A Week In The Life of our Front Line Worker Geo

MONDAY

Monday morning is universally the busiest morning at every Big Issue office in the country and Bath is no exception! I meet our vendors at Green Park station and it’s a great time to catch up on how everyone’s weekend went and if there were any problems as we wait for the magazine delivery. Our vendor Harry has money he wants to put in the Vendor Savers Scheme -he’s saving towards a passport.

After everyone has bought their magazines and confirmed the pitches, I’m straight on the train to Warminster. Here I deliver magazines to vendors so they do not have the additional cost of a train fare to a central office. In Warminster I catch up with a vendor who wants to know more about his rights as he is living in his campervan. We head over to the Citizen’s Advice drop-in together to get advice and information.

Back in the office in Bath I’ve got a meeting with Metro Bank’s local director to discuss what vendors need to apply for a standard account. Many people on the streets don’t have a bank account and we want to support as many people as possible towards financial independence and managing their own money.

TUESDAY

This week is a special week because on Thursday we have the opening of our new exhibition about the working lives of vendors in Bath at the Museum of Bath at Work. We were so pleased that vendors' work could be showcased in a space that recognises the last 2,000 years of

labour around Bath. I check in with the museum to make sure the right pictures are going up. A volunteer, Julia, recorded audio interviews with vendors and they all sound great, making a fantastic addition to the exhibition.

From there it’s straight off to an outreach meeting as vendor Harry wants to catch up. Harry has saved enough money for his Vendor Support Fund application for a new passport. This is so important as often when applying for a bank account, support services or even a job, photo ID is required.

WEDNESDAY

This morning I’m doing my first outreach with the local hostel’s new mental health worker. Along with a couple of vendors, I make my way round to the hostel. It’s great to get our relationship off to a good start so we can hit the ground running on supporting both existing and potential new vendors. Joint outreaches are a really great time to make vendors aware of other services available in the area.

I get back to the office and meet with our vendor Camilla who is considering moving on and wants to know what jobs are out there. She doesn’t have access to the internet, so we have a look on the computer in the office to see what jobs are available. She seems interested in cleaning roles.

THURSDAY

On Thursday morning I catch up with some admin before heading out on a late-morning outreach with a member of the Developing Health and Independence

engagement team. They run services to help disadvantaged people and those living on the margins of society to turn their lives around. We have a longstanding relationship with them that ensures we can keep vendors up to date with the health and substance abuse support available.

This evening we’ve got the opening of our exhibit showcasing vendors’ working lives. Myself and our volunteers Imogen and Ceci head to the museum to set up and wait for our vendor, William, who has a passion for history and is eager to help with the event and explain more about his work. We get a great turn-out and even the Mayor buys a magazine off William! The exhibit is at the Museum of Bath at Work on Julian Road until 1 September.

FRIDAY

It’s ‘Wiltshire Friday’ and I’m off to check in with all our vendors in West and North Wiltshire. It is a long journey involving multiple buses but it is important that we connect face-to-face with as many vendors as possible. Many vendors do not have a good support system in place and it’s important that they know there is someone in their corner, someone who is there to help them, whether that’s connecting them with local services or just providing a cuppa and a friendly ear.

Whether vendors decide to engage with our services or not, it is important that they know we see them, and they matter to us. We are there for them when they are ready to take the next step on their pathway to a better future.

Help us to continue to deliver front line services to enable more Big Issue vendors back on track: https://www.bigissue.org.uk/donate