BJL and The Big Issue in the North make Christmas wishes

To mark its 25th anniversary year as a leading North West business and creative agency, BJL has launched a Christmas campaign with The Big Issue in the North, at one of the most difficult times of year for those who are living without shelter or vulnerably housed.

BJL invited four Manchester vendors of The Big Issue in the North into the agency to help design their own, unique Christmas card. Working closely with BJL’s team of creatives, vendors Freddie, Steven, Andy and Paul developed their own individually inspired artwor based on their personal experiences and perspectives on Christmas. BJL then took on design and production of the cards, with each one incorporating a QR code with a link through to further information on the scheme, information on how to donate to the charity and a back story on each of The Big Issue in the North’s homeless contributors.

The cards are available to view and share from a specially created micro-site, www.xmaswishes.co.uk, along with behind-the-scenes info, imagery and video on the creative process.

BJL will be sending the cards out to all existing clients to help encourage donations to the charity, while inviting staff to make them their card of choice for friends and family this Christmas. All proceeds from the targeted print run will go to The Big Issue in the North Trust, on top of an additional sum BJL will be offering to the charity through their involvement in the project.

Jackie Holt, managing partner at BJL, said of the initiative: “We’re so privileged here at BJL to be a part of such a supportive environment that it’s all too easy to forget how little other people sharing our city have. Our partnership with The Big Issue in the North this year is our way of using some of the skills and resources we possess to help the UK’s homeless and encourage others to get involved to do the same. By involving Freddie, Steven, Andy and Paul we hope to be able to reach a much larger audience by encouraging others to offer their support at what is undoubtedly one of the most difficult times of year for those who find themselves homeless.”

Asked about his involvement in the project and what he hoped the campaign would achieve, Paul said: “If it could change anything? I hope it would be to change people’s perceptions. We are human beings. We’re just down on our luck.”

To find out more about the initiative, view the cards and backgrounds on their creators, and for details of how to make a donation to The Big Issue in the North Trust, please visit www.xmaswishes.co.uk.