Actor Rose Williams joins Big Issue as new Ambassador

Today (Thursday 30 January) Big Issue is pleased to announce acclaimed actress Rose Williams as its newest official Ambassador.

Best known for her leading roles in historical TV dramas Sanditon and Reign, Williams joins a line-up of high-profile faces supporting the world-famous social enterprise and street paper.

She joins fellow actors Christopher Eccleston, Daniel Mays and Sophie Winkleman, architect George Clarke, and prize-winning academic and senior firefighter Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton as an official Big Issue Ambassador.

Williams is a long-standing supporter of the Big Issue. Over Christmas, she volunteered to deliver magazines to Big Issue vendors during their busiest sales period of the year.

To kickstart her official role as an official Ambassador, Williams has championed a local grassroots figure making change in her community. Her nomination secured Brixton business owner and philanthropist Francklin Evagle a place of Big Issue’s prestigious list of 100 ‘Changemakers’ for 2025.

Evagle runs restaurant and community hub Katakata in Brixton. He struck up a friendship with Rose when she tried his sustainably sourced menu of vegetarian and vegan food, leading her to discover the incredible work Katakata is doing to support its local community – including a weekly food bank, employing neurodivergent and disabled people to run its kitchen, and much more.

Rose Williams said: “I’m so happy to be on board as a Big Issue Ambassador. My mum introduced me to the Big Issue’s content and mission at a young age, and I’ve been a fan for as long as I can remember. The magazine’s pieces always inspire and friendships developed with vendors over the years have had a hugely positive impact on my life.

“I’m also proud to introduce the Big Issue to the amazing Francklin Evagle, who is the founder of the amazing, beautiful space, Katakata – which is a cafe, a community hub, and becomes a food bank once a week.”

Francklin Evagle, owner of Katakata and Big Issue Changemaker, said: “I’m so proud to be named a Big Issue Changemaker – and not just for me, but the whole community. We were so excited and it was such a big surprise when Rose told us she was nominating us. I’m very overwhelmed but we will be celebrating.”

Paul Cheal, Big Issue Group CEO, said: “We are so pleased to have Rose’s voice and influence to help us raise awareness of the extreme difficulties faced by the 16 million Brits living in poverty.

“She’s already been so generous in giving her time to volunteer with our vendor support team, and her passion for bringing communities together is clear from her nomination of such a brilliant Changemaker in Francklin Evagle and KataKata.”

You can show your support for the Big Issue by buying from your local vendor, subscribing, or becoming a member of our community.