New Deal and Flexible New Deal Exposed

See http://www.bigissueinvest.com/the_team.aspx (click more under Nick Kershaw)

Nigel was made an OBE in the 2010 New Year’s Honours List, for his services to social enterprise. He is a Cabinet Office Social Enterprise Ambassador, a Director of the Social Enterprise Coalition and in 2008 received the Good Director for Enterprise honour award from the Institute of Directors.

Nigel is also Chairman of The Big Issue Company Limited founded by John Bird and Gordon Roddick. In 2008 The Big Issue generated £15 million pounds through its 147,000 weekly circulation with £8 million earned by over 2,500 homeless and vulnerably housed vendors. He joined in 1995 and has been its Executive Chairman and Managing Director.

That would explain how the “Social Enterprise Coalition” recognises the Big Issue.

2008 figures:

On average if 2500 vendors were selling the Big Issue and made £8 million that year collectively, each would have earnt approx £3,200!! That surely renders the Big Issue Foundation support of small grants of moeny rather pointless.

In 2008, the Big Issue Company (commercial business) had a turnover of £15 million!! How much of this was profit? How much of this profit was seen by the homeless*? (excludes the amount they make per magazine)

*including non-vendors.

It is quoted today that the Big Issue (foundation and company) only “supports” 2,900 homeless and vulnerably housed people. Looking at the 2500 figure given above 2 years ago it seems likely they are talking about vendors and many people have raised suspicions that many vendors aren’t actually homeless or vulnerably housed.

Off topic but i thought you would all like to know this:

John Bird is going to be on the daily politics show (After PMQ’s i think) tomorrow stateing why he believes benefits to the unemployed should be cut.