The Big Issue history

1. THE BIG ISSUE

2. ALL ABOUT AND AIMS
• THE BIG ISSUE HAVE A GOAL OF “DISMANTLING” POVERTY BY CREATING: “OPPORTUNITY, THROUGH SELF-
HELP, SOCIAL TRADING AND BUSINESS SOLUTIONS.” IN OTHER WORDS THEIR MAGAZINE SOLD GIVES
THOSE WITH LESS MONEY, MORE.
• THE BIG ISSUE MAGAZINE LAUNCHED IN 1991 IN RESPONSE TO THE GROWING NUMBER OF ROUGH
SLEEPERS ON THE STREETS OF LONDON. THEY OFFERED THEM A CHANCE TO EARN MONEY SIMPLY BY
SELLING AS MANY MAGAZINES AS THEY COULD PER DAY. NOW, IN 2017, PEOPLE IN MANY SITUATIONS
TURN TO THE BIG ISSUE TO HELP AND REASSURE THEM FINANCIALLY.

3. HARDWORKING HISTORY
• SINCE 1991, THE BIG ISSUE HAS LED TO THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF MANY GROUPS WITH THE OVERALL AIM OF REDUCING POVERTY FOR EXAMPLE:
BIG ISSUE INVEST, THE BIG ISSUE SHOP AND THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION.
• BIG ISSUE INVEST: “FOUNDED IN 2005, BIG ISSUE INVEST EXTENDS THE BIG ISSUE’S MISSION TO DISMANTLE POVERTY THROUGH CREATING
OPPORTUNITY BY FINANCING THE GROWTH OF SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL ENTERPRISES AND CHARITIES ACROSS THE UK.”
• THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION: “FOUNDED IN 1995, THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION IS AN INDEPENDENTLY FUNDED REGISTERED CHARITY, WHICH WORKS
EXCLUSIVELY WITH THE BIG ISSUE VENDORS, CONNECTING THEM TO THE VITAL SUPPORT THEY NEED TO ENABLE THEM TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES AND
DETERMINE THEIR OWN PATHWAYS TO A BETTER FUTURE.”
• THE BIG ISSUE SHOP. “THE BIG ISSUE SHOP IS THE LATEST ADDITION TO THE BIG ISSUE NETWORK. OUR AIM IS TO OFFER A PLATFORM FOR SOCIAL
TRADING THAT WILL MAKE ETHICAL AND SOCIAL SHOPPING A TRULY ACCESSIBLE OPTION FOR CONSUMERS, GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE
THEIR SPENDING POWER TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE TO THE WORLD THEY LIVE IN.”
• HTTPS://WWW.BIGISSUE.COM/

4. ORIGINS
THE BIG ISSUE WAS CREATED AND LAUNCHED IN 1991 BY GORDON RODDICK AND A. JOHN BIRD IN
RESPONSE TO THE GROWING NUMBER OF ROUGH SLEEPERS ON THE STREETS OF LONDON. JOHN BIRD IS A
BRITISH SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR AND BELIEVES HOMELESSNESS CAN BE REDUCED.

5. MARVELLOUS MONEY
• VENDORS BUY THE BIG ISSUE MAGAZINE FOR £1.25 AND SELL IT FOR £2.50, MEANING EACH SELLER IS A
MICRO-ENTREPRENEUR. THIS IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO ACTUALLY TAKE THE MAGAZINE SO THAT THE
ARE NOT SEEN AS BEGGARS- MORE LIKE BUSINESS MEN.
• IN 2016, THE BIG ISSUE SOLD ITS 200 MILLIONTH COPY, CELEBRATED ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY AND
LAUNCHED THE BIG ISSUE SHOP, A FULLY CUSTOMISED ONLINE PLATFORM COMMITTED TO SELLING
PRODUCTS WITH A SOCIAL ECHO, EACH STEP BRINGING A NEW CONCEPT TO THE GAME.