ǽǾɯǽȄCY+ǽǻǽǻ BIGISSUE.COM | 09
Q: What can I do to help my local vendor?
The major way you can support your vendor is by buying
copies of The Big Issue and enabling them to earn a
living. Your support for The Big Issue over the coming
weeks and months will be vital to our ability to be there
for our 1500 magazine sellers so please keep visiting
bigissue.comƸżǿŲģżǀƸŰżƣĪÿěżǀƸŊżǝǣżǀĜÿŲŊĪŧƠQ: How are vendors feeling?
There is concern and worry amongst our vendors but
they continue to be hopeful that the goodwill of the
ƠǀěŧŏĜǝŏŧŧĜżŲƸŏŲǀĪàĪÿƣĪĜżŲǿģĪŲƸƸŊĪŏƣĜǀƫƸżŰĪƣƫ
will continue to support their local sellers in whatever
way they can.Q: What happens if vendor sales fall?
Big Issue sellers are vulnerable individuals facing
a variety of challenges in their lives, working not
begging, to earn a legitimate income. They are out in all
weathers, in local communities and rely wholly on an
attractive product being available every Monday to be
sold throughout the following seven days. We have no
intention of letting anything prevent that happening.
Therefore, we have a robust business contingency plan in
ƠŧÿĜĪ܉ǝŊŏĜŊŰĪÿŲƫƸŊÿƸĪǜĪƣǣƫĪŧŧĪƣǝŊżǝÿŲƸƫƸżżdzłĪƣ
their local community the latest copy of The Big Issue,
will be able to do so. Please wait for further updates as
we work towards these goals. We exist to support those
living in poverty and will be here for them throughout
the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.Q: How is The Big Issue supporting vendors in this time
of need?
We are following Government and WHO advice and
as always we remain fully committed to share the best
information, advice and most recent guidance with our
ƫĪŧŧĪƣƫÿŲģƫƸÿdzłƸĪÿŰƫƫƸŊĪƫŏƸǀÿƸŏżŲģĪǜĪŧżƠƫ܉ǝĪ
are working on new solutions to enable our vendors
to access funds. But, right now, the emphasis is on
supporting Big Issue sellers whilst they can still sell,
and we’ve put the price of magazine up by 50p to £3.
The extra money will go straight to the vendor. The Big
Issue will NOT take any additional revenue. Rather than
a 50/50 split, vendors will receive £1.75 from each sale,and The Big Issue part will
remain at £1.25. We believe this
additional revenue will prove a
great bonus to our vendors.Q: Are you giving sellers
hand sanitisers/gel?
We continue to keep a close
eye on supply of hand gel
and hand sanitisers and
when and where we can
access these products, we
are securing them for all our
żdzǿĜĪƫÿƣżǀŲģƸŊĪÃfÿŧżŲŃƫŏģĪŰÿŤŏŲŃƸŊĪƫĪÿǜÿŏŧÿěŧĪ
łżƣƫĪŧŧĪƣƫàĪÿŧƫżŏŲƸƣżģǀĜĪģŏŲƸżÿŧŧżdzǿĜĪƫƸŊĪtN®
guidelines on hand washing a number of weeks ago.Q: If a vendor falls ill, how will you support them
ǿŲÿŲĜŏÿŧŧǣܐ
We recognise Big Issue sellers are similar to the
ǝŏģĪƣƫĪŧłܫĪŰƠŧżǣĪģǝżƣŤŏŲŃƠżƠǀŧÿƸŏżŲżłƸŊĪÃf
We support all initiatives that will meaningfully
assist people in this position. We frequently work in
partnership with specialist agencies, charities and day
centres to deliver our services. We are working now with
these partners to support sellers, to ensure they can
access all the support and advice available.Q: What should the government be doing to support
homeless people who fall ill?
We all have a responsibility as individuals to follow
Government advice to the letter. But The Big Issue
believes that people who are severely socially
disadvantaged should be given additional support to
help them follow that advice – for example, anyone who
is rough-sleeping will need additional support to self-
isolate. So we are calling on the government to ensure
that people can self-isolate in safety, and that these
needs are tackled speedily. A very proactive outreach
ƠƣżŃƣÿŰŰĪŏƫŲĪĪģĪģƸżŧżżŤÿǽƸĪƣƠĪżƠŧĪܹƫŊĪÿŧƸŊQ: I am self-isolating and unable to buy my Big Issue
from my local vendor on the street. What can I do?
Please turn over...The Big Issue was founded to support some of the most vulnerable in society
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pandemic. In times of crisis it is always the poorest who are hardest hit. We
answer your questions about what we’re doing to support people at this
critical time – and how you can help.THEN. NOW