Octopus Group has announced a transformative three-year partnership with Fields in Trust, an organisation that champions and advocates for parks and green spaces by protecting them for people to enjoy, forever.
Fields in Trust is the only charity in the UK working to protect parks and green spaces for good. For almost 100 years, the organisation has helped protect over 2,900 open spaces – covering an area larger than the size of Liverpool – right across the UK.
Set up in 2014 to help charities make the world a better place, Octopus Giving aims to empower charities through financial support and strategic partnerships. The partnership will enable Fields in Trust to further scale its activities, ensuring everyone across the country has access to quality green space.
Every three years, Octopus Group selects two charities for a unique three-year partnership that thinks differently about the ways corporates can work with charities to accelerate positive impact.
Field in Trust’s research shows that parks and green spaces in urban areas generate £34 billion a year in wellbeing value and save the NHS £111m per year through reduced GP visits. However, their 2024 Green Space Index research found that over 6.3 million people in Great Britain have no green space or parks within an accessible ten-minute walk from home. The amount of available green space per person is also expected to decline substantially by 2033 due to population increase.
As the new environmental charity partner, Fields in Trust will receive an unrestricted grant each year to help bolster its mission. The partnership will also provide the charity with ongoing guidance and support from across the talent pool at Octopus. This includes access to a wealth of volunteer resources and skills from employees across diverse departments.
Shannon Gleave, Giving Manager at Octopus Group, said:
“At Octopus, we are committed to forging genuine partnerships with our charity partners. Our goal is to create collaborations that serve as a catalyst for change, combining our resources to make a meaningful impact on the world. We are thrilled to be partnering with Fields in Trust for the next three years, supporting them as they seek recognition for the power of parks. I know our teams are fully prepared to support our new charity partner with enthusiasm. We can’t wait to roll up our sleeves and work hand-in-hand with Fields in Trust to deliver positive change together.”
Helen Griffiths, Chief Executive of Fields in Trust, said:
“We’re delighted to have been selected as Octopus Group’s environmental partner for the next three years. The partnership doesn’t just provide a generous grant it also gives us access to the incredible pool of talent across Octopus Group. We can already see how transformational their support is going to be for Fields in Trust as we mark our centenary and focus on the next chapter – not just for the charity but also for the millions of people who benefit from access to green space now and in the future.”
Octopus employees recently joined Fields in Trust at the Japanese Garden of Peace in Hammersmith Park volunteering to help rejuvenate the Fields in Trust protected site. Among activities of weeding and trimming, to aptly celebrate the partnership, a compendium of Campanula ‘Pink Octopus’ were planted.