The Big Issue

Facts:
❖ Since 1991, the magazine has helped over 92,000 vendors earn
£115 million
❖ There are currently around 1500 vendors
❖ Last year alone The Big Issue helped its vendors to earn a total of
£5.5 million
❖ The magazine is read by over 400,000 people across the UK
❖ It circulates 83,073 copies
every week

The magazine was released in

1991 by John Bird, as he wanted
to transform and change the lives
of London’s homeless by the
slogan, “a hand up, not a hand
out”. He and his chief editor, Paul
McNamee, created the
magazines. John Bird now is a
political campaigner in court and
is called, Lord John Bird. The Big Issue supports the homeless
and those trying to escape poverty. Vendors by the
magazines for £1.50 and sell them to public for £2.50, but
now this has raised to £3. The magazine has helped over
100,000 people since it started. The Big Issue is now a
worldwide magazine and has papers in, Australia, Ireland,
South Korea, Japan and many more.

This was the first front cover!

In 2016, The Big Issue lunched a Big Issue shop where people
could sell products creating an online platform with a social
echo.

The magazine offers:

• Employment opportunities
• a social investment business supporting enterprise to
drive social change, to a charity Foundation supporting
vendors to rebuild their careers and future
• a shop curating social enterprise products