Partner Article

20 years of The Big Issue on North East streets

The Big Issue is celebrating twenty years since it’s first edition, whilst also welcoming a new era of distribution across the North East.

Newly appointed regional distribution manager Mark Shipperlee, will be working with over 70 of the region’s vendors, across Middlebrough, Newcastle, Carlisle and Berwick.

He brings with him a wealth of international experience in working with vulnerable groups and street-papers, and is looking forward to the challenge of using his expertise to effect in the North East.

“I will be looking critically at the way we distribute the magazine and examining new strategies to target prime sales pitches in all our major towns and cities.

Founded in 1991 by John Bird and Gordon Roddick, the Big Issue has been described as one of the most successful street newspapers in the world, with sales of more than 125,000 copies a week.

Homeless and vulnerably housed Big Issue vendors buy magazines for £1 and sell them to the public for £2, making a £1 profit in the process.

John Bird MBE spoke in support of the renewed North East focus, and said: “With today’s climate of unemployment and cutbacks, the Big Issue is more relevant now than ever before, with many people looking
to the magazine both for leadership journalism and the chance to really change their lives.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .