Advertisement
Activism

The Big Issue is holding the UK’s first social trading conference

Today’s Northampton event will demonstrate “How to Create a Social Echo” in order to combat poverty

The Big Issue will show organisations how to make better choices on spending money to maximise the value of the ‘social pound’ at the UK’s first social trading conference.

Hosted by Big Issue founder Lord John Bird at Northampton’s Guildhall, the day-long event brings together representatives of local businesses, charities, social enterprises and public-sector bodies to create a more vibrant local economy through trade, not aid.

Dubbed ‘How to Create a Social Echo: Strengthening Communities Through Local Trading’, University of Northampton, Northampton Hope, Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce and Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire have joined forces with The Big Issue for the event. It also has the backing of Carlsberg UK, a large business and employer in the Northampton community, Housing Technology, the leading housing magazine for business and IT professionals and the University of Northampton.

In the face of austerity and rising inequality – most keenly felt in the town after the council declared bankruptcy earlier this year – The Big Issue believes that poverty can be dismantled through business solutions.

Now the challenge is how whole communities can come together to build social trading eco-systems that enable communities to flourish.

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Advertisement

Lord Bird said: “I hope that local organisations leave today with a sense of empowerment born of the knowledge that, together, we can knit wealth back into the community by changing the way we trade.

“The day has been full of brilliant examples of social trading. The next step will be for these amazing organisations to galvanise forces and build a social trading ecosystem where each player builds off the other creating connections and value. When it comes to trade we need to combine the commercial with the social.”

Nick Petford, Vice Chancellor at the University of Northampton, said: “As a key part of the community the University of Northampton is committed to putting our money where our mouth is by helping create social value through our procurement processes. I am thrilled to be working with The Big Issue for this important conference.”

Image: Hekla Goodman. Left-to-right Tony Knaggs, Goodwill Solutions CIC, Lord John Bird, founder of The Big Issue, Robin Burgess, CEO of Northampton Hope, Nick Petford, Vice Chancellor at the University of Northampton

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

Never miss an issue

Take advantage of our special subscription offer. Subscribe from just £9.99 and never miss an issue.

Recommended for you

Read All
'Neighbours are more trusted than government': When crisis hits, communities are saving themselves
A person in a door receives a package of toilet roll from a person in a high-vis jacket
Community

'Neighbours are more trusted than government': When crisis hits, communities are saving themselves

'You don’t have to be a celebrity to make an impact': Big Issue's Covid heroes, five years on
Five years since the pandemic

'You don’t have to be a celebrity to make an impact': Big Issue's Covid heroes, five years on

'Welfare not warfare': Disabled people hold Downing Street protest over Spring Statement benefit cuts
Disabled people protest benefits cuts at Downing Street ahead of the Spring Statement
Spring Statement

'Welfare not warfare': Disabled people hold Downing Street protest over Spring Statement benefit cuts

Covid got us all in mutual aid groups. Five years on, what happened to the lockdown anarchists?
A group of people in reflective vests stand by a van
Five years since the pandemic

Covid got us all in mutual aid groups. Five years on, what happened to the lockdown anarchists?

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue