For one day only our prices are doubling, read on to find out why.
Where it all started
Black Friday has grown hugely over the last 20 or so years, from a strange concept brought in from America to an entire month of Sell, Sell, Sell. Its whirlwind of discounts, urgency and overconsumption, as well as barrages of emails, misconstrued offers and spam flyers has been growing increasingly uncomfortable and estranged from my values. Working closely with the land and spending my days teaching people to recognise plants, cook over fires, weave baskets, and reconnect with the natural world, means the message of “hurry up, buy more and buy now” doesn’t sit comfortably. It never has.
So, this year, I’m no longer sitting quietly with my discomfort. Pippin & Gile are taking a stand and doing Black Friday differently.
Instead of discounting our courses, we’re doubling our prices — and donating 100% of the increase directly to Surrey Wildlife Trust.
This isn’t a gimmick. It’s a statement of values.
We are a proud Small Business Supporter of the work that Surrey Wildlife Trust do and have been since 2024 and we donate a number of course spaces and some of our profits to them each year. We also have an option for people to add on a donation to Surrey Wildlife Trust at our checkout too.
Why we’re taking a stand
Our work depends entirely on healthy ecosystems: woodlands, water, soil, fungi, and the wildlife that makes these landscapes whole. When nature is thriving, we thrive. When it’s depleted, everything we do becomes harder and less meaningful.
Yet, overconsumption continues to erode the very systems we rely on. Cheap products, fast shipping, and throwaway culture all come at a cost that doesn’t appear on a price tag. Black Friday for me has become a celebration of this culture.
But the alternative isn’t “do nothing”.
The alternative is use what we have carefully, consciously, and within our ecological means. Using resources sustainably isn’t simply taking less, it’s taking within the limits the planet can bear, and giving back wherever we can.
A reminder of what matters
Adventurer and author Alastair Humphries said in his incredible book Local:
Alastair Humphries - Local“We have just this one tiny planet to live on, now and for the foreseeable future. We must care for it, and use its resources wisely, sustainably and fairly. If we do the future is brighter for both humans and nature.”
For me this is not just a powerful quote. It’s pinned on the wall behind my desk as a daily reminder of what I aspire to achieve through Pippin & Gile. Alongside my guiding principle that “what we do not know, we cannot understand, and therefore we do not value,” these ideas sit at the heart of and shape everything we do. They guide how we teach, how we use the land, and what we hope every person takes away from their time in the woods: knowledge, connection, and a deeper appreciation for the world around them. These aren’t slogans; they’re the sentiment at the centre of everything we do at Pippin & Gile.
Every time we teach a foraging walk, a fire-lighting workshop, or a basket making day we are reminding people that the outdoors is not an optional extra in life. It is the foundation of everything. And it needs protecting.
Why Surrey Wildlife Trust?
The Wildlife Trust protects the landscapes where we all could benefit from time walking, learning, breathing and resetting. Their efforts support biodiversity, restore damaged habitats, protect threatened species and ensure that future generations inherit more than just memories of nature. Surrey Wildlife Trust manage a substantial amount of the rare and wildlife rich chalk grassland habits that the Pippin & Gile South London woods are also surrounded by.
If our Black Friday income can help bolster those efforts even a little, then that feels far more valuable than offering a discount that encourages overconsumption.
What this means for you
If you choose to book a course with us on Black Friday, 28th November 2025.
- The price will be double
- 100% of the increase goes directly to Surrey Wildlife Trust
- You still get the same course, the same experience, the same day in the woods
- And you become a partner in protecting the places that makes all of this possible
It’s a small act, but thousands of small acts shape a culture.
Our Anti-Black Friday Message
We can no longer pretend that Black Friday doesn’t exist, and I can no longer sit to the side and accept non-participation. Silence isn’t making a stand. So, this year we will mark Black Friday on our terms. Not by fuelling overconsumption, but by funding the organisations working tirelessly to protect wild places.
If this resonates with you, join us.
Book something you’ll experience, not something you’ll accumulate.
Give back to nature while planning your next adventure in it.
Let’s make Black Friday Green, let’s make it a day that strengthens, not strips, the world around us.
That is a fantastic approach to Black Friday! I honour your stand. Thank you!
Thank you 🙂