October's awesome ethical events...

Castle Howard Food Festival

York, 5-7 Oct

A privately owned stately home is the grand setting for York's October Food Festival. The ornate gardens will contain over 50 food and drink stalls for one weekend only, plus celebrity chefs and cooking demos. Get your eating pants on for artisan bread and pastries, mussels, homemade ginger beer, gourmet sausages, homemade pork pies and fudge and wash them down with local gin and craft beers. Cheers! More info.

Thought Fest

London, until 6 Oct

A new free festival at Regent's Place, Thought Fest,  brings together globally forward thinking institutions like Central Saint Martins and the Crafts Council (who help make up London's Knowledge Quarter) to inspire ideas on sustainable living and wellbeing. 

Check out the pop up exhibition on 'Women Pioneers' by the University of London Senate House Library that celebrates 12 pioneering women that fought for women's wellbeing or  pop by Central Saint Martins for a look at what AI could mean for you. More info.

Fermentation and Real Food Gathering

South Derbyshire, 6 Oct

Learn the art of sourdough and sauerkraut in South Derbyshire's permaculture woodland, Whistlewood Common. Join local experts (including Simon Jones of Praxis Probiotics and Lucy Kay of The Mind and Body Tree) for workshops, talks, demos and tastings surrounded by beautiful trees. More info.

Vegan Oktoberfest

London, 6 Oct

That's right, you heard us. Who needs meat to have a rip-roaring, vegan-leather lederhosen wearing good time? Certainly not the guys at Fest in Camden. They've drafted in cult vegan street food stalls like Rudy's Dirty Vegan Diner who will be serving 100% vegan sausages. Vegan-friendly Bavarian beers such as Spaten and Lowenbrau will sit alongside a handful of local vegan craft ales including a special Oktoberfest brew from Camden Town Brewery and there's music, magic and more. More info.

V&A Photography Centre

London, 12 Oct

The V&A will open a huge new arts centre dedicated to photography this month. The first displays will feature over 600 objects, charting the history of photography from its inception to today, on the theme of photography as a way of collecting the world. Our picks? Brassai’s Graffiti series taken in the streets of Paris from 1933-56, lantern slides from 1921-22 showing two early attempts to climb Mount Everest and work from David Spero’s series Settlements, in which he spent 10 years documenting communities in the UK that try to live making minimal impact on the environment. More info.

The Glow Summit

Online, 8-13 Oct

Because we're so forward thinking, we're include the Glow Summit - an online five day event that pulls together clean beauty and nutritional advice, wellness and mindfulness help and lifestyle tips - from a range of bloggers, green business leaders, personal trainers and therapists. Plus, you don't need to leave the house, can get involved while in your sweatpants and you can catch up on demand. More info.

Booja Booja on Tour

Glasgow, 10 Oct

Everyone's favourite luxury vegan chocolate truffle company, Booja Booja, is spending the first half of October on tour. Find them at Quality Vitamins & Herbs in Glasgow on 10 Oct and in Nairn's Sky Delights on 11 October for free truffle tasting! Take home a couple of new Honeycomb Caramel or Toffee Strudel truffles. Mmm delicious. More info.

Adventure Uncovered Live

London, 13 Oct

In need of some serious travel inspo? Adventure Uncovered Live returns for another year and brings together explorers, adventurers, artists and activists for an engaging day of film, photography and new, refreshing discussions on social and environmental impact. From wildlife photographers, to advocates for solving ocean plastics, if you're looking to be inspired in action and adventure, don't miss this. More info.

Bedruthan Hotel's Mid-Century and Vintage Fair

Cornwall, 13-14 Oct

Looking for a minimal mid-century sideboard, 50s tea dress or just fancy a browse? Embrace the pre-owned and proud crowd at this two day vintage extravaganza. As well as clothes, accessories, homewares, furniture and lighting there will also be classic cars to lust over, live music, pop up vintage hair and make-up stalls and more. More info.

World Food Day – Good Food March 

London, 14 Oct

Join the Good Food March from Westminster to the We Feed The World exhibition at the Bargehouse Gallery, south London. Those marching are calling for a post-Brexit agriculture policy that guarantees good food and good farming in the UK. Led my Landworkers Alliance, Soil Association and farmers included in the photography exhibition. Once there, expect an afternoon of workshops and talks from celebs and campaigners including Thomasina Myers, Anna Lappe, Guy Watson, Jeremy Irons, Patrick Holden, John Vidal and many more. More info.

method x Clothes Aid Slow Fashion Store

London, 16-17 Oct

method is working with Clothes Aid, on the method slow fashion store, which opens to the public for 16-17 October only. The store, billed as an antidote to fast fashion, offers customers the chance to buy second-hand clothes gifted by influencers and celebrities such as Millie Mackintosh and Jasmine Hemsley. You can donate unwanted items and customise unloved outfits to give them a new lease of life. The method slow fashion store will be open to the public 10am-7pm at 189 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6HU.

Sustainable Knitwear Fashion Panel

London, 17 Oct

Interested in knitwear? Head down to the No Nasties Knitwear, Without Sacrificing on Style panel discussion hosted by Offset Warehouse and hear Ally Bee on how she sources ethical wool, Katie Jones on how to getting into DIY knitwear and from Timothy Andrews (Knit Works London) for leading industry tips on the construction and design of knitwear. More info.

Slow Fashion Lancaster

Lancaster, 20 Oct

Lancaster's slow fashionistas listen up. Head down to Ashton Hall for a day of sustainable fashion workshops, exhibitors and a bespoke catwalk show. Brush up on sewing skills, learn about traditional crafts like spinning, pick up slow fashion fins from jewellery makers, clothing designers or chat to artisan seamstresses - it's time to embrace ethical fashion. More info.

North Wales Vegan Festival

Wrexham, 20 Oct

Vegans and maybe-vegans or just want eat less meat people! Head down to Wrexham, north Wales on Saturday 20 Oct for tasty plant-based treats, street food, beer, wine, cakes - you name it, you can have it if you're vegan (well, nearly). Join 3.5 million other Brits and introduce more plants into your life.

Entry is from £3 (under 16’s free) and this includes entry to all areas and activities. Standard tickets are purchased at the door on the day. VIP tickets, £15, include fast track entry and a goody bag full of vegan products, samples, discounts and offers. More info.

Respect: An Ethical Fashion Show

Liverpool, 21 Oct

Black History Month meets ethical fashion at this innovative event at Blackbourne House that  celebrates black women and their creativity through fashion, art, music, spoken word. Fashion demos, upcycling and lots more will be happening between 1-4pm. More info.

Apple Day

London, 21 Oct

Ever think that Britain doesn't have enough strange customs to celebrate? We're loving Borough Market's reincarnation of Apple Day that celebrates the 2,500 varieties of apples we can grow. Taste heritage apples, sip cider, snap up apple-y treats from stallholders and drop by the specially created story orchard - a small glade of young English apple trees where children can take part in arts and craft activities and listen to autumnal tales.

Don't miss the annual procession, the October Plenty, a celebration of ancient seasonal rites. Led by the Berry Man (the Autumn incarnation of the original Green Man), decked with wild fruits and foliage, the procession also features a huge Corn Queene effigy heavy with 'Plenty' - wheat, barley, apples, root vegetables and foliage from Borough Market - which will be dismantled and ceremoniously thrown to the crowd. Bonkers and brilliant fun. More info.

Autumnal Brewing with Atlantic Brewery

Porthtowan, 28 Oct

As the nights get longer it's definitely time to start brewing your own beer. Join the guys at Atlantic Brewery in Cornwall who will show you how to get started brewing  own Christmas Spiced Honey Ale and Fiery Alcoholic Ginger and Lime Beer. Sounds delicious! More info.

Resurgence Talks: Creating Places of the Heart with Sir Tim Smit

London, 31 Oct

Love the Eden Project? Come and hear from its maker, Sir Tim Smit. Not content with attracting 19 million people (and counting) to an old slurry pit in Cornwall, he's aiming for an Eden Project on every continent by 2025. This talk is hosted by Resurgence magazine and will be held at sustainable co-working space, 42 Acres in Shoreditch. More info.