Glasgow’s Lord Provost Bob Winter is to host a civic reception tomorrow evening for Glasgow-based charity the International Network of Street Papers (INSP) of which he is a Patron. The event will be attended by over 70 key members of Scotland's leading business, media, charity and government communities. The keynote address will be given by Charles Fletcher MBE, Training Editor at the Herald & Times Group and Chief Executive of Caledonia Media. The purpose of the event is to raise awareness, in Glasgow and beyond, of the work carried out by INSP, and to strengthen the charity’s connection to the city.

Speaking of his support of INSP, the Lord Provost Bob Winter said “As Patron of International Network of Street Papers, I take pride in the fact that their headquarters is located in Glasgow, and I was delighted to be appointed as their first ever patron. In each of the countries that INSP operates, INSP makes a significant contribution to addressing the problems of homelessness and poverty, first by assisting those directly affected by providing employment and social support services, and secondly by campaigning and by educating the wider public.” From its Glasgow headquarters, INSP supports over 100 enterprising street paper projects, like the UK’s own Big Issue, in 38 countries around the world. Since its inception in 1994, the organisation has helped to support more than 250,000 poor and vulnerable people, with a particular focus on the developing world.

The Lord Provost has been Patron of the Glasgow-based charity for over a year; and is joined by other high profile individuals as the charity’s figureheads: Mayor Gunnar Bakke of Bergen, Norway (Patron) and Reuters News Editor-in-Chief, David Schlesinger (Honorary President).

INSP’s Executive Director Lisa Maclean said “We are extremely grateful for the ongoing support of Glasgow’s Lord Provost. In the last year he has helped us to raise awareness of INSP and to support our work providing hope and support to thousands of homeless people in cities around the world.”

Speaker, Charles Fletcher added “The work of the INSP and the street papers worldwide is creating the bedrock of a new source of news and information that has impact locally, nationally and internationally. It is an incredible force for good that embraces and upholds the very ethos of public service through a network of social entrepreneurs we should all be proud of."

The event comes right before INSP hold their annual international training and networking conference in Melbourne, hosted by Australia’s Big Issue Magazine and supported, among others, by Reuters News, Melbourne City Council and The Commonwealth Foundation. During the conference, INSP will also launch their long awaited news website, the Street News Service, which will provide a public gateway to the best of international street paper journalism worldwide.

The International Network of Street Papers: www.street-papers.org

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