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The Big Issue

The Big Issue is a street newspaper founded by John Bird and Gordon Roddick in September 1991 and published in four continents. The Big Issue is one of the UK's leading social businesses and exists to offer homeless people, or individuals at risk of homelessness, the opportunity to earn a legitimate income, thereby helping them to reintegrate into mainstream society. It is the world's most widely circulated street newspaper.[7][8]

"Big Issue" redirects here. For the South Korean television series, see Big Issue (TV series).

Editor-in-chief

Paul McNamee[1]

Entertainment and Current Affairs

weekly

57,059 (as of 2022)[2]

September 1991

The Big Issue[3]

United Kingdom
Australia
Ireland
Japan
South Africa
South Korea
Namibia
Kenya
Taiwan[4]
Malawi[5]

London, United Kingdom[6]

English (UK Edition)

History[edit]

Inspired by Street News, a newspaper sold by homeless people in New York City, The Big Issue was founded in 1991 by John Bird and Gordon Roddick (husband of The Body Shop entrepreneur Anita Roddick) as a response to the increasing numbers of homeless people in London.[9][10] The Body Shop provided the equivalent of $50,000 in start-up capital.[11] The magazine was initially published monthly but in June 1993, The Big Issue went weekly. The venture continued to expand with national editions being established in Scotland and Wales, as well as regional editions for Northern England and South West England. Further editions are also produced in seven locations overseas.


In 1995, The Big Issue Foundation was founded to offer additional support and advice to vendors around issues such as housing, health, personal finance and addiction. Between 2007 and 2011, the circulation of The Big Issue declined from 167,000 to less than 125,000. Competition between vendors also increased at this time. From July 2011, the different regional editions were merged into a single UK-wide magazine.[12] In January 2012, the magazine was relaunched, with an increased focus on campaigning and political journalism. New columnists were added, including the Premier League footballer Joey Barton, Rachel Johnson, Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park[13] and Samira Ahmed. The cover price was also increased.[14][15]


In 2016, The Big Issue celebrated surpassing 200 million magazine sales.[16] In September 2021, the magazine celebrated its 30th birthday. [17]

(from June 1996)[18]

The Big Issue Australia

The Big Issue France (from October 1993): In France, a non-profit organisation named Big Issue France created with support from John Bird the magazine against exclusion called La Rue.

The Big Issue Japan (from November 2003)

[19]

The Big Issue Kenya (from 2007)

[20]

The Big Issue Korea (from July 2010)

[21]

(from 2009)[22]

The Big Issue Malawi

The Big Issue Namibia[24]

[23]

The Big Issue The Republic of Ireland

[25]

The Big Issue South Africa (from December 1996)

[26]

The Big Issue Taiwan (from April 2010)

[27]

The Big Issue Zambia (from 2007)[29]

[28]

There are nine Big Issue projects by the same name in other nations.

October 2004 – [32]

UN Habitat Scroll of Honour Award

October 2008 – Social Entrepreneur of the Year award[33][34]

Ernst & Young

Homelessness in the United Kingdom

International Network of Street Papers

Lucy Johnston

Hanks, Sinead; Tessa Swithinbank (1999). . Environment and Urbanization. 9 (1): 149–158. doi:10.1177/095624789700900112. S2CID 155008284.

"The Big Issue and other street papers: a response to homelessness"

Swithinbank, Tessa (2001). . Earthscan. pp. 21–33. ISBN 1-85383-544-7. Retrieved 11 March 2009.

Coming Up from the Streets: The Story of The Big Issue

Official site

"Ethical Entrepreneurs" John Bird founder of The Big Issue, talks about his early life and entrepreneurial journey