Charitable trusts and foundations

Making a major contribution as a Trust can have an enormous impact on the service we provide for vendors.

The Big Issue support vulnerable people to achieve financial stability through their magazine sales whilst working with them to overcome homelessness, poor health, addiction and other symptoms of poverty and social exclusion that previously held them back. All our beneficiaries are Big Issue vendors that buy magazines for £2.00 with their own money and sell them for £4.00 on a designated pitch. To continue this essential work, we are reliant on the generous support of Charitable Trusts and Foundations If you’re a Trustee, have contact with a Charitable Trust, or perhaps are setting one up then we would love to hear from you.

Why support The Big Issue?

Selling The Big Issue is a way to earn a legitimate income, but underlying crises or unforgiving circumstances can only be tackled with tailored support. Our Frontline workers offer vendors immediate access to:

  • An emergency shelter for the night; a day centre or hostel.
  • Food banks and warm clothes.
  • Housing support.
  • Health Services (NHS, GP, dental).

Our long-term support can help vendors to:

  • Tackle addictions with expert help.
  • Manage their own finances through workshops and mentoring.
  •  Exceed magazine sales targets.
  •  Complete a college course or re-enter education.
  • Start a business, volunteer or progress into onward employment.
  • Gain official ID to set up a bank account or register at an address.

Tailored to you

We recognise that Trusts and Foundations may have specific interests or objectives so our dedicated team is happy to provide a personal service. We’ll help you meet your aims while ensuring our work brings about long-term, sustainable change. Trusts and Foundations of all sizes can support The Big Issue and together we can help end poverty and exclusion for Big Issue vendors.

What we offer you

  • A dedicated point of contact with a member of the Trusts and Foundations team.
  • Tailored proposals and regular reporting.
  • Invitations to events and our offices to see our work with Big Issue vendors first-hand.

Get in touch

Any organisation can make a valuable contribution to our work. You will be ensuring the constant availability of both immediate and long-term support in our movement towards social equality. Our work is ‘vendor-centric’ and led by a passionate frontline team with lived experience of the challenges facing vendors.

We strongly encourage you to get in touch and observe how we operate on the ground. See where we are based here and contact our Grant Manager Sam Wakeford on 020 7525 3451 or at sam.wakeford@bigissue.com.

We look forward to hearing from you.