The Big Issue in The North has a host of politicians, celebrities and business people from across the UK selling the magazine alongside its regular vendors this week including KEITH MULLIN from The Farm.
From the 2 -7 February, The Big Issue in the North is taking part in the #VendorWeek Big Sell, an international event organised by INSP (International Network of Street Papers).
The event sees high profile people from across the world give up an hour of their day and try their hand at selling their local street paper in a bid to challenge perceptions of homelessness and poverty, as well as raising money to support the INSP and helping Big Issue in the North vendors boost their sales.
Fay Selvan, chair of The Big Issue in the North and INSP, said: “We’re delighted that so many people have shown their support to The Big Issue in the North and its vendors by getting involved with the Big Sell.
“Spending an hour with a vendor will give people a real insight into how it feels to sell The Big Issue in the North. Alongside this we hope it will keep the needs of people selling the magazine in the public eye and boost sales for vendors at a traditionally quiet time of year.
“Once the hustle and bustle of Christmas settles down and the January sales come to an end our towns and cities become quiet and, for our vendors, can be lonely places. Although the sales and crowds are gone, they are still working hard to earn an income – selling The Big Issue in the North magazine.”
The money ‘guest sellers’ make while selling The Big Issue in the North will go to the vendor whom they sell alongside.
Each person selling The Big Issue in the North has a Virgin Money Giving sponsorship page where people can donate to pledge their support to INSP which supports street papers around the world to start up, grow and develop so that they can provide homeless and unemployed people with a way to earn an income and improve their lives.
INSP Chief Executive Maree Aldam added: “#VendorWeek is an amazing opportunity for us to celebrate the 14,000 people who sell street papers worldwide. Street papers offer homeless, unemployed and vulnerable people a means to work their way out of poverty. All the money raised from the #VendorWeek Big Sell will go to help INSP’s work supporting these innovative projects. Everyone can join in the #VendorWeek celebration by using the hashtag on social media, and by sponsoring their favourite guest vendors through virginmoneygiving.com.”
The list of ‘guest sellers’ includes:
Greater Manchester
David Herne – Director of Public Health for Salford
Mike Burrows – Managing Director Greater Manchester Academic Health Science Network
Dave Power – Chief Executive City South Housing Association
Ian Munro – Group Chief Executive New Charter Housing Trust Group
Matthew Gardiner – Chief Executive Trafford Housing Trust
Kate Green MP
Allan Beswick – Radio broadcaster
David Walker – Bishop of Manchester
Liverpool
Cllr Ann O’Byrne – Assistant Mayor of Liverpool
Keith Mullin – Lead guitarist in The Farm
Dan Haggis – Drummer in The Wombats
Maria Eagle MP
West Yorkshire
Harry Leslie Smith – writer and political commentator
Stuart Andrew MP
George Galloway MP
Hilary Benn MP
Mark Burns-Williamson – Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
Ian McMillan – Poet
Alan Billings – Police and Crime Commissioner for South Yorkshire
Tony Stacey – Chief Executive South Yorkshire Housing Association
David Blunkett MP
Paul Blomfield MP
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter @bigissuenorth, YouTube The Big Life group or at www.bigissueinthenorth.com
To arrange a photo opportunity with any of the people selling the magazine during vendor week please contact Nicole Cunliffe on 0161 838 2425 or email Nicole.cunliffe@bigissueinthenorth.com