Big Issue North and Street Paws team up to raise awareness for pets, people, and homelessness.
Wednesday 5 November, 2025 – Big Issue North and Street Paws have joined forces to bring attention to the bond between pets and people experiencing homelessness. With the passing of the Renters’ Rights Bill, more tenants now have the right to live with their beloved animals. However, there is still much to be done to ensure that no one is left without a home because of their pet.
The newly passed Renters’ Rights Bill in England has been applauded as a significant step forward in giving tenants the right to live with their pets. Landlords can no longer impose blanket bans on pets and must consider all requests fairly. While this is a positive development, there are still many hostels and emergency accommodation providers that do not allow pets, making it difficult for people experiencing homelessness to find a place to stay with their furry companions.
To shed light on this issue, Big Issue North has released its 2026 calendar, titled “Pets and the Power of Companionship.” Created in partnership with Street Paws, a charity that works to make hostels more pet-friendly through free veterinary care, essential supplies, and training for housing providers, the calendar features stunning animal photography and stories of resilience and connection.
Each animal featured in the calendar has received support from Street Paws and belongs to someone experiencing homelessness or insecure housing in the North. One of the vendors for Big Issue North, Nathan, and his dog Rolo are featured in the calendar. Nathan and Rolo sell the magazine outside Manchester Piccadilly station and share a close bond. Nathan credits Rolo for helping him stay focused on the future, saying, “Rolo’s mint. I tell all my regular customers; I’m trying to save up for a camper van so I can travel the UK with my dog.”
Ben Stevenson, Service Manager for Big Issue North, highlights the importance of the bond between people and their pets, saying, “We see every day how important the bond between people and their pets can be.” He also praises Street Paws for their work, saying, “By supporting these pets, they are helping people too.”
Big Issue North has around 300 vendors across towns and cities in the North, including Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, and Liverpool. Vendors buy each magazine for £2 and sell it for £4, keeping the profit. Seasonal products like the Big Issue North 2026 calendar are created for vendors to sell alongside their magazines, providing an essential boost to earnings during the colder months. All proceeds from calendars purchased directly from vendors go directly to them, while online purchases and purchases from stockists support Big Issue North’s wider work in helping people in need earn an income and build a better future.
The Big Issue North 2026 calendar is available for purchase from local vendors or at shop.bigissuenorth.com. To support Big Issue North’s wider work, donations can be made at justgiving.com/bigissuenorth or by texting BINORTH to 70970 to give £5. To support Street Paws, donations can be made at donate.justgiving.com/charity/street-paws.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.