On the calendar – October
On the calendar
18 – World Menopause Day
Falling every year on 18 October, the International Menopause Society holds World Menopause Day to raise awareness of the menopause and the support options available for improving health and wellbeing. The theme for World Menopause Day 2025 is Lifestyle Medicine, promoting the benefits of healthy living and eating to easing menopausal symptoms.
21 – Diwali, Hindu, Jain and Sikh
Diwali lasts for five days, from the 13th day of the dark half of the lunar month Ashvina to the second day of the light half of the lunar month Karttika. The name is derived from the Sanskrit term dipavali, meaning “row of lights.” The festival symbolises the victory of light over darkness, and is celebrated all over the world with firework displays, and in India with lighting of diwa lamps and decorations at home, including rangoli patterns.
October’s dates at a glance
Religious/cultural
2 – Feast of the Guardian Angels, Catholic Christian
Dussehra, Hindu
Yom Kippur, Judaism
4 – Feast of St Francis of Assisi, Christian
7-13 – Sukkot, Judaism
8 – Guru Ram Das Jayanti, Sikh
14 – Shemini Atzeret, Judaism
15 – Simchat Torah, Judaism
18 – Feast of Saint Luke, Christian
20 – Installation of the Guru Granth, Sikh
21 – Bandi Chhor Divas, Sikh
Diwali, Hindu, Sikh and Jain
22 – Birth of the Báb, Baha’i
23 – Birth of Baha’u’llah, Baha’i
27 – Chhath Puja, Hindu
28 – Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Christian
31 – All Hallows’ Eve, Christian
Reformation Day, Protestant Christian
Awareness and Events
1 – Anniversary of the Introduction of the Equality Act
International Day of Older Persons
5 – World Teachers’ Day
6 – World Cerebral Palsy Day
9 – World Sight Day
10 – World Mental Health Day
11 – International Day of the Girl Child
National Coming Out Day
15 – International Day of Rural Women
International Pronouns Day
17 – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
Show Racism the Red Card’s Wear Red Day
18 – Anti-Slavery Day
World Menopause Day
26 – Intersex Awareness Day
29 – World Stroke Day