Big Issue vendors take over the magazine!

When the first edition of The Big Issue went on sale in September 1991, the idea was simple: give people a hand up instead of a handout. Allow people the opportunity to work their way out of poverty, homelessness and hopelessness. It has remained central to everything we do.

In the first editorial in that first edition, John Bird wrote about another ambition – that one day the magazine would be written and produced by the people who sell it. As we celebrate our 30^th birthday, what more fitting way to mark the occasion than to offer 30 of our vendors the platform to share their passions and pastimes, show their incredible artwork and tell us what they think readers should know.

Here are a few of the highlights!

• First of all, our cover is designed by London vendor Rich Rowe, created from recycled magazines. See if you can find the words in the middle!
• Fresh from quizzing the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lee Welham in Cambridge tops that by talking to John Bird about the past and future of The Big Issue
• After 15 years selling in Truro, Nick Cuthbert is at the heart of his community. And he wanted to pay tribute to 15 other members of the community who look out for him
• Selling the magazine isn’t just about making money, it can improve your wellbeing, says Simone Gill in Plymouth
• Clive – also in Plymouth – talks about what acting means to him with former Doctor Who and Big Issue Ambassador Christopher Eccleston
• You’ll never think of Swindon the same way after reading Ian Tanner’s celebration of the town
• Richard Cotterill has a ramble with comedian and keen hiker Ed Byrne
• Robin Price in Weston-super-Mare choo-choo-chooses to write about Britain’s railways
• We have some wild art from Slavi Slavov in Carmarthen
• Jules Daniels in Leicester calls on us all to take action to save the environment
• Passionate antiques collector Simon Gravell from Norwich gets trading tips from his hero Drew Pritchard, presenter of Salvage Hunters
• We have Jack Richardson’s Top 5 dystopian novels and Dave Campion takes the controller to tell us what a Big Issue videogame might be like
• Plus in a special Letter To My Younger Self feature, vendors from across the country give advice to their 16-year-old selves

This is an edition not to be missed!

Please support your local Big Issue vendor on their pitches in England, Scotland and Wales. If you cannot reach local your vendor, you can still click HERE to subscribe to The Big Issue today or give a gift subscription to a friend or family member. You can also purchase one-off issues from The Big Issue Shop or The Big Issue app, available now from the App Store or Google Play.