Established 2005 Registered Charity No. 1110656

Scottish Charity Register No. SC043760

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Big Issue in charity shops

October 09 2013
People who are neither homeless nor likely to be can now sell the mag

Concerns have been raised after a deal has been announced allowing people who are neither homeless – or at risk of finding themselves so – to sell the Big Issue for the first time.

The Scottish edition of the magazine will now also be distributed by social enterprise KibbleWorks, according to the Herald newspaper, which will in turn set up wholesale deals for churches, charities and community groups.

KibbleWorks, which is based in Paisley near Glasgow will also take over distribution of 9,000 magazines a week to drop off in cities and towns across Scotland where they can be sold on to Big Issue vendors.

John Downie, director of public affairs for the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, told the Herald: "In principle, this sounds like a good idea which could help the Big Issue reach a wider audience. "However, I’m sure charities will want assurances that they wouldn’t be encroaching on the livelihoods of individual street vendors."

The deal will also see KibbleWorks providing employment support and training to Big Issue in Scotland vendors to help them find work.

The Big Issue was launched in 1991 by Gordon Roddick and John Bird and aims to give ‘a hand up, not a hand out’ to vulnerably housed people.

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