Big Issue North has long Covid

At the start of the pandemic, we experienced the most severe symptoms we could imagine –vendors off the street for almost half of 2020. Even though our vendors are back, the effects of the pandemics continue to linger, and Omicron is plunging us into crisis.

With high streets more than 25% quieter than in 2019, our vendors’ sales have gone down by more than 40% in December.

That’s a disastrous December – and worse is to follow. January and February are traditionally vendors’ worst months for sales – and with added restrictions looming, many are dreading the new year.

And when our vendors suffer, we suffer. Long Covid is hitting our organisation. Like vendors, our income has gone down by 40%. With less money, we will struggle to continue to support vendors and produce the magazine.

There are three things you can do to help us at this critical time in our recovery from the pandemic.

1. Donate to us: Your donations help us keep vendors safe and supported, and make sure we’ll be here in the future to help more people work their way out of poverty. Donate here today. 
2. Download the Street News app: Our new app gives you great content from around the world for just £4.99 a month – with all income supporting our vendors. You can download it at urlgeni.us/streetnews.
3. Share this campaign: Our vendors are part of your local community, and it’s going to take a team effort to beat this crisis, so please involve as many people as possible.

Take these three steps, and help us beat the effects of our long Covid.

Gordon, vendor in Heaton Park, Manchester

“Lots of people only buy a magazine at Christmas. I wish they bought the magazine all year round instead, that would be great.

“My regulars keep me going in January and February, but a lot of them are older, and they’re scared of coming out again because of Covid. This means sales will be even harder this January. I am dreading another lockdown because I need to pay my bills with the money I make from the magazine.”