The Big Issue Group is calling on the British public to get involved to help fight against the UK poverty crisis with a new membership scheme designed to unite supporters.

The new scheme, which was created with the help of Fearless Union, calls upon the Big Issue community to come together to help the organisation create solutions and opportunities for the millions of people affected by poverty.

According to YouGov over two-thirds (69%) of people believe issues are more effectively resolved when people and organisations work together on a local scale. While a survey of over 2000 Brits found 54% thought the government was doing ‘too little’ to help people in their local community affected by poverty.

Building on these findings, as well as the Big Issue Membership, the Big Issue Group is launching a new ‘Big Community’ initiative, designed to bring people together within their communities to find solutions in their local areas. The initiative seeks for real government action and is made up of a community roadshow, and a call to campaign for bold new government legislation.

The membership launches with a creative campaign that spans outdoor advertising. Striking purple creative billboards encourage audiences to go online and click to ‘hit cancel on poverty’, guiding them toward Big Issue membership.

The campaign will kick off at Elonex’s The Manchester Screen at Victoria Warehouse, the second-largest digital billboard in Europe delivering over 1.2 million impressions per week. Elonex will share the campaign for the duration of its run, utilising its 3,000 digital screens across the UK.

Advertising space has also been secured through December 19 and Clearchannel, Canopy and Global alongside a range of other B2C and B2B advertisers supporting the Big Issue Group to help gain access to new audiences.

Alongside the out of home campaign, the ‘Big Community Roadshow’ will visit locations across the UK kicking off in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. The Big Issue will be based in the city for a week to listen, support and report on overlooked social issues.

The campaign aims to encourage people to sign up for the membership scheme and facilitate the work the organisation does in creating opportunities for people affected by poverty across the UK.

This initiative goes a step further by calling for a ‘Poverty Zero’ law, which would force every government to set legally binding targets to reduce poverty, similar to Net Zero in sustainability goals. Where the figures reported of those living in poverty have more than doubled in the last 7 years reaching 3.8 million people, the Big Issue Group wants the first ever ‘Poverty Zero’ law to tie the government to eradicating destitution by 2035, holding them to measurable accountable goals.

“Poverty in this country is a growing, urgent crisis, destroying our society, affecting more of our neighbours, friends and family every day. The issue is out of control, the government isn’t moving fast enough and we at the Big Issue Group, can’t look away,” says Zoe Hayward, Chief Marketing Officer at the Big Issue Group.

She continues: “Our survey shows people still believe in the power of community, and the Big Issue membership scheme is a way for people to stand together. Through becoming part of our community, we’ll amplify the voices of those who are marginalised in our society and show those in power that we won’t tolerate their inaction.”

To find out more or become a Member of the Big Issue, please click here.