The Big Issue

This is a magazine that si sold by the homeless and the idea is that rather than begging it gives them the ability to earn money from a legitimate source and hopefully provide an escape route away from living on the streets or hostels and to get back to leading what most of society would term a normal existence. Each vendor sells from a location in towns around the country and can easily be spotted by their identification badge, I also find them very friendly and certainly not pushy when it comes to selling the magazine, they do take a pro active approach but it is only ever an invite to buy and is not pushy or intrusive on people. The great thing ...  Read the complete review

Most people living in one of the large cities of the UK will have a little knowledge of what the Big Issue magazine is since they will have undoubtedly seen it being sold on the streets of their city. Many people will know a little about the concept behind the magazine and a few people will part with their money in exchange for this publication on a frequent basis, but few of us could actually realise how such a seemingly insignificant thing like a magazine could change hundreds of people lives each year, and change those lives for the better, for ever. This review was inspired by one particular vendor in my home city of Sheffield called Paul who sold the Big ...  Read the complete review

I've read the big issue fairly regularly since it's inception- that must be about 10 years ago so it is pretty obvious that I am a supporter of the magazine and it's ideals. So what is it? It's a magazine that is sold by the homeless. It?s quite a popular idea and there are street papers all over the world including the USA, Canada and Russia. They are all based on a similar idea, the vendor buys the magazine at a discounted rate, at present 60p and sells it on for £1.20. They are initially given a pack of 10 to sell and after that they put the money up front. It can be looked upon as running your own business, you have your pitch where you ...  Read the complete review

Is it less than 14 years since the first edition of The Big Issue? This multi award-winning magazine seems to have been here for much longer. Inspired by Street News, the newspaper sold on the streets of New York, John Bird and Gordon Roddick (of the Body Shop) produced the first - then monthly, now weekly - edition in September 1991. Since then it has become as much a part of our high streets as Woolworths. I hadn't thought of reviewing TBI until a friend of mine, seeing a copy left on the front seat of my car, remarked that it wouldn't interest her. Explaining that it wasn't all Social Services and Shelter I gave her the mag and she was surprised ...  Read the complete review

I have been buying Big Issue for about a decade now, having first been introduced to it while living in London. Before talking about content, let me explain how the publication helps the homeless. The Big Issue is an international publication which gives people facing homelessness the opportunity to help themselves. Each vendor is given training and support before choosing a pitch from which to sell copies of the magazine to the public. Instead of pan-handling, The Big Issue gives people the opportunity to ear money through the distribution of the weekly magazine. The magazine is sold for £1.20 and a portion of this (70p I believe) goes ...  Read the complete review