Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • The Big Issue

    Housing & homelessness

    Jan 10, 2022 8 minutes

    01 Lou Macari

    Have you heard about the Manchester United footballer who dedicates his life to helping people in poverty? You know him – he’s famed for wearing a No 10 shirt, being a full international and having a heart the size of Old Trafford.

    No, not Marcus Rashford. We’re talking about Lou Macari, the midfield dynamo who made more than 300 appearances for United from 1973-84, as well as representing Scotland. After years in management and punditry, he read a debate about homelessness between two local councillors in his local paper. It changed his life. Macari (below left) went out into Stoke-on-Trent, met people sleeping rough and created somewhere safe for them.

    “The reason I got involved was thinking, well, I’ve had a good life, I’ve been lucky, I played for Manchester United, Celtic, the biggest clubs in the country, and I went to a World Cup. And this is a change I can make. I knew, with the help of a lot of people, I would be able to help. And I knew I could get help for homeless people because of my position as an ex-footballer.

    “I had read a disagreement about homelessness in Stoke by two councillors. So I went out to find out for myself and realised it was a massive problem. I met six people sleeping rough and asked if I found somewhere for them to stay,

    You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

    More from The Big Issue

    The Big Issue6 min read
    Eager Beavers
    A rotund willow tree is missing a ring of bark, cut out like a belt. Tree stumps stand, gnawed to a point. A path has been worn into the grass by the water’s edge. These features haven’t been seen in the capital since Shakespeare’s time. That was unt
    The Big Issue2 min read
    The Recall Of The Wild
    The fight for our environment is gathering pace around the UK and beyond. The people behind Knepp Estate, a 3,500-acre project near Gatwick Airport, are changing the fates of endangered species. Knepp began its transformation in 2001 when its owner c
    The Big Issue2 min read
    Editor’s Letter
    National identity is a curious thing. In his very long speech last week, Rishi Sunak pulled on ideas of identity as his magnet for votes. I suppose that is easier than standing on your record in office. He talked about British values such as fair pla

    Related Books & Audiobooks