Our 2025 calendar is here

This year, the calendar explores the north through vendors’ eyes.

The North is on the up. Leeds, Manchester, and Liverpool are revered as vibrant cultural landscapes—Manchester has been a UNESCO City of Literature since 2017, Liverpool was named the European Capital of Culture in 2008, and Leeds followed suit in 2023. However, behind the sleek skyscrapers, revitalised central districts, and official street art displays lies a reality faced by many, including Big Issue North vendors.

Statistics published in October 2024 found that one in every 200 people in the UK are currently experiencing homelessness. In Manchester, this rises to one in 74, and the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber are among the five lowest income areas in the UK.

Decades of economic decline, intensified by the recent pandemic, have transformed many UK town centres into shadows of their former selves. Once bustling with retailers, businesses, and steady foot traffic, these areas are now marked by closed storefronts, reduced footfall, and a visible shift toward online retail. This impact is particularly felt across the North of England, where changes in shopping habits and rising rent costs have left town centres struggling.

Big Issue North vendors are also seeing diminished opportunities to sell the magazine. Whilst the lead-up to Christmas has historically been a more profitable time for our vendors, with quieter streets and fewer people out shopping or carrying cash, they are increasingly concerned about sustaining their income.

“The city feels much emptier than it used to. I miss my regulars who used to stop by on their way to work or during lunch breaks. Now it’s dead slow, and without cash, people just walk by.” – Chris, Big Issue North Vendor, Manchester

For this year’s calendar, Big Issue North vendors Andrew in Sheffield, Colin in Manchester, Vasile in Leeds, and Christopher in Liverpool offered personal tours of their cities to young, local photographers Cory Schiltz and Abi Black, capturing the urban landscapes through their eyes. Their journeys reveal the dual character of our North: artistic spaces and storied landmarks side by side with forgotten high-rises and hostile architecture.

The calendar’s images are a powerful reminder of the beauty and the complexity of our region, and the steadfast dedication of local people like our vendors who work in challenging conditions and struggle to make ends meet in cities where the cost of living is surging.

All proceeds go directly to the vendor you purchase the calendar from. Additionally, any calendar bought online or through one of our stockists aids our mission to provide people in need with the support and opportunities they need to transform their lives.

Thank you for buying this calendar and showing your support to Big Issue North vendors this holiday season. If you would like to give more, you can visit justgiving.com/bigissuenorth or text BINORTH to 70970 to give £5.

From Monday 4 November, Big Issue North’s 2025 calendar will be on sale from local vendors and via our online shop.

All proceeds raised from calendar sales either go directly to vendors or support the Big Issue North Trust (registered charity 1056041) to get more people working, not begging, and to provide support including access to accommodation, education and skills training, ID and card readers, home furnishing packages and much more.