Activism

Introducing the Big Issue 100 Changemakers of 2024

The Big Issue 100 Changemakers list celebrates the people and organisations who are creating positive change

Every year, at this time, we celebrate the Changemakers. We shine a light on those who make things better. 

The Big Issue 100 Changemakers list is a tribute to the people and organisations who have focused, not on themselves, but on the rest of us. There is something in what they’re doing that will make the coming year better too. Selfless, frequently unheralded, though sometimes a little better known, they have identified something that needs to be done, something which lifts others, frequently through personal experience, and rather than wait and moan they get on and make change. 

In 2024 we’ve done things differently. We have invited YOU to create this list. That means that every one of our Changemakers has been nominated by you, our Big Issue readers and supporters and wider community, including some familiar faces. You have told us about people who you’ve encountered who have made things brighter. Our task has been to settle on 100 names. We received nominations for people and projects across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

We have looked for those who are responsible for innovative change, at whatever level, and who are a beacon for those in need. 

Our 2024 Changemakers range from the UK’s first clothing brand created, designed and hand-produced by young ex-offenders to a former Royal Navy officer, whose work highlighting the experiences of veterans affected by the military’s LGBTQ+ ban led to a historic public apology from prime minister Rishi Sunak last summer. 

There are many in between, including social media influencers, local community fridges and an octogenarian who over the last 50 years has collected unwanted household goods for people experiencing homelessness. 

This year we also searched for Young Changemakers, individuals aged 25 and under who are already making a significant impact in their communities. From child poverty and asylum seeker campaigners to a young CEO who was nominated more than 100 times, we’re excited to introduce you to a new generation of social impact leaders. 

In this time of untethering, when certainties are ever more loosened, the acknowledgement of those doing good is even more vital than it was before. 

To all the creators, the agitators, the activists and the thinkers, to those doing their best to make things better, we celebrate and thank you all. 

This is a list to inspire and to shout long and loud about. 

This article is taken from The Big Issue magazine, which exists to give homeless, long-term unemployed and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income.

To support our work buy a copy! If you cannot reach your local 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.

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If you can’t get to your local vendor every week, subscribing directly to them online is the best way to support your vendor. Your chosen vendor will receive 50% of the profit from each copy and the rest is invested back into our work to create opportunities for people affected by poverty.
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