Congratz The Big Issue - 300 Editions Old!

From left to right: Tim Dempster (The Big Issue's Business Manager), Adam (You know who I am), Steven Persson (The Big Issue's General Manager) and Deb Baxter (The Body Shop's Values Coordinator)

From July 07 to January 08 The Body Shop sold 21,375 Bags For Life. Deb and I took a trip into the big city to have a coffee with some of the nice people at The Big Issue and give them an equally nice cheque for 100% of the profits. This came to exactly $17,610.86

Not bad huh!

We've been selling them since 2003, so the total amount we've been able to donate thus far is $56,858.94. Woo-hoo! Our funding is spent on training up and supporting the vendors to sell the magazine which in turn helps them help themselves.

Not many people know this, but The Big Issue is kinda related to The Body Shop. Here's how:

• It was started in England by Anita Roddick's husband Gordon Roddick and John Bird in 1991.
  
• Graeme Wise (The Body Shop Australia's owner) helped The Big Issue get off the ground here in Australia.
  
• Polly Caldow our Chief Executive was The Big Issue's General Manager from 1997 to 2000.
  
• The Ex-Editor of The Big Issue Martin Hughes now writes books for Affirm Press (also owned by Graeme). "Affirm Press is a new Melbourne-based publishing company committed to publishing books that have a positive impact on the community, that influence by delight rather than being earnest or right-on." They recently published the Slow Guides to Melbourne & Sydney. (Hi Martin!)
• We have had The Body Shop staff on The Big Issue Board.
• Maybe most significantly, The Body Shop stores sell the magazine as well as distribute them to the vendors right around Australia. Our staff and the vendors have a special bond and like looking out for one another.
  
• Deb just reminded me that many of our Melbourne city store staff also volunteer at The Big Issue HQ to help with the administration of the magazine.
  

Congratulations to The Big Issue who is celebrating their 300th Edition this week. If you see a vendor on the street have a chat with them, congratulate them and (most importantly) buy a magazine! We heart The Big Issue and are proud to be doing our bit, giving the homeless and long-term unemployed a hand up, not a hand out.

^{Adam Valvasori - Values Manager}