Belstaff launches Black Friday promotion to support The Big Issue Foundation

British heritage brand Belstaff will donate 10 percent of all full-price sales over the Black Friday weekend, from the 27 to 30 of November. Proceeds will go to The Big Issue Foundation in the U.K. This follows an earlier spring promotion where Belstaff donated a jacket for every jacket sold online, during the first national lockdown. This winter, as the coronavirus cases have spiked ravishing the U.K., instead of offering discounts Belstaff wanted to continue to support the most vulnerable communities.

The Big Issue magazine began in 1991 as a response to the growing number of rough sleeps on the streets of London. Its aim was to offer people the opportunity to earn an income through selling the magazine. Since then, it’s grown, and the distinctive red tabard of its vendors can be found in cities across the U.K. Four years after launching the magazine, The Big Issue Foundation, an independently funded registered charity that works exclusively with Big Issue vendors, was founded. As little as 11 pounds can make a difference to their work, paying for an hour’s one-to-one support to help Big Issue vendors access housing, finance, health, and well-being.

The spring promotion of buy-one-give-one led to Belstaff distributing 350 jackets to Big Issue vendors across the U.K. Belstaff also nominated the charity to receive its parent company’s Community Fund, with a donation of 10,000 pounds made in June. The INEOS Community Fund was established by INEOS owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe, John Reece, and Andy Currie in March 2020 as part of the company’s social response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund recognizes that local charities and community organizations have a special role to play in reaching some of the most vulnerable people, developing trusted relationships and implementing practical support programs. The fund has supported 159 vital organizations around INEOS sites and businesses to date, including homeless and domestic abuse shelters, food banks, and mental health support.

The Community Fund was used to support Big Issue vendors affected by the coronavirus crisis. Frontline teams provided emotional and financial assistance to combat social isolation and compensate for loss of income from magazine sales when Big Issue vendors were told to stop selling during the first lockdown. Belstaff teamed up with Big Issue vendor and photographer Carlos Gonzales Perez to photograph just a few of London’s vendors receiving their Belstaff winter coats and to see how the fund is helping vendors.

photo: courtesy of Karla Otto