Big Issue

From his home on the edge of the city, Big Issue editor Paul McNamee sees trees climbing out from the White Cart river valley and over the hill towards Glasgow. 🌳 In his weekly column, Paul writes about the calming effect of that view, the “frantic spin” it so often softens, and what it means that lower-income areas are left with fewer trees and less green space. ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/ew5DBXdp

“I’ve been homeless since I was 13 years old and I’m 43 now.” 📍 James Cox sells the Big Issue outside Waitrose in Clifton, Bristol. He’s been doing it for just a few weeks, but already, things are looking up. “I’ve only been selling Big Issue magazine for five or six weeks now and it’s been good, I’ve been selling a fair few. “I’m sleeping on the streets at the moment. I’m originally from Weston-super-Mare but I didn’t get much help over there, I was basically just left to my own devices. I left Weston because in years of sleeping on the streets I’ve had my sleeping bag set on fire with me inside. I’ve been stabbed several times, beaten up god knows how many times, peed on, spat on. So I’ve been here, there and everywhere. “Showering is the hardest thing about sleeping rough and also keeping the weight down on what you carry. I’m not like any of the other homeless, I don’t stash my stuff. I carry it around with me the whole time as I’ve had bad experiences of putting stuff somewhere, going back to it, relying on it for that night to find it’s either been burned, slashed or stolen. But whatever I carry on me is limited because obviously bedding comes first, like a sleeping bag, a blanket and a pillow and that doesn’t leave much room in the bag for other stuff. “It was a friend of mine who’s been doing Big Issue for a few years who turned around to me and said: “Rather than just sitting there asking people and saying hello to people, why don’t you try and sell Big Issue to make some money that way?” It seems to be working. I’ve noticed since I started selling the magazine that people have been a bit more understanding about the scenario. “It’s still early days at the moment but I’ve got a couple of regular customers. People are still coming up to me now asking me if I have a copy of the 10Foot special from a few weeks ago. I’ve been having to advise people to check online on the Big Issue website because in the office in Bristol they didn’t have any left. It was one of my best weeks selling that magazine. 📸 Amber Jetha

"Interviewing old friends, it turns out, is much easier than interviewing people who just work together, or (worse still) who don't know each other at all. I popped the recorder on, and let them do the talking." Welcome back to Inside the Big Issue. This week, reporter Lottie Elton hangs out with an unlikely pair of friends. Read below to find out who they are👇

This week’s issue is out today! ⭐ Self Esteem and Julie Hesmondhalgh catch up 💷 The power of music in schools 🕒 How council tax on empty homes could get Britain building Buy a copy from your local vendor! 🗞️ 🗞️ And read a preview here ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/ex_MtDW8

Former Edinburgh Big Issue seller Angus gives walking tours of Aberdeen as part of Invisible Cities. He recently had a royal visitor as Prince William’s Homewards initiative launched a new way to help homeless people into work. Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/ev5Tn5xB

“When I was little and saw dad having to go through daily abuse, I took comfort in the fact that one day being trans would be, at least in the most part, accepted. I had no idea as a society we would instead regress.” 💬 Cello Dutton-David (she/her) writes about what the Supreme Court’s ruling means for her dad, and the real-world consequences it will have for trans people across the UK. ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eUyxsPAw

“The dark reality is that what Trump does will affect bin collections. No matter how Trump frames his Great Leap Forward, everyone is going to take some sort of a hit.” Big Issue editor Paul McNamee writes about how US president Donald Trump's tariff war could affect council budgets, and how a man in a rat costume is standing up in Birmingham. ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eEbnZ_xm

London’s only day centre for young people facing homelessness has had to close its services for new clients as a result of “impossibly high numbers” needing help. New Horizon Youth Centre has supported young people aged 18 to 24 who are unsafe or homeless in the capital for more than 60 years, providing “vital” drop-in help to those with nowhere else to turn. Learn more in comments 👇

"It seems enough Americans, through the lens of their bizarre new leader, are pissed off with the world – which includes us." John Bird tells us in his latest column. Read it here 👇

Are you interested in shaping the vision of the Big Issue Group as we work to end poverty in the UK? Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to join our Board of Directors.