I have been contacted by the journalist, Emma Unsworth regarding an article for The Big Issue.

I don’t want to beat the drum, but this is a cause very close to my heart.
Here’s just a little info’ about the association.

The Big Issue was founded in 1991 by A. John Bird and Gordon Roddick as a response to the huge numbers sleeping rough in London.

The inspiration for the magazine came from Street News, a newspaper sold by homeless people in New York, which Gordon Roddick of The Body Shop saw on a visit to the States. With the assistance of The Body Shop International, Roddick and A. John Bird launched The Big Issue in September 1991, initially as a monthly publication in London.

In June 1993, The Big Issue went weekly and regional editions of the magazine were soon established in Scotland (bigissuescotland.com), Wales (bigissuecymru.co.uk), the North of England (bigissueinthenorth.com) and the South West (bigissuesouthwest.co.uk).

Collectively the 5 regional editions cover the whole of the UK.

Today The Big Issue is an international entity, existing in Australia, Japan, South Africa, Namibia and Kenya.

The Big Issue is a founder member of the INSP, which is a global association of 57 street papers with members from all over the world. INSP is an umbrella organisaton which providesa consultancy service for its partner papers and advises on the setting up of new street papers and support initiatives for marginalised people.

THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION was founded in 1995 to complement the way the magazine works with homeless people and assist them in gaining control of their lives and achieving greater self-reliance and independence.

Have a safe and loving weekend, everyone.

Susan xx