively, it avoids large national charities, statutory bodies, or non-local projects, focusing on flexible, unrestricted support with robust evaluation for enduring community impact through deep local partnerships like Medway Council and Kent funders.