Innholdsfortegnelse for 1/10/2022 i The Big Issue

The Top 100 Changemakers 2022 While Covid kept us apart last year, and brought uncertainty and grief, there were many shining lights. People across the UK worked tirelessly to make things better for those around them. They found ways to lift others out of hardship, to protect the future of the planet and to rail against government policies which threaten to force many beyond the margins. Our annual Big Issue Changemakers list this year celebrates 100 of those who gave us reason to hope in 2021. We believe they will play an important role in making sure society in 2022 benefits everyone. We’re hailing the innovators and agitators who believe no one should live in poverty. We’re celebrating the individuals and organisations who look out for the less fortunate, not…

01 Lou Macari Have you heard about the Manchester United footballer who dedicates his life to helping people in poverty? You know him – he’s famed for wearing a No 10 shirt, being a full international and having a heart the size of Old Trafford. No, not Marcus Rashford. We’re talking about Lou Macari, the midfield dynamo who made more than 300 appearances for United from 1973-84, as well as representing Scotland. After years in management and punditry, he read a debate about homelessness between two local councillors in his local paper. It changed his life. Macari (below left) went out into Stoke-on-Trent, met people sleeping rough and created somewhere safe for them. “The reason I got involved was thinking, well, I’ve had a good life, I’ve been lucky, I…

26 Right to Disconnect UK Working from home during Covid has meant sometimes the line between time spent working and not working has become blurred. This means the #RightToDisconnect campaign, which wants a law introduced that guarantees UK workers the right to digitally disconnect outside working hours, has gained more support. The campaign wants to challenge the ‘always on’ work culture, which can be a major trigger for mental and physical ill health. The law, which has been adopted in countries including Italy, aims to improve work-life balance by allowing workers to not answer emails or messages outside of office hours. righttodisconnectuk.com 27 ThinkForward ThinkForward, which provides long-term coaching to get young people ready for the world of work, has been a lifeline for them during the pandemic. The organisation…

87 Mya-Rose Craig Dr Craig aka ‘Birdgirl’ released her debut book in 2021. We Have a Dream features 30 young indigenous people who are protecting the planet. The 19-yearold environmental activist became the youngest person in Britain to receive an honorary doctorate when the University of Bristol recognised her work in February 2020. In 2015, Craig set up non-profit organisation Black2Nature, hosting camping trips for Visibly Minority Ethnic (VME) young people. The bird enthusiast started a blog when she was 11, and at 17 became the youngest person to see half the birds in the world. @BirdgirlUK 88 Wolverton community energy scheme The long-term vision for this scheme is to generate and control energy resources in Wolverton and the broader Milton Keynes area. Projects include solar power, ground source heating,…

Big Issue vendors and other people experiencing homelessness cherish their canine companions. There are plenty of organisations and charities across the UK helping people look after their dogs and to keep the pair together when they access housing or emergency accommodation like hostels. They include: Dogs on the Streets (dogsonthestreets.org) StreetVet (streetvet.co.uk) Vets in the Community (vetsinthecommunity.weebly.com) Dogs Trust (dogstrust.org.uk) Street Paws (streetpaws.co.uk)…

Our vendors buy magazines for £1.50 and sell them for £3, keeping the proceeds and working their way out of poverty. Every vendor has a unique story – they may be homeless, at risk of losing their home, long-term unemployed or dealing with mental health issues. What they all have in common is they are earning a legitimate income while gaining valuable social and transferable skills. If you cannot buy from a vendor, take a subscription via SUBS.BIGISSUE.COM or through The Big Issue UK app. Retailers including the Co-op and Sainsbury’s also stock the magazine in many branches. EVERY COPY BOUGHT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. IT’S A HAND UP NOT A HANDOUT.…

He was constantly tweaking, trying to make the music sound as though it lived and breathed of its own accord From a young age, Charles Mingus had designs on being a classical musician. He grew up in Watts, LA, in a household that celebrated Ravel and Bach along with church music. The cello was his instrument of choice, but as he entered his teens it became clear that classical conservatoires were not inclined to make space for black musicians, and so he pivoted to the double bass, and to jazz, hoping to emulate the success of his hero Duke Ellington. He discovered a knack for composition early on, and had enough prowess on stage to establish himself as a band leader. In 1952 he moved to New York City, just…

37 University of Atypical University of Atypical empowers disabled, D/deaf and neurodiverse artists and puts their work at the heart of the Northern Irish scene. They work with all art forms and across all impairments, delivering a year-round programme of exhibitions and events. We spoke to Deirdre McKenna, Creative Programmes and Participation Lead. What does University of Atypical do? We’re the only public gallery in the city that exclusively shows the work of D/deaf, disabled and neurodiverse artists. We also support artists through funding. We put on the Bounce Arts Festival, which is our annual highlight of what’s happening in disabled culture. The pandemic has disproportionately affected people with disabilities, because a lot of people have been shielding and feeling isolated. I’m an artist myself and I’ve got arthritis and…

69-72Legacy benefits campaigners At the start of the pandemic, ministers increased Universal Credit payments by the equivalent of £1,040 per year. But they did not – and resisted repeated calls to – increase payments to those on legacy benefits, including Jobseekers Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). These welfare payments, which are gradually being replaced by Universal Credit, are claimed largely by disabled people, who faced soaring living costs in lockdown, including deliveries and private transport to appointments in an attempt to stay protected from the virus. The fierce campaign, supported by groups including Disabled People Against Cuts, Z2K and the Disability Benefits Consortium, culminated in a legal showdown. Four disabled claimants are behind the court action, including Philip Wayland, Lynn Pinfield and two people choosing to remain anonymous.…

Independent Food Aid Network When Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) coordinator Sabine Goodwin was named a Big Issue Changemaker in 2020 it was a time when Covid-19 was barely known. Just months later, people across the UK were plunged into poverty. Since then, IFAN has been campaigning on a local and national level to fight the causes of poverty while working to meet immediate need. Part of the operation has included the rollout of “cash-first” leaflets in foodbanks, schools and GPs across dozens of local authorities in the UK. These lead people struggling to afford food to sources of support. IFAN’s work has put the importance of increasing incomes at the forefront of the national poverty conversation. foodaidnetwork.org.uk @IFAN_UK Sophie Unwin, Remade Network Remade Network brings together a network of…

IAN DUFF, 55 Outside Sainbury’s, Green Park, Bath 8:30am-2pm Monday-Friday I’ve been back selling The Big Issue on a new pitch for two and a half months. I left in July last year to get back to being a chef and working indoors. But it didn’t work out. It’s been a tough time. Christmas was coming up and sales were down on last year. So that was a bit of a struggle, as previous years have been a lot better. But Boycie and I were still out there every day. And then it got to Christmas Eve, and he decided that he’d had enough. He was put to sleep on Christmas Day. That really was the hardest thing. Boycie was a pointer springer, even though everyone thought he was a…