Streetsheet
Stories, poems and pictures by Big Issue vendors and friends
VENDOR SPOTLIGHT
BRIAN WITH MANY OF HIS WILLIAMSTOWN REGULARS
BRIAN
06
THEBIGISSUE.ORG.AU
T
his May, I reach a milestone birthday: 65! There have been a lot of good times, and some ups and downs over those 65 years. When I was younger, I left New South Wales to travel around the country – and that ended up taking 24 years! I did odd jobs here and there, whatever I could to keep me going. I did labouring, worked on farms and in abattoirs, I also worked on Hamilton Island at Club Med, where I did maintenance, cleaning and picking up people as they arrived. I started selling The Big Issue in Brisbane in 1998, then moved to Bendigo, before finally settling in Melbourne. I’ve been selling the mag in Williamstown for
over 15 years. The local Williamstown community have always been welcoming and supportive of me – they have become my friends and I will often go out for coffee or lunch with my customers. When I became very ill and unable to work, I was overwhelmed by the care and support shown to me – the community all chipped in and fundraised to buy me a scooter. As I reach this milestone birthday – which I never thought I would meet – I want to say a big thank you to the Williamstown community. Your support has meant a lot to me. Even though I am reaching retirement age, I have no plans to finish up yet! BRIAN WILLIAMSTOWN I MELBOURNE
PHOTO BY MARK AVELLINO
When I’m 65!
