John Bird: biography

Childhood: born in post war slums, he was initially brought up as a "catholic racist' with a hatred for pretty much everyone. Homeless at age 5, he found himself in orphanages from the ages of 7-10. He attributes much of his success and escape from poverty with thanks to baroness Barbara Wooton who placed him on probation aged 10, made him a ward of court at 12 as took him to a remand home aged 13. At 15, she took him from a boys prison and put i'm back into a reformatory so he could learn to read and write, something that he learned by 16. Whilst on the run from the police, he was also a beggar. He claimed that the resources to help the poor gave them everything except the opportunity to make money.

The Big Issue: In September 1991, Bird launched the Big Issue magazine with Gordon Roddick, co-founder of the body shop. He was inspired to create the magazine after Roddick met a homeless magazine vendor who was selling magazines for his drug habit as he didn't want to steal from old ladies. He also didn't want to return to his rough neighbourhood as he would go to prison if he did. Bird is currently the board of directors for the Big issue Group, including the magazine, the Big Issue invest, as well as the Big Issue foundation. Starting as a London venture, the magazine expanded to several other cities and countries. He is also the founder of the International Network of Street Papers which incorporates 100 street papers, and is published in 34 countries and 24 languages.

Politics: describes himself as a 'middle class Tory'