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Issue 1475 - Where Has All The Food Gone?

Taking stock of empty shelves

Across the country, supermarket shelves have been emptying. The impact of pandemic plus Brexit has exposed just how vulnerable the UK’s supply chains are – but what’s really behind the shortages and how will the problem be fixed? Turns out we might be in for the long haul…

A new stage in life

Like another organisation that tackles the ‘big issue’ of homelessness, Cardboard Citizens celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. We speak to former vendor Emilia Teglia who went through the life-changing programme almost two decades ago to find out how it turned her life around. We also hear from Johnnie, who shares a journal he kept during a Cardboard Citizens workshop he took part in this summer.

Also inside
- Voice of an angel Emmylou Harris talks love, death and motherhood in her Letter To My Younger Self
- Editor of the Greek street paper Shedia reports from Athens on how the city – and their vendors – have been impacted by the devastating wildfires that are raging across the country
- We look at a range of film and theatre projects putting the spotlight on homelessness – from Bill Nighy’s film about the Homeless World Cup to former vendors Brian and Earl using poetry to raise awareness
- From Elton John to Billie Eilish, Tom Odell shares the Music That Made me
- We meet two Australian Big Issue vendors who also happen to have won medals at past Paralympics
- And our vendor Maria in Edinburgh tells us that she’ll be selling from the city’s Book Festival this year
Plus much more!

The Big Issue

The Big Issue's own-brand products support the creation of a range of work-based opportunities for disadvantaged people.
Big Issue has spent over 30 years at the helm of self-help revolution. It all began with the launch of The Big Issue magazine in 1991, which was created to offer homeless and disadvantaged people the opportunity to earn a legitimate income by selling a magazine on the streets. Since then over 200 million copies magazine have been sold by over 100,000 people. Vendors buy the magazine upfront for £1.75 and sell it on to the public for £4.00, and in doing so each runs their own micro-enterprise. In 2005 Big Issue Invest was launched, with the aim of extending The Big Issue's mission by financing the growth of social enterprises and charities across the UK. To date the organisation has directly invested in over 350 such organisations, and manages or advises on more than £170 million of social funds.
Read all about The Big Issue

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Issue 1607 - Eric Cantona £4.00 GBP
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Issue 1604 - Time for a budget reboot £4.00 GBP
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Issue 1603 - Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley £4.00 GBP
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SUPPORTING THE MAKERS

Our suppliers create opportunities for disadvantaged people

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PROTECTING THE PLANET

Our products are sourced with sustainability in mind

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A HAND UP, NOT HAND OUT

We’re striving to dismantle poverty through social trading