Support Big Issue vendors this Christmas with our Winter Support Kit

Big Issue is working hard to support as many people as possible in difficult times and we need your support to help Big Issue vendors this Christmas.

In the midst of an unprecedented poverty crisis, where 3.8 million people are experiencing destitution – including one million children, and at a time when the home secretary thinks street homelessness is a “lifestyle choice”, Big Issue is working hard to bring warmth, support and hope to as many people as possible.

As temperatures drop, energy bills mount and the festive period approaches, we are starting to see a huge influx of vendors looking to make extra income at this time of year.

That is why we are launching a new way members of the public can help, either directly or by making a purchase for friends and family.

The Big Issue Winter Support Kit is priced at £34.99 and gives the recipient four copies of the magazine, while the vendor receives a Big Issue beanie hat to keep warm, a hot drink and a lunch item to keep vendors fuelled, supported by Greggs. The vendor will also receive equipment to increase earnings through cashless transactions and a personalised support plan, including sales and employment training from the Big Issue’s Frontline Team. Of course, you can also continue to support your local vendor by buying a magazine each week or consider purchasing a subscription.

Lord Bird, Big Issue founder, said: “Sadly, we are witnessing the strain of making ends meet among our vendors, coupled with an influx of people at the sharp end of poverty, coming to us to sell the magazine as a vital source of income and to cover their basic winter needs.

“This Christmas we are asking people to come together and bring warmth, support, and hope to as many vendors as possible.

“If you’re looking for the perfect gift for Christmas, you can purchase a Big Issue Winter Support Kit for a friend or family member. They will receive four magazines and vendors will get tools to help them work and earn, as well as provide access to vital training and employment pathways to escape poverty for good.

“Your support will not only ensure vendors survive the winter but can make a better life for themselves in 2024. Be a beacon of change for Big Issue vendors this Christmas, while supporting our ongoing mission to dismantle poverty.”

Daniel Mays, acclaimed actor and Big Issue Ambassador, is backing Big Issue this Christmas.

Mays said: “This Christmas, vendors and the Big Issue need your support more than ever. Buy from a local vendor regularly if you have one, but if you don’t you can subscribe, give a financial contribution or buy a Big Issue Winter Support Kit for £34.99. Big Issue vendors need your help to earn a living and move on with their lives, beyond Christmas.”

Buying or subscribing to the magazine this Christmas will give vendors like Jon Gregg, who sells the magazine at M&S Muswell Hill, and Parliament Hill Farmers Market, vital support as temperatures drop.

“The hardest thing about selling in the winter is, it’s partly the cold. It’s harder to stay on your pitch without having to keep moving, to go and get a hot drink if you can get one or something hot to eat, you know, you want to stay on your pitch,” Gregg said.

“There are so many different ways the Big Issue can change your life. It’s helped my confidence a lot, my self-esteem, things like that.

“I’d like to say thank you for supporting us all year. We really do value the sales when you buy, even if it’s not every week. We realise the cost of living crisis makes it difficult. But your support is invaluable, and we really appreciate people who come and buy it week in, week out in all weathers.

You can support by buying a copy of the magazine from a vendor in the street, subscribing online, making a financial contribution or buying a Big Issue Winter Support Kit for just £34.99.