I'm not really sure how to rate this one. On one hand, I know that it gives homeless people a chance to get some money back together and start on the long road back to employment, so to that effect it's a worthwhile cause to support..
Reading it however, is another story. Lately it seems overcome with celebrity gossip and articles that feel like cut and pastes from the Metro. I also find the tone a bit grating. It's all fine and well for a middle class journalist to lecture me about poverty, but perhaps giving some more of the magazine over to the actual homeless people to air their views, rather than the frankly patronising poetry section they're usually reduced to, wouldn't go amiss.
If I'm going to be really controversial, I'd also suggest the Big Issue are actually a little bit stingy in only giving half of the cover price to the sellers. I don't believe for a second the paper costs 70p per copy to produce.
Despite my criticisms, when I see the blind girl outside Central Station selling them, or the sad looking guy with the beard at Charing Cross, I can't criticise it too harshly, and so will still recommend you buy it when you can. read more