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Merry Christmas!

’Twas the lead-up to Christmas, and all through The Big Issue, we’re celebrating the season with warmth and Big Wish Yous. Melbourne vendor Con is our cover Claus, helping to spread the joy of The Big Wish You: an annual compilation of vendors’ messages of gratitude, reflections on the year that was, and their hopes for 2025. Across an extra eight pages, it’s an edition packed with stories capturing every facet of the most wonderful time of the year – Scrooge himself couldn’t resist.

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The Big Issue celebrates vendors with new magazine and events

Australian street magazine The Big Issue is commemorating Vendor Week with a special edition of the magazine on sale today and exciting activities throughout this fortnight.

2nd-15th February is Vendor Week, an annual celebration of The Big Issue magazine vendors across the country. The event acknowledges the dedication, resilience and strength of The Big Issue vendors, who have all experienced tough times but are proudly working to earn an income, reconnect with the community and change their lives.

Vendors will be selling a special Vendor Week edition of The Big Issue, with extra vendor-penned content including heartfelt ‘Letter to our Younger Selves’ pieces, a vendor diary written from their selling pitch, and a delicious vendor recipe for Ukrainian Vareniki.

There will also be a pop-up event in the Melbourne CBD on the 6th, 7th, 13th and 15th February where people can meet vendors, share a message of support, learn more about The Big Issue and pick up a copy of the latest edition.

Media opportunity

Media are invited to visit the pop-up event in Melbourne. The Big Issue spokespersons and vendors are available for interview.

Event details

  • Date: 6th, 7th, 13th and 15th February 2024
  • Time: 10:00am-2:00pm
  • Location: Southern Cross Lane (outside Australia Post 111 Bourke St), Melbourne

Media opps/vision

  • Big Issue themed activation with vendor photos and reader messages
  • Vendors greeting readers and selling The Big Issue magazine

Vendors come to The Big Issue magazine from a wide range of circumstances, including homelessness, long-term unemployment, disability, physical and mental illness, drug and alcohol dependency, family breakdown and more.

Vendors buy magazines for $4.50 each and sell them for $9. Since The Big Issue began in 1996 more than 14 million magazines have been sold, helping more than 7,500 vendors earn a collective $38 million. Currently there are more than 600 vendors selling The Big Issue nationally. Along with cash, vendors accept payments by card and PayID.

The Big Issue magazine is part of Australia’s longest standing and most significant social enterprise, dedicated to supporting and creating work opportunities for people experiencing homelessness, marginalisation and disadvantage.

Alongside The Big Issue magazine, it has since expanded to create and operate several additional programs and enterprises: the Women’s Workforce, Community Street Soccer Program, The Big Issue Classroom and Homes for Homes.

For more information visit thebigissue.org.au.

ENDS

The Big Issue staff and vendors are available for media. For more information and to confirm media opportunities contact:
Maree Agapitos, Media and Communications Lead
magapitos@bigissue.org.au | 0418 124 190


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