📰 In the wake of tragic stabbings in Southport, the UK has seen an alarming rise in racist violence. Communities are coming together to combat this hate.
Want to help? Here are 5 ways you can make a difference. 👇
Thread: (1/7) 🧵
He’s done it! In 5 hours 21 minutes and 50 seconds. Christopher Eccleston crossed the finish line of the
@LondonMarathon
having raised over £10,000 for Big Issue.
As soon as he finished the race he wanted to send a personal video message to all of his supporters. Watch below. ❤️
The menu for
#COP26
delegates has come under fire for serving meat and dairy in almost 60 per cent of its dishes.
A spokesperson for
@RebelsAnimal
called it "like serving cigarettes at a lung cancer conference"
A group of teenagers ran into a burning building in east London yesterday to rescue elderly and vulnerable people.
Zack, 18, said: "We all had different roles, I said I’d find disabled people and another friend was pointing people to the exits"
EXCLUSIVE: Alex Turner lifts the lid on new
@arcticmonkeys
album The Car in a global exclusive interview with The Big Issue
“Sci-fi is off the table. We are back to earth” 👀👀
Lawyer and campaigner
@PeterStefanovi2
's two-minute video calling out Boris Johnson for lying about poverty, climate change and the NHS has now passed 30 million views
And the late, great Alan Rickman
'One of the sweetest, kindest, nicest and most incredibly smart men I’ve ever met. Prior to acting he’d been a graphic designer and he brought the considered, laser-like precision of that profession to his work'
Home secretary Suella Braverman sparked controversy this weekend by claiming that rough sleepers were making a “lifestyle choice”.
Founder of The Big Issue
@johnbirdswords
had this to say in response 👇
Read The Big Issue’s reaction here:
Johnny Depp's acting?
'I mean, Edward Scissorhands. Let’s face it, if you come on with hands like that and pale, scarred-face make-up, you don’t have to do anything. And he didn’t. And subsequently, he’s done even less'
People are being forced to submit photos of themselves holding a local daily paper in order to claim universal credit. One organisation supporting a claimant compared the demands to “what kidnappers do”
Has the PM misled parliament about UK poverty, the environment and the NHS?
A video made by lawyer and campaigner
@PeterStefanovi2
makes the case that Johnson has broken the ministerial code... and has now been viewed more than 30m times
Quentin Tarantino?
'I find his work meretricious. It’s all surface. Plot mechanics in place of depth. Style where there should be substance. I walked out of Pulp Fiction…That said, if the phone rang, I’d do it'
Announcement time!
@ArcticMonkeys
and Big Issue have joined forces to produce the souvenir programme for the homecoming leg of the band’s globe-trotting tour.
Brian Cox did have kind words for some fellow actors...
Chain Reaction co-star Keanu Reeves?
A “seeker” who has “actually become rather good over the years”
“I think clearly a debate on this issue is going to be very embarrassing for the prime minister but he has brought it upon himself,”
@PeterStefanovi2
said
Big Issue vendor Dave Martin reunited with Prince William
@KensingtonRoyal
this morning to sell copies of the latest magazine and exchange Christmas cards 🎄
The pair previously sold the paper together in June 2022
Support your local vendor this winter:
Exclusive: Home Office staff ‘mingled and drank prosecco’ during lockdown
Staff in Priti Patel’s department had drinks and snacks to celebrate a Home Office policy leading the six o’clock news in March 2021.
#Ad
Getting the right glasses can change your life, but for people struggling with poverty or homelessness, finding eyecare isn’t always easy. Meet Will, who got a free eye test and glasses thanks to our partnership with
@Specsavers
.
#VisionForChange
Today's front cover:
@thisismaneskin
Måneskin are now the biggest band to emerge from Eurovision since ABBA. They’ve sold millions of records and been streamed billions of times.
They tell us they now have a unique plan to change the world for the better.
#frontcover
What would ten-year-olds do if they were Chancellor? To mark
#Budget2024
day, The Big Issue and
@SEA_Edu
gave the famous red briefcase to a group of Scottish schoolchildren to see what the next generation thinks is important.
#BigIssueTalksMoney
"I think clearly a debate on this issue is going to be very embarrassing for the prime minister but he has brought it upon himself" says campaigner
@PeterStefanovi2
as petition on lying in parliament passes 100k signatures
"Thousands of people have come together to share the film as a way of voicing their protest and say ‘Yes’ we do care about dishonesty in politics," said
@PeterStefanovi2
Steven Seagal?
'As ludicrous in real life as he appears on screen. He radiates a studied serenity, as though he’s on a higher plane to the rest of us, and while he’s certainly on a different plane, no doubt about that, it’s probably not a higher one'
🏠Meet the man who built an elaborate wooden house on the street in London
The newly-built 1 Bethnal Green Road features a locking door, fairy lights, a mural, and even a parrot
👇Here's the story behind it (Thread🧵)
Christopher Eccleston is looking strong 7 miles into his
@LondonMarathon
race. 🏃♂️
“Knowing I’m raising money for Big Issue [helps] so much. That [spurs] me on. And so [does] wearing the Big Issue kit.” ❤️
Donate & comment below to show your support. ⬇️
'I haven’t interviewed a prime minister for a long time. They wouldn’t touch Channel 4 News with a bargepole these days. Boris Johnson is a former journalist and he wouldn’t ever consider coming near us'
We spoke to
@jonsnowC4
, who leaves C4 News tonight
His Majesty King Charles III shares his birthday wish for “our people and planet” exclusively inside next week’s Big Issue. 📰
The cover portrait was taken by
@rankinphoto
for The Big Issue.
Support your local vendor and buy a copy from Monday ⬇️
Those who celebrate the Suffragettes while condemning climate activists are hypocrites, said the great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst at a march supporting the
#Barclays7
King Charles III: ‘My birthday wish for our people and planet’
Writing exclusively for the Big Issue, King Charles explores the twin problems of food waste and food need – and what we can do to fix them.
Read His Majesty’s words here ⬇️
#Ad
“Oh my God, this is my phone!” See the pure joy of Brigitta, one of our vendors, as she receives a game-changing refurbished smartphone through our
@giffgaff
partnership.
The worst offender, according to
#COP26
ratings, was... haggis.
The "haggis, neeps and tatties" dish has a carbon footprint equivalent to 3.4kg of CO2, nearly 7 times the target for the Paris climate accords.
#Ad
We’ve teamed up with
@Specsavers
to support the eye and hearing health of our vendors and frontline team with free eye tests, glasses & earwax removal vouchers. Read how this partnership is changing lives: ]
They say never meet your superheroes but, for a few hundred of London’s children, that wish came true this year with Stormzy's Very
#MerkyChristmas
.
And, boy, was it some heartwarmingly wholesome festive fun
Michael Caine?
'I wouldn’t describe Michael as my favourite, but he’s Michael Caine. An institution. And being an institution will always beat having range'
No one has graced the cover of The Big Issue more than
@StreetCatBob
, who sadly died earlier this week at the age of 14. We look back at these classic covers collected here:
Forcing people on low incomes to follow these instructions is “both humiliating and dehumanising”,
@publiclawcentre
said after bringing attention to the practice
This week's magazine is on sale now!
Featuring the incredible story of one vendor's chance encounter with Prince William, a deep dive into supermarket loyalty cards – and much, much more!
Find your local vendor here
Perhaps the most aggressive example of anti-homeless architecture is spikes designed to stop people sitting or lying down🚫
Designs likes this show how we’re “willing to make spaces worse for everyone instead of coming up with solutions” says
@hostiledesign
For those experiencing extreme poverty or sleeping rough, vision problems can mean isolation and danger. We've partnered with
@Specsavers
to provide free eye tests and glasses to Big Issue vendors across the UK
#VisionForChange
.
The next 12 weeks will be devastating for our Big Issue vendors, whose income comes from selling the magazine.
We need your urgent support. There are 3 ways to help. Buy the mag online, subscribe for 12 weeks or make a one off payment.
#supportbigissue
It is now 28 years since Stephen Lawrence was killed in a racist attack in London. To mark
#StephenLawrenceDay
, here is a thread of his brother Stuart’s (
@sal2nd
) top five books about race and racism, to help you educate yourself and your family.
We’re excited to unveil
#PocketMoney
, our collaboration with
@theweekjunior
. A free, engaging guide for 8-14-year-olds, designed to empower the next generation with essential financial skills. Download now:
“Please know that I am thinking of you all and will continue to do so, not just now in the summer months, but also when the winter starts to bite, and you are still out there selling"
#PrinceWilliamAt40
Claimants were not told what they should do if they did not have access to a smart phone, could not get another person’s help to take the photos in the time given, could not reach their street sign, if a daily paper was not published in their area or if they could not afford one
The video, produced by
@PeterStefanovi2
, has hit 40million views, and calls out Johnson's misleading statements on the NHS, carbon emissions, and the economy
“In the years ahead, I hope to bring George, Charlotte and Louis to see the fantastic organisations doing inspiring work to support those most in need – just as my mother did for me”
#PrinceWilliamAt40
We make this announcement with a heavy heart, but we need to safeguard our vendors during
#COVID19
.
Now more than ever we need your support: Subscribe for 3 months online, order this week’s mag from our shop or make a one-off payment.
#supportbigissue
We are saddened to report that Bob, the street cat who rose to fame by James Bowen’s side as he sold The Big Issue and busked in London, has died. Bob was thought to be at least 14 years old.
Read our tribute:
“If the government was serious about ending begging then ministers would be focusing on renewing their commitment to end rough sleeping. To do so, they need to stop deflecting with headline-grabbing measures”
#Ad
🌊⚡ The EV revolution is underway – so, how does an electric car hold up to a real challenge? Motoring journalist
@VickyParrott
drives the Citroën ë-C4 X Electric coast-to-coast as part of our
#DrivingChangeForGood
partnership with
@CitroenUK
.
Hundreds of families living in temporary accommodation and overcrowded housing protested outside Downing Street to convince Rishi Sunak to tackle London’s housing crisis
“It’s that idea of giving people control and responsibility.” See how our partnership with
@CitroenUK
is helping to support our delivery drivers and vendors throughout the UK with cleaner, quieter electric vehicles.
#DrivingChangeForGood
#Ad
Labour leader
@Keir_Starmer
has called on the Prime Minister to tackle rough sleeping, calling it the "tip of an iceberg – the sharp end of a broken housing system and a society with gaping holes in its safety net".
'I know Hamilton is the first line in my obituary no matter what I do for the rest of my life. You have to figure out how to flip that mindset into being freeing'
@Lin_Manuel
on tick, tick...BOOM!, Jonathan Larson and what Stephen Sondheim taught him
#Ad
“For me, that’s where the change happens”. Find out more about how our new
@CitroenUK
electric van fleet is helping our drivers stay connected to Big Issue vendors cleanly, quietly and sustainably.
#DrivingChangeForGood
Eye care can be out of reach for people in poverty or sleeping rough. Our partnership with
@Specsavers
is changing that, offering Big Issue vendors like Jack free eye tests, glasses and ear health checks. See why clear vision is crucial to Jack's life in our film.
THREAD 🧵Losing a loved one is challenging, and managing their financial affairs can be overwhelming. We've broken down the key steps to make this difficult time a bit easier as part of our
#BigIssueTalksMoney
series supported by
@Experian
A statement on the catering website for
#COP26
says: “According to the WWF, we need to get [the carbon footprint of food] down below 0.5 kg CO2e [per meal] to reach the goals defined in the Paris Agreement."
So what's on the menu?
Climate campaigner
@GretaThunberg
led thousands on a protest through Glasgow on Friday, bringing young voices to the fore at
#COP26
Here are some of the best signs from the
#FridaysForFuture
march
"I was 11 when I first visited a homeless shelter with my mother, who in her own inimitable style was determined to shine a light on an overlooked, misunderstood problem. "
Find out why Prince William spent a day as a Big Issue seller 👑✍️👇
The number of messages and emails we're receiving about
#StreetCatBob
is overwhelming and incredibly moving – so many pictures and memories being shared – he touched countless lives and will be greatly missed:
"I refuse to believe that homelessness is an irrevocable fact of life."
#PrinceWilliam
wants to ‘give the next generation less chance of being homeless’
Star Trek icon Marina Sirtis, who played Counsellor Deanna Troi in The Next Generation talks about spin-offs, cast reunions and the reason she’s moved back to England
It’s been one year since Prince William (
@KensingtonRoyal
) launched his five-year-long mission to end homelessness around the UK, and the future king is pressing ahead with turning plans into reality. 🔜
Here's what
@HomewardsUK
has achieved so far. ⬇️
#Ad
“I was a bit worried about the charge and the range ... but it’s all been really easy.” 🚗🔌 Watch behind the scenes as Hattie tries out the electric Citroën ë-C4 as a family car – part of our
#DrivingChangeForGood
partnership with
@CitroenUK
.
The most common type is the humble bench.
They can be designed with uneven surfaces and bars across them that look like arm rests but could really be there to stop people lying down. This has become almost the standard design
The new album, said
@martin_compston
, is “f*cking class”.
“Hello You is a belter. And [There’d Better Be A] Mirrorball? Wow,” he said, calling it a song with “Bond villain overtones”.
"It’s a warm show, and it’s an open-minded show." With humour & heart, Ghosts finds a way to talk about difficult issues in a way that cuts through.
@MarthaHD
& Charlotte Ritchie told
@laurakaykelly
why they're tackling homelessness this Xmas.
Read more:
#Ad
“Being sustainable, being compassionate… these things I see every day”. Meet Chris, delivering the Big Issue to vendors across London using one of our
@CitroenUK
electric Dispatch vans.
#DrivingChangeForGood
OUT NOW
Singer, songwriter, glittery icon...
@DeclanMcKenna
is the voice of a new generation – and he's answering your questions in this week's magazine.
Get a taste here, and visit your local vendor to read the full thing
Remember the hugely viral pics of Prince William selling The Big Issue recently?
All has been revealed in a piece written for the magazine by the Duke of Cambridge himself 👑✍️
This is the "community pantry" set up in a BT call centre for staff to use when their pay won’t stretch to the end of the month - but staff are calling it a food bank
🧵
'No, not yet. I’m expecting probably never to hear from some people again. But that’s the way it goes,' Brian Cox told The Big Issue when asked if his friends had read his new book yet
Also known as defensive architecture, hostile design or exclusionary design, it is used to tackle social problems “in ways that appear to be benign but has potentially more aggressive impacts,” says expert
@qurbanist
🔨When Lukas saw somebody throwing a wardrobe away, he asked if he could repurpose it, using a borrowed hammer and nails from a DIY store
Two days later, the house was born. It's been standing in place since the weekend, with Lukas constantly making improvements