Autumn’s here — crisp mornings, golden leaves, and that slow shift from sunshine to sweaters.

It’s the season that makes the UK feel like a storybook — misty fields, glowing windows, and the promise of something comforting on the stove.

Below, you’ll find everything that makes this time of year special.
Smart ways to stay warm without spending a fortune.

A South African success story that turned apples into ambition.
And a few pumpkin-coloured adventures to make you fall in love with October all over again.

So pour a mug of something hot, settle in, and let’s chase the glow together.

The mornings have that bite again.
You can almost hear the radiators creaking back to life.

Before the bills start marching in, here’s a sneaky way to stay warm and keep your cash.

Drop your thermostat by just 1°C.
You’ll barely feel it, but your wallet will.

If your radiators sound like a wheezing kettle, bleed them — it’s weirdly satisfying and makes them heat faster.

Stick some reflective foil behind the ones on outside walls, and you’ll trap the warmth where you need it most.

And here’s the real gem — most councils quietly offer free boiler checks and energy grants through Warm Homes or Home Upgrade schemes.

Type your council’s name + “Warm Homes” into Google, or go to gov.uk/find-energy-grants-for-your-home to see what’s on offer.

We may be South Africans living under British skies, but we’re not daft.
Keep the heat in, the bills down, and winter won’t stand a chance.

If you’re anywhere near the capital this month, the BFI London Film Festival is unmissable.

From 8–19 October, London turns into one giant cinema with more than 250 screenings at iconic venues across the city.

The red carpet opens with Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery — starring Daniel Craig and Glenn Close — alongside premieres of Steve McQueen’s Blitz and Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door.

Add masterclasses, industry talks, and late-night screenings, and you’ve got a cultural feast fit for any film lover.

🎟️ Explore the full BFI London Film Festival lineup →

If you’d rather swap velvet seats for wellies, October’s full of apple-scented festivals and pumpkin patches waiting for you.

Blackmoor Estate Apple Tasting Day – Sunday 12 Oct | Hampshire
A country classic with tasting tables, local produce, and orchard walks.
👉 blackmoorestate.co.uk

Woughton Orchard Apple Day – Saturday 18 Oct | Milton Keynes
Community-run fun with cider pressing, live music, and crafts.
👉 theparkstrust.com/events/apple-day

Cotswold Farm Park PYO Pumpkins – 10–19 Oct | Gloucestershire
Pick your own pumpkins, pose for photos, and grab a hot chocolate.
👉 cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk

Tulleys Farm Pumpkin Fields – October Weekends | West Sussex
A legendary autumn outing with carving barns, food stalls, and laughter for miles.
👉 trulysfarm.co.uk

Whether you’re catching world premieres or chasing windfall apples, October’s serving up something for everyone — on-screen or under-foot.

This week’s spotlight keeps our autumn theme going — a story of a South African who turned apples into ambition, and ambition into cider.

When Laura Clacey moved from Cape Town to London, she didn’t know a soul.

But she had an idea — and a stubborn streak as crisp as the apples she’d left behind.

She called it SXOLLIE, the cheeky South African word for a rascal.
A cider that refused to play by British rules.

Laura built it from scratch — no big investors, no industry ties, just faith and fight.

She sourced real South African apples and turned them into something the UK had never tasted before.

Today, SXOLLIE sits proudly on the shelves of Waitrose and Tesco, and even in Michelin-starred restaurants.

It’s the first cider in the world to earn B-Corp status, recognised for doing good while doing business.

For Laura, it’s never just been about cider.
It’s about showing what South Africans can do when they bet on themselves.

👉 Explore SXOLLIE Cider

Gold’s just popped over £3,000 an ounce at the time of writing — and for South Africa, that’s more than just a headline.

Most of our mines run deep, expensive, and hard. When the price dips, shafts close and towns fall quiet. But when gold rises, the lights come back on — literally.

A strong gold price doesn’t just lift the mines; it often lifts the rand too. And for South Africans drawing a pension or income from home, that can quietly add pounds to every transfer.

So if you’ve still got roots (or rands) in SA, keep an eye on the charts. When the world starts chasing gold, Mzansi gets a little breathing room — and your next withdrawal might just stretch further.

Halloween was never really a South African thing.

No one in Durban or Jo’burg ever knocked on your door dressed as a vampire — and if they had, your dad would’ve sent them packing with a torch and a sermon.

But in the UK, October belongs to pumpkins.

Every farm worth its salt becomes a sea of orange, and families head out in wellies to choose “the one.”

You don’t need kids to join in — just enthusiasm, a flask of coffee, and a camera roll begging for colour.

If you want to level it up, host a pumpkin-carving night.

Pair up with friends, hand out knives (carefully), and set a rule: no injuries, no copying from Pinterest.

When the laughter settles and the table’s a mess of orange pulp, crown a winner.

The prize? Another pumpkin, of course.

And while you’re at it, keep an eye out for windfall apples — those boxes on driveways marked “help yourself.”

They’re free, fragrant, and begging to become a crumble.

Toss them with sugar, cinnamon, and oats, bake until golden, and serve with a big scoop of something creamy.

It’s autumn at its best — muddy boots, sweet smells, and a good laugh shared with friends.

The kind of fun that makes the UK feel just a little more like home.

The chill has crept back into the air, and not everyone can afford to keep the heating on all day.

That’s why thousands of libraries, cafés, churches, and community halls across the UK have joined forces to offer something simple and kind — a warm welcome.

They’re called Warm Welcome Spaces, and they’re open to anyone who needs a safe, heated place to spend time.

You don’t have to book, explain, or buy anything — just walk in, sit down, and warm up.

Many offer tea, Wi-Fi, games, or even free lunches.

Others run friendly groups for children, teenagers, and older folk who’d rather not face another grey day alone.

To find one near you, visit warmwelcome.uk and pop in your postcode.
You’ll see local options instantly — from quiet libraries to bustling community cafés — all free, all welcoming.

Why it works for South Africans in the UK: we’re raised to look after one another, and this feels just like home — people opening their doors, sharing warmth, and proving community still matters.

Next week we follow the golden light of October — where fires crackle, apples bake, and lanterns shine in the dusk.

We’ll explore bonfires, apple days, and the first glimmers of Halloween magic — the kind that warms your hands and your heart.

And because South Africans never say no to good food, we might even sneak in a recipe that turns the season’s glow into something delicious.