Read more:

Sometimes taking on a role like that comes out of the blue, sneaking up on you like a less fun, more urgent rickrolling surprise. We went to meet the members of the community in Birmingham who suddenly found themselves trying to tidy up after the ongoing bin strikes. Sometimes never giving up takes a different shape – addiction. Alister Ross writes a strikingly honest piece about alcoholism and how he became reliant on his family to provide stability so that he could rebuild bonds with his own young son.

And if you’re so inclined, you may be interested to know that there are volunteering opportunities at Big Issue. Across the country there are distribution offices – in Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Nottingham – that could always do with another pair of hands to help deliver magazines to vendors and offer them support.

You don’t need to be a financial or housing expert, simply lending an ear, listening and engaging is transformative and you can help us never give up on vendors as they work their way out of poverty.
Contact us for more info.

I first started at Big Issue on voluntary work experience. My main task was helping with picture research. On my first day I remember having to find pictures of Icelandic band Sigur Rós and thinking I was out of my depth because I didn’t know who they were. A few years later, I still can’t hum one of their tunes, or confidently pronounce their name, unlike the earworm of Astley’s that after this week I worry will never get out of my head. At least I’m not alone. Thanks to rickrolling, the video has over 1.7 billion views on YouTube, although not everyone watched it voluntarily.

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more. 

Change a vendor’s life.

Buy from your local Big Issue vendor every week – and always take the magazine. It’s how vendors earn with dignity and move forward.

You can also support online:
Subscribe to the magazine or support our work with a monthly gift. Your support helps vendors earn, learn and thrive while strengthening our frontline services.

Thank you for standing with Big Issue vendors.