JOHN BIRD (THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDER)
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'John Bird' is a a British social entrepreneur. He is best known as the founder of ''The Big Issue'', a magazine that is edited by professional journalists and sold by street vendors affected by homelessness.
Bird was born in Notting Hill, London in 1946. As a child he experienced homelessness and spent several years in an orphanage. By his twenties he had served several prison sentences for theft.[1]
In September 1991 he launched ''The Big Issue''. He is currently president of The Big Issue Foundation Board of Trustees.[2] It started as a local London venture, but expanded with specific editions and services to other British cities, and then to other countries.
In June 1995 Bird was awarded the MBE for ‘services to homeless people’ and in 2006 he received the prestigious Beacon Fellowship Prize for his energy and originality in raising awareness of homelessness and his support of homeless communities worldwide.
In 2006 he set up the Wedge card, an internet-based affinity card system designed to support small business and local enterprise, with the slogan "Think local. Shop local".
In March 2007 he announced his intention to stand for election to the post of Mayor of London.[3] He unveiled his election manifesto in May 2007, and will run as an independent candidate when the poll takes place in 2008.[4]
1. http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/vitallink/LRJohn_Bird.pdf
2. http://www.bigissue.com/aboutfound.html
3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6479753.stm
4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6611847.stm
Bird was born in Notting Hill, London in 1946. As a child he experienced homelessness and spent several years in an orphanage. By his twenties he had served several prison sentences for theft.[1]
In September 1991 he launched ''The Big Issue''. He is currently president of The Big Issue Foundation Board of Trustees.[2] It started as a local London venture, but expanded with specific editions and services to other British cities, and then to other countries.
In June 1995 Bird was awarded the MBE for ‘services to homeless people’ and in 2006 he received the prestigious Beacon Fellowship Prize for his energy and originality in raising awareness of homelessness and his support of homeless communities worldwide.
In 2006 he set up the Wedge card, an internet-based affinity card system designed to support small business and local enterprise, with the slogan "Think local. Shop local".
In March 2007 he announced his intention to stand for election to the post of Mayor of London.[3] He unveiled his election manifesto in May 2007, and will run as an independent candidate when the poll takes place in 2008.[4]
| Contents |
| References |
References
1. http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/vitallink/LRJohn_Bird.pdf
2. http://www.bigissue.com/aboutfound.html
3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6479753.stm
4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6611847.stm
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