Big London Night Walk

Take a step in the right direction and sign up to The Big London Night Walk to support Big Issue vendors

Registration now open for the 8th flagship fundraising event for The Big Issue Foundation


Sign-up today to The Big London Night Walk to see London’s streets in a whole new light and to support Big Issue vendors to take steps away from them.

The 13 mile long walking challenge, taking place on Friday 2nd March 2018, not only offers walkers to see the iconic landmarks of London by night but also showcases real-life stories and insights from Big Issue vendors providing an alternative view of the capital’s street life.
The Big Issue Foundation is calling walkers from around the UK to sign up to this fun Friday night challenge with friends, family and colleagues to make a difference to the lives of Big Issue vendors.

So far over 2,000 walkers have taken part in events and raised in excess of £450,000 to support Big Issue vendors across the UK. This year they are hoping to raise £100,000 to support more homeless and vulnerably housed Big Issue vendors across the country.
This year, the unique route, will start and finish at Shoreditch Town Hall and will have three rest stops for refreshments along the way.

This year is particularly special as The Big Issue Foundation have been working with the Charles Dickens Museum on their exhibition ‘Restless Shadow: Dickens the Campaigner’. Dickens was an author, journalist and champion of the poor and wrote about walking the streets of London at night and the poverty he saw in his ‘Night Walks’ essays. This year’s Big Night Walk will showcase the Foundation’s work with the museum and reflections on these writings.

Big Issue vendor Bill , who was supported by The Big Issue Foundation to find a safe home and attended the walk in 2017, commented: “It was so important to me that The Big Issue Foundation team focused on helping me access healthcare when I first walked through the door and started selling the magazine. Liam, a Service Broker assessed my immediate and longer-term needs. My medication had run out so Liam arranged for me to see a doctor and Chloe was registered with The Dogs Trust so she could stay healthy too! I’m so grateful for the support of The Big Issue Foundation, knowing that they are there to help me”.

James Bowen is a former Big Issue vendor and his story has been published in the book ‘A StreetCat Named Bob’, which was released as a film in 2016. The story shows how James’ unlikely friendship with Bob helped him overcome his addictions. James and Bob have attended our last four Night Walks, and James reflected that walking at night “is a survival tactic for someone on the street”.

He said: “It makes me proud that the book has opened up people’s eyes to how The Big Issue works. The work that The Big Issue Foundation does in supporting Big Issue vendors is so vital.”

Stephen Robertson, Big Issue Foundation CEO, said: “The Big Night Walk is one of our premier challenge events and a personal favourite. Literally 100’s of people take to the streets, with the help of an army of volunteers, to meet and walk alongside Big Issue vendors. We do this in recognition that for many people trapped by the poverty of their situations and new to the streets, at night they frequently walk for safety and sleep in the day.

The walk is a fundraising event and the vital funds that are raised helps enable our services teams to support Big Issue vendors in their journeys away from exclusion and back into mainstream life.

I look forward to taking part again myself and to the stories that will be shared and the memories that will be gained. Whether you plan to walk alone or enter a team, the Big Night Walk is an insightful and thoroughly enjoyable experience! Be an activist, join us and see your capital in a whole new light!”
The Big Issue Foundation