Big Issue cover star Annie and her mum April on a climate rally Image credit: Supplied
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Ten-year-old climate activist Annie Jones has told the Big Issue about her delight after being featured on the cover of this week’s magazine.
Annie, from Oxford, who penned a powerful and articulate letter urging politicians to stop poverty, climate change and racism, said it was “really cool” to be on the cover.
Lockdowns have taken income away from hundreds of Big Issue sellers. Support The Big Issue and our vendors by signing up for a subscription.
Working with climate group Parents for Future, The Big Issue published letters from kids across the country who urged ministers to take action on problems such as climate change.
They asked the Government to act on pollution, global warming and deforestation to make the world a better place for them to grow up.
Speaking to the Big Issue after finding out she was on the cover, Annie, who has been to multiple climate rallies in Oxford and London, said she wanted the prime minister to listen to her and her friends.
“I wrote the letter to try and get the government to stop climate change because climate change is really bad and it shouldn’t be happening,” she said.
In her letter, Annie asked politicians to put an end to climate change, poverty and racism.
She wrote: “Dear politicians, please try to stop poverty, because everyone is equal so some people shouldn’t have less money than everyone else. It isn’t fair.
“Also, try to stop climate change, because my, and everyone else’s descendants, shouldn’t have to live in a horribly polluted world.”
Mum, April, said she was “chuffed” that Annie had made the coveted page one spot, an honour now shared with her brother Sam, 7, who once graced the front page of the Oxford Mail after protesting school cuts.
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“I was thrilled. It came out of the blue. I hadn’t heard anything about the letter-writing campaign for a while, it was amazing,” April said.
“Annie was talking in the bath last night, she had a prioritisation of the problems she would solve if she could: Covid first, then climate change, then homelessness, Brexit and racism.”
Unfortunately, Annie said she hadn’t had a chance to pick up this week’s Big Issue yet. Due to lockdowns across the country, vendors who usually sell the magazine are unable to do so.
The public is being urged to support the magazine by signing up for a subscription, buying a digital copy through the Big Issue app or picking it up in their local supermarket.
Annie has also struggled to tell her friends about her newfound fame as she is being homeschooled due to England’s third lockdown.
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She said she would take the magazine in during “show and tell” when school resumed.
The Big Issue's #WellbeingWeek continues this week, aiming to address the causes of poverty and climate change, not just the symptoms.
Hear why it's so important from the young people and children affected: https://t.co/lfAWmu0m5U
The Big Issue’s Wellbeing Week has seen young people from across the UK quiz MPs about their future.
The Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill, which is being championed by Big Issue co-founder Lord John Bird and Green MP Caroline Lucas, aims to require the Government to put young people first.
The Big Issue’s Today for Tomorrow campaign aims to tackle the climate crisis, poverty and pandemics with the Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill. Support the Bill by emailing your MP today: bigissue.com/today-for-tomorrow/
This Christmas, 3.8 million people across the UK will be facing extreme poverty. Thousands of those struggling will turn to selling the Big Issue as a vital source of income - they need your support to earn and lift themselves out of poverty.
