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Issue 1244 - Making Dreams Come True

This week, we look at dreams. For £2.50, you can buy The Big Issue and help make your vendor's dreams come true. Bill Griffin, meanwhile, has spent years collecting thousands of wishes and making them come true. But here’s the catch: there is no genie – and you need to do the work.

Launched last week, our #WhyBooksMatter campaign to keep libraries open and to work for better literacy levels in Britain has engaged and galvanized. You can read more below. We’re delighted and heartened by the messages of support – and intent – from readers. We will continue to lead the fight. This week we look at the countless messages of support and reader stories, and have been joined by some well-known figures (including Irvine Welsh) and key partners. Next week, we’ll explain the next steps.

Last week Peppa Pig became a symbol of all that is wrong with prisons in the UK, courtesy of an undercover Panorama investigation which filmed prisoners colouring in the popular children's character in an “employability skills” class.

This week, Victoria Anderson explains how the harrumphing misses the point. 'We need to properly deal with rehabilitation, and do it now.'

Britain’s brightest Oscar hope Naomie Harris explains how 007 nearly robbed her of her biggest movie moment yet – playing a crack addict mother.

And, as always, much more.

Please note once this edition is no longer on sale with Big Issue vendors (from Monday 27th February) it will be classed as a 'back issue'. All back issues are priced at £4 per copy plus P&P

The Big Issue

The Big Issue's own-brand products support the creation of a range of work-based opportunities for disadvantaged people.
Big Issue has spent over 30 years at the helm of self-help revolution. It all began with the launch of The Big Issue magazine in 1991, which was created to offer homeless and disadvantaged people the opportunity to earn a legitimate income by selling a magazine on the streets. Since then over 200 million copies magazine have been sold by over 100,000 people. Vendors buy the magazine upfront for £1.75 and sell it on to the public for £4.00, and in doing so each runs their own micro-enterprise. In 2005 Big Issue Invest was launched, with the aim of extending The Big Issue's mission by financing the growth of social enterprises and charities across the UK. To date the organisation has directly invested in over 350 such organisations, and manages or advises on more than £170 million of social funds.
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