Newsletter wiNter 2012
oNE vENDoR DRIvINg foRwARD THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p1 / WINTER 2012
olymPian efforts of the vendors are worth celebrating
Newsletter wiNter 2012
“Pete simPly was an incredible, enigmatic Person” P16
CONTENTS News 03 Driving Forward every Dog Has His Day 04 A vendor's best friend A week in the life… 06 Jenna soame the Game Of life 08 real lives, real Journeys Box Of tricks 10 working with the Foundation Countrywide 12 News from the regions For the Diary 13 Upcoming events in Memoriam 14 Pete Dolan Join the Bike ride 16 london to Paris
Summer 2011 - I was walking home as the riots in London erupted. This was the first time I have ever experienced a real sense of fear and dismay going through the heart of my community. A few days later I was in Birmingham visiting the Foundation support team; I saw first-hand the destruction that occurred when the discontented and disenfranchised took to the streets. I have a home and the comfort that entails. I cannot find the words to express how I might have felt were I living on the streets when the riots hit. Yet one year later, many share a post-Olympics glow of optimism and hope for the future that stems from the inclusivity of the Games and the regeneration that will occur. But this winter I am struck by just how hollow that sense of hope is for so many. The statistics are all around us: homelessness is far worse now than it was just 12 months ago. In London alone this year we have met over 400 people who were roughsleeping when they approached us; hidden away in the parks and the back streets of our capital. For me The Big Issue represents a glimmer of hope and the promise of opportunity for some of the most excluded and disadvantaged people in our country; this is the message that is reflected in the pages ahead. For the 'un-housed' we operate an ‘open house’ system, one that embraces people no matter what their issues and sticks with them as they begin to work their way out of homelessness. Our vendors are our ‘customers’, they are not our ‘clients’. We empower, we do not judge. We expect a standard of behaviour combined with the will to work towards a better life, a life where people make their own choices about what they want and where they aspire to be. This newsletter contains some amazing achievements, but the Olympian efforts that our vendors have made is only possible because of the independent support of our donors – thank you. It is my hope that we can convey just how vital your support is in these hard times. A few unlucky rolls of the dice can be all it takes to change a life for the worse. Please help us make more changes for the better.
Chief executive, the Big issue Foundation Cover picture: Flemming leitorp The Big Issue Foundation is dedicated to the wellbeing of Big Issue vendors and we work with over 2500 individuals across the UK. Our skilled Service Brokers work one-to-one with vendors, creating bespoke life action plans with a core self-help ethos, to tackle issues ranging from health and accommodation through to money management and aspirations. The Big Issue Foundation is about taking control, moving forward, gaining independence and rebuilding lives. We exist to enable vendors to continue their journey away from homelessness towards social and financial inclusion.
1-5 wandsworth road, Vauxhall, london, sw8 2lN tel: 0207 526 3456 www.bigissue.org.uk email: fundraising@bigissue.com www.twitter.com/tBiF www.facebook.com/theBigissueFoundation registered Charity No. 1049077
the Big issue: a good read!
THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p2 / WINTER 2012
Vendor Andy enjoys a coffee and a chat
A
ndy sits down in the tiny 'old school' caf with a coffee. I ask if he wants to have a soft drink as well: “No, I don’t want to be greedy,” he says. Big Issue vendor Andy used to work as a lorry driver, but his life changed forever when he was crushed by a reversing car. The accident made him unable to work and Andy ended up sleeping rough - and to make matters worse he caught TB. Three years ago Andy started selling The Big Issue at Victoria and since then he has built up a customer base of nearly 60 regulars, people he truly values. One night sleeping rough, Andy had all his
green dream.
The Big Issue Foundation continues to be highly committed to find new ways of helping the environment.The letter for this appeal has been printed on paper which is PEFC certified; PEFC is an organisation that ensures that the paper is produced from timber which
possessions stolen including his passport. With help from the Big Issue Foundation’s Vendor Support Fund, Andy managed to
“his life changed forever when he was crushed by a car" save for a new passport and he hopes one day to be able to buy a van and run his own small business as a driver. Andy talks vividly about how he managed on the streets, the difference between sleeping in front of a McDonald's
has been produced with respect for the highest ecological, social and ethical standards. In London we recycle electrical and metal waste via We Clear Junk which is in accordance with the WEEE Directive. We also recycle all our print cartridges. We are in the process of doing a nationwide analysis of our printers to save even more.
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Would YOU like to help the environment. Sign up for this newsletter by email. Go to http://www.bigissue.org.uk/newsletter. (Don't forget to put in your postcode so we don't send you the paper version again.)
THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p3 / WINTER 2012
Photo: Flemming leitorp
driving f o r wa r d versus his secret hiding places behind a building site. One place he particularly likes but, he says, “I can never get used to the rats”. Andy seems a strong guy, a survivor. Yet he relays a touching story of a Christmas card. One of Andy's regular customers came by one day and gave him a Christmas card. He pauses and looks away. “It said… Andy, you are great guy”. A moment's thought and a coffee later Andy is back on the streets selling his magazines, seeing his regulars and focusing on his dream job as a driver. SILJA ANDERSEN
every dog h as h i s d ay it wAs A lUCky DAy FOr BrUNO tHe DOG wHeN VeNDOr rAy ClAPPeD eyes ON HiM. tHeir stOry sHOws tHe iMPOrtANCe OF relAtiONsHiPs tO Us All THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p4 / WINTER 2012
when i first met ray at
the start of July he was keen to engage with some of The Big Issue Foundation's services and quickly came in for a review, opened an account and started to use the Vendor Saving Scheme saving for his tabard deposit. The review went well and this was the platform for Ray to disclose that although he was really happy with the goals he had already achieved he often felt quite lonely and in need of companionship. He has a keen interest in dogs and has for years wanted to be a dog owner. Through gentle guidance and reassurance Ray, who suffers from depression and low self esteem, decided he could and should try to get a dog. We set about calling the local dogs' home and found out the criteria for adopting a dog. Ray applied for a contribution from the Vendor Support Fund (VSF) to fund a bus trip to go to the dogs' home so that he could meet some of the dogs. The trip proved to be enjoyable and although there were no suitable dogs it gave Ray the knowledge and enthusiasm to undertake weekly selffunded trips until he found the right dog. Eventually Ray found the right dog, Bruno, and he tidied up his back yard for the first trial home visit. This all went well and the only thing standing between Ray and his dog was £165. Ray used his Vendor Saving Scheme and sold lots of magazines. Once again he applied for a VSF contribution of £30 in order to raise the money - one week later Ray brought Bruno on his first trip to The Big Issue office. l By REBEkAh gRAy
other things dog related.
The Big Issue Foundation works closely with Dogs Trust Hope Project which supports homeless dog owners with advice and veterinary care.The Big Issue office in Vauxhall now has a dedicated dog parking for dogs, so vendors can properly tie their dogs while buying their magazines. Several organisations and individuals have donated items such as leads and collars, and Grethe from Copenhagen creates blankets and jackets for vendors' dogs. Pictured left: Vendor Mark with his beloved dog Benzen who he rescued from a bin. They are now inseparable. Main pic: Vendor Dorian's dog Guevara THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p5 / WINTER 2012
a week in the life of a big issue f o u n d at i o n worker by Jenna soame
THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p6 / WINTER 2012
“woRkINg wIth voLuNtEERS AND vENDoRS I gEt to SEE two DIffERENt gRoupS of pEopLE gRow AND pRogRESS IN LIfE” monday
I arrive at work and someone is already filling out an induction form to sign up to be a vendor. With a volunteer we take her through how The Big Issue works, where she’ll be training, and show her a video introducing high-selling vendors and their top sales techniques. She leaves us confident, motivated and ready to go. In the afternoon we visit her on her pitch to find she has sold her first three magazines and treated herself to a hot lunch with her takings - her first in a few days.
tuesday
Every Tuesday at 10am we run a sales drop-in workshop which we ask every new vendor to attend. Today four vendors come; one spent time to find the right pitch for them, a Sainsbury’s in the area they know well, and another is putting a deposit down for their tabard after using our savings advice. An experienced vendor also comes to share his best selling tips with the newer vendors.
wednesday
We have recently taken on a new group of volunteers and today I take three on a walk around some of the distribution points around the city to meet the vendor coordinators who run them, vendors in the area, and to explain more about The Big Issue. This is to give them a sense of how we work on the street and to see how to run “on-street offices”. In the afternoon I team up the volunteers with experienced vendors to have a go at selling the magazine - the perfect exercise to add credibility when training new vendors. It starts raining halfway through leading them to have an even greater admiration for the determination and motivation of the vendors we work with.
thursday
Our outreach team refer a vendor on to us – he has been selling for three weeks but is really struggling with sales. I go to visit him on a pitch with a volunteer and we give him some new ideas for sales techniques, buy him a coffee, and have a chat to reduce the loneliness of selling on the street. He needs more help with getting access to accommodation and we refer him to the The Big Issue Foundation’s service broker Matt and make an appointment for them to meet up.
friday
With two volunteers I go to a recruitment fair at a local volunteer centre. We’ve worked a lot together in the past as they used to provide courses for volunteers, from mental health awareness to how to motivate and reward volunteers. We speak to a lot of people creating awareness of The Big Issue’s work. It's especially satisfying to hear the volunteers talk so avidly about The Big Issue to others. Having only been with us for a few months so far they have really grown and speak so passionately about our work and our vendors. True lifelong ambassadors for The Big Issue.l To find out more about volunteering, go to www.bigissue.com/volunteer
THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p7 / WINTER 2012
the game of life 'HOMeless MONOPOly', OlyMPiC tOrCHes AND AN iNsPiriNG eVeNiNG. By VeNDOr ANDre rOstANt
G
lowsticks have always seemed slightly dubious to me: maybe a conspiracy to dispose of radioactive waste by distributing it to an unwitting parade of festival goers. I had certainly never associated glowsticks with the board game Monopoly until Elliot – a Big Issue vendor from Birmingham – used two to symbolise a journey that had brought him, myself, a number of other Big Issue vendors, workers, supporters and prospective supporters to the elegant Institute of Contemporary Arts in Pall Mall (£160 on the Monopoly board) and St James’s Park ('rent free' to a few canny, well-hidden roughsleepers). The occasion was Rea l Lives, Rea l Journeys, a ref lection on what can be achieved when The Big Issue Foundation works alongside, and in support of, vendors, and a call to arms for those in a position to materially contribute to this work. The event - sponsored by Banham and Women Of The Year Foundation - formed part of The Big Issue’s 21st birthday celebrations. Monopoly is itself an irony – born out of the Great Depression, it put property, money and power into the hands of anybody able to afford a board game – at a time when millions went without and the spectre of destitution was everywhere. At the ICA, we were taken around an alternative, 'reverse' Monopoly board. Chance: “You have been a victim of domestic v iolence a nd sur v ived. The long-term effects on your mental health are still there and you have been diagnosed with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Your benefits have been suspended as you have been assessed to be fit for work.” Oh yes! And the properties tended to be shop doorways, benches and parks – zero rent, but the real prospect of adventures such as being urinated on, set fire to in your sleep, or beaten up by drunken louts. H e l e n Wa k e m a n - J o n e s o f W K D Productions conjured the theme, picked the wryly evocative venue and gave freely of her extraordinary talents; to make the whole thing work the walls were adorned with giant fragments of The Big Issue Monopoly boa rd g iv i ng i n for mat ion about t he magazine and its vendors – such as: “Vendors buy their magazines with their own cash” – which, curiously, not a lot of people know. One significant barrier faced by the homeless is social stigma: try getting between
an acquaintance and an exit door, grinning broadly, and telling them your hobbies are cross-dressing and arson – this should give you an experience of something like the typical reactions of people in general, and particularly of employers, when we tell them we are homeless. It is hardly surprising, then, that this kind of feedback develops into a g reat dune of pett y a nd not so pett y knockbacks that grind down homeless peoples’ confidence and makes even the most resilient of us a bit defensive. For example, towards the end of the event, after having performed smoothly and eloquently as our MC for the evening, Joel Hodgson, when revealed to be a former vendor, appeared compelled to confront one stereotype, albeit with a humorous quip that he was neither “a rapper”, nor “a Michael Jackson tribute act”. I myself somehow felt obliged to justify not being stereotypically homeless enough – I am happily married with children. And this, despite being in the midst of a welcoming gathering of patently sympathetic, friendly people! Elliot, wielding his glowstick as if it were some supermarket own-brand economy light sabre, put this into perspective –telling the stor y of his rise from abuse a nd disillusionment with the help of Tom. So who is Tom? Tom is a service broker with The Big Issue Foundation. His mission – and he always chooses to accept it – is to help vendors access such organisations or services as might reach down and help us scramble up out of the deep muddysided crater that is homelessness should we reach up for them. As the motto goes: “A hand up”. Of course, on occasion the message, and the mission, self destructs, but w ith on ly 25 per ma nent sta f f in the Foundation and an average of around 2000 vendors out on the street, the maths speaks volumes. The system essentially works and, while each positive outcome can be calculated at around £150 in cash terms – the real, immeasurable value is a priceless, restored, self-respecting individual human being. This may be the 21st century, but our society remains stubbornly riddled with male chauvinism from top - ask yourself how many women ministers there are in our “mother” of parliaments – to bottom; dispossession and isolation render homeless women (up to 15 per cent of rough sleepers) in particular THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p8 / WINTER 2012
Vendor Andre rostant below lef�: Joel Hodgson at the real lives, real Journeys event
reAl liVes, reAl JOUrNeys is All ABOUt VeNDOrs vulnerable to violence and sexual abuse. Service brokers like Tom can put individuals in contact with organisations according to their specific needs – viz: the homeless person who received a computer from Women Of The Year Foundation to study on a network training course. And, as Joel pointed out, The Big Issue’s corporate placement initiative is of particular use here to women, because it can go further than a service broker by providing – as Matt Rees, a partner with law
the odds are that Elliot will when he proudly launches The Big Issue’s Birmingham Night Walk on October 5! A number of people volunteered The Big Issue Foundation’s CEO Stephen Robertson for a London To Paris bike ride (I think he had injudiciously mentioned to somebody that he was considering it). And it was Stephen who rounded off the evening with a short, impassioned speech, noting that, even though Britain’s glorious Olympic Summer has contrasted so vividly with last year’s riotous eruption of bitterness, violence and anger, the number of homeless people – including those sleeping rough - is soaring ever higher. The situation is now “in many respects worse than when The Big Issue started 21 years ago,” he said. Stephen paid tribute to The Big Issue’s vendor “Olympians” and invited attendees to have their photograph taken with Joel holding the Olympic torch that he carried through Newham on 21 July after being put forward by colleagues at Freshfields! Joel, a charming and earnest young man whose personal journey exemplifies The Big Issue’s objectives so perfectly is preparing for a try out to represent Belize (where he was born, and lived until he was four years old) at the Commonwealth Games in 2014. Many guests commented that the Real Lives, Real Journeys event did what The Big Issue does best – allowing supporters and vendors to mingle and develop an appreciation of each other and, crucially, tackling the negative image of homeless people by underlining how with “a few bad rolls of the dice” any of us might start down the slippery slope to homelessness. That a 1930s board game, the legend of ancient fire stolen from the Gods of Olympus, and our little light sabres of obscure and bizarre provenance (to me at least) are the weapons we chose to fight the Dark Side of homelessness at The Big Issue’s Real Lives, Real Journeys event, should not give cause for doubt, because the vision they illuminated was one of privileged people who – contrary to yet
tHe BiG issUe tACkles tHe NeGAtiVe iMAGes
firm Simmons And Simmons puts it, “a safe place for vendors to sell their magazines”. Of course, not all the guests were big law firms – there were representatives of charitable trusts, smaller companies and a few private individuals. Neither is everybody nor every business in a position to help in the same way, and those present rose admirably to the appeal for initiative, which was one of the key messages of the evening. One individual intimated that he would be interested in mentoring vendors; another vowed to actually take and read the magazine instead of merely giving cash to vendors - as had been his habit. Stan Burridge – a former
vendor who now works with charity London Pathway, helping rough sleepers access appropriate hea lthca re – is going to investigate a potential newspaper advertising campaign. A nother attendee, Gordon Christiansen of Red Box, promised to deepen his firm’s strategic partnership with The Big Issue. He hopes to build awareness amongst his staff “in order to develop fundraising programmes for many years to come”. Those who a lready contribute a re considering innovative new ways to help, both large and small: Josh Spero of Spear’s magazine – is planning to do a Night Walk – I don’t know if he will carry a glowstick, but THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p9 / WINTER 2012
another stereotype - genuinely care and who are actively looking for ways to benefit the disadvantaged. And this without seeking to condemn or pontificate – because the whole principle of The Big Issue is that it fosters, demands, even, self help and self respect from those to whom it proffers help. In fact, The Big Issue Foundation delivers non-judgmental support to individuals who are effectively microentrepreneurs buying and selling The Big Issue magazine. Community Chest: "Your poem has been published in the magazine. You have now shared the difficult life events that ended in you becoming homeless. This makes you feel lighter, better understood and relieved. You also got paid £10." A s it happens, my poem rea lly was published in the September 24 edition of The Big Issue – although I have yet to go and claim my £15...l
BoX of tRICkS reD BOx PrOVe tHere Are MANy CleVer wAys tO eNGAGe witH tHe BiG issUe FOUNDAtiON getting involved
It a l l bega n w it h a cha nce meeting between RED BOX ma nag ing director Gordon Christiansen and Big Issue chairman Nigel Kershaw. Inspired by the work The Big Issue was doing, discussion quickly turned to how RED BOX could support the Big Issue Foundation. An internal event hosted by RED BOX soon followed where CEO Stephen Robertson introduced the Foundation, its work, vision, ambitions and challenges. Big Issue vendor Dean (you can read about his adventures on the London To Paris bike ride on page 16) also came to talk to staff about his experiences and how the charity had helped him start to move forward with his life. Touched and inspired, RED BOX staff quickly came up with a range of ideas about how they, with the help of the company, could support the charity.
making a difference
RED BOX is a proud supporter of The Big Issue Foundation, do-
nating time and money through group staff activities and commitments at organisational level. As well as raising much-needed funds for the charity, RED BOX has also added greater awareness and commitment to its corporate and social responsibility initiatives. This has been demonstrated through staff involvement and great supplier support. Working with manufacturer 3M, RED BOX has pledged to donate 5 per cent of all its profits from the sale of Post-it notes throughout 2012 to The Big Issue Foundation. In 2013 we have a commitment from leading brand Black n’ Red to run a similar programme for their range of professional notebooks. In May 2012 a group of RED BOX employees were involved in The Big Sleep Out at The Old Vic Tunnels underneath Waterloo Station, London. The event saw more than 100 people sleeping rough for the night. Through their efforts the RED BOX team raised a fantastic £800. Further to this, in July 2012, the Red Box
sales team participated in a ‘vendor day’ that saw account managers paired with a vendor to sell copies of The Big Issue magazine in London’s Covent Garden. Their sales skills were put to the test as they competed to see who could sell the most magazines. Account Manager Jane Gibbons, who single-handedly sold an impressive 29 per cent of all the magazines, said of her day: "It was really hard work but when you did get a sale it was a great feeling. It wasn't until later that I discovered they buy the magazines with their own money, they're effectively a microbusiness. It was an incredible insight and very humbling." In response to the feedback from the events, RED BOX is planning even more creative and thought-provoking events to help raise awareness and money for the Foundation.
saving the big issue money
RED BOX doesn’t just raise money through fundraising activities or make donations but
THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p10 / WINTER 2012
also looked into how it could save The Big Issue money as a business. The office supplies account manager undertook an indepth analysis of the products The Big Issue bought for their office and was able to deliver a saving of 20 per cent simply by switching to RED BOX. In addition, RED BOX is now the main supplier of printed products for the charity including bespoke print covering a range of collateral such as flyers, envelopes, newsletters and events material. The Big Issue was particularly interested in using RED BOX as a supplier because all print requirements could be provided on FSC or recycled stock and printed using vegetable inks: an environmentally friendly approach to printed media is important to the charity. The RED BOX print specialist was also able to provide significant cost savings. RED BOX's sister company, RED SPACE - which specialises in workplace furniture - is also working with The Big Issue to
We would like to say a big thank you to just a few of the people who have helped us in the past few months
thank you FresHFielDs for outstandingly committed support.
helen wakeman-Jones
WKD productions transformed the space at the ICA into a giant game of Reverse Monopoly for the 2012 Real Lives, Real Journey’s event. The effect was stunning!
magnus arrevad for extraordinary event pictures HSBC and Field:lab and specifically
daniel flÖsser
for designing an extraordinary appeal this summer at no cost.
cathy hull nick gillott at www.cathyhulldesign.co.uk for redesigning our Street lights appeal
for fabulous shots for our website Thank you for your extensive ongoing support from
look at redesigning the layout of the charity ’s despatch area where vendors buy magazines, enabling them to create a more efficient working environment from the space they have. This will provide a more pleasant environment for the vendors, critical in helping them on their personal journeys. “We’re proud to be supporting The Big Issue Foundation in its mission to provide a hand up - not a hand out - and help individuals to take control of their lives," says Gordon Christiansen. "As a medium-sized business we’re not in a position to simply write a big cheque and, in fact, even if we could it’s not what we wanted," he goes on. "We sought an ongoing relationship with a fantastic cause where not only could we donate some money but also help reduce their infrastructure costs; this helps to free funds to deliver the support this vulnerable section of our community so desperately needs. "The Big Issue offers some of the most excluded people in the
gemma Jones & meera Jhaveri & all the emPloyment law team from lawrence graham llP; Thank you sincerely to
matt rees, kate dell & the hr rewards team at simmons & simmons Personal trainer
chris bates for warming up our wonderful London Night Walkers and for keeping our office staff fit and healthy by doing our daily Jane Fondas!
wOrkiNG witH A VeNDOr wAs AN iNCreDiBle iNsiGHt
country a unique opening to take back control and ownership of their lives and earn a legitimate income. By supporting and raising awareness of the services the Big Issue provide, together we can help to address the problems of homelessness." THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p11 / WINTER 2012
nadJa christin and wiesner hager
for some fabulous chairs for our office and our vendor area in Vauxhall
kraft food for wonderful chocolates, financial support and some dedicated Birmingham walkers. and many thanks to
ambrose aPPelbe
Warren Evans, Woman Of The Year,
saJeela kershi and suZy bennett
NEwS fRom ARouND thE CouNtRy BriGHtON iDeNtity HeFt
In Brighton there has been an increase in the amount of vendors we have helped with photo ID. This is essential for accessing financial services, benefits, jobs and housing. Most vendors in Brighton now have the ID required to move forward.
BAtH DOiNG tHe BUsiNess
Vendor Istvan Kakas is doing some great work with the local Business Improvement District (BID) team. They are funded by the council and local businesses. We are doing lots of work with BID locally, they are one of the organisations that supports our Vendor Of The Month programme - they look out for vendors on their pitches and make sure they are okay. During Aspirations Week we encouraged vendors to take part in a photo competition which the BID team are judging and they will also be presenting the prizes sometime soon. Istvan has been keeping his pitch clean, brushing it each morning. Unfortunately his brush was chucked in the river and the BID team bought him a new brush. They are delighted he is keeping the area around his pitch so clean. His pitch is next to the station so it's helping them give people a good first impression of Bath.
OxFOrD GOAl settiNG
The Big Issue joined the Oxford Social Inclusion Cup, where 18 teams from all around the UK participated.
Our vendor Kevin, age 67, won the hearts of his supporters as he threw himself quite literally into the match, saving a great many goals with real style! The team reached the quarter finals. In fact, Kevin also won a trophy for player of the tournament!
BristOl FUll serViCe
We have two new assistant service brokers in Bristol and they are both very excited about strengthening relationships with related agencies in the area.
lONDON HelD tO ACCOUNt
In London we have seen a marked improvement in the amount of bank accounts that vendors have been able to open. When we issue a letter confirming a vendor is of no fixed abode, that the vendor is allowed to use our address on a 'care of' basis and request their assistance to open a “Basic Bank Account” in line with their financial inclusion policy, it usually does the trick.
BOUrNeMOUtH OFF tHe streets
Huge efforts have gone into getting vendors off the streets in Bournemouth and in the last quarter the team had 124 positive outcomes in relation to accommodation, which is a phenomenal achievement. The joined-up approach with the local outreach team and agencies has proved very fruitful.
PlyMOUtH sHOw tiMe
This year we decided to turn Aspirations Week into Apsirations Month by holding it across the whole month of August. We decided this year to focus on the range of
THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p12 / WINTER 2012
“He wAs CHOseN FrOM A NAtiONwiDe POOl OF tAleNt, CONsistiNG OF DisABleD AND MArGiNAliseD Artists, AND i wOUlD UrGe ANyONe tO CHeCk OUt tHe weBsite FOr its tOUriNG sCHeDUle As tHe wOrk is exCelleNt!" The Tight Modern is a miniature replica of London’s iconic Tate Modern gallery and showcases 50 disabled and marginalised artists in the world's smallest temporary gallery. Vendor Mahesh (left) can be seen with his featured photo of a water droplet. See http://tightmodern.wix. com/gallery for more details
events calendar To be a part of our fun and engaging fundraising events – whether it is cycling, walking or sleeping out – please call 020 7526 3453 or go to www.bigissue.org.uk/events
london to Paris bike ride July 18 2013 to July 21 2013
training available and also hold a competition to allow vendors to show their creative side. The competition had the theme ‘Real Lives Real People’ and had three categories: Photography, Art and Creative Writing (poetry or short stories). The exhibition was a success with many people stopping to look at the work on show.
london to brighton challenge may 25 2013 to may 26 2013
BirMiNGHAM wAlkiNG tAll
Birmingham played host to The Big Issue Foundation's first Big Brum Night Walk this year. Nearly 100 people walked through the night and raised vital funds for services in Birmingham.
exeter Very sNAPPy
During Aspirations Week this year we again used our popular photography competition, encouraging our vendors to look at the world around them and use it as a talking point with their customers. We gave our vendors a week to take their pictures and the feedback was excellent.
the big JumP may 19 2013
NOttiNGHAM GOOD HeAltH
Nottingham is gearing up for Health Week where the team will be focusing on vendors’ health leading up to colder times. There will also be sessions on sexual health and healthy eating and on the Friday there will be relaxation and acupuncture.
sOUtHAMPtON BrOkeriNG A FUtUre
The Big Issue Foundation have now funded a new service broker post to extend the services to vendors in that area.
the big sleeP out
may 2013 –tbc london and bristol
THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p13 / WINTER 2012
“homelessness leads to very Premature mortality and increased mortality rates. ultimately, homelessness kills”
we were DeePly sADDeNeD tO leArN OF tHe sUDDeN PAssiNG OF ONe OUr VeNDOrs, Pete DOlAN. Pete wAs extreMely POPUlAr AND will Be MisseD By sO MANy. BirMiNGHAM AreA serViCe BrOker, tOM Belte, PAys triBUte tO Pete I worked with Pete for just over five years.
I badged him up and from then on he was one of the vendors I always referred to when discussing The Big Issue and its benefits to other people. Pete was simply an incredible person, and he viewed the world with intelligence and understanding. And even though I shouldn’t have one, he was my favourite vendor and I am very saddened that he has passed away. I always looked on him as our very own ‘Forrest Gump’. He lived such a diverse life, spending time in the American Navy, working in New York, travelling and living all over America and Europe. He worked in various places, was a bus conductor in England, completed a BA in America, as well as speaking various languages, having a prep school education and friends in high places in France. He was a good friend to the homeless community in Birmingham. I asked him once if he would be interested in writing his life down, he decided against it for personal reasons but I still think it would have been a great story. I do quite a lot of talks at various places and run open days, and the first question I get asked when I talk about vendors is “who is that man that vends in Solihull?” so he was also incredibly popular with the general public too. It was very emotional for all who knew him when we heard the news. In 2010 Pete participated in a local Ramadan f lash mob; it’s the Pete I will continue to remember now that he has gone, along with all the funny stories he would tell, and of course his unique, gleaming character.l
THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p14 / WINTER 2012
thank you for helPing us to transform the lives of big issue vendors across the uk
If you would like to make a donation towards our work, to change your contact details, or sign up for Gift Aid, please complete and return this form using our freepost address below.
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THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p15 / WINTER 2012
Vendor Dean celebrates reaching Paris
london to Paris bike ride thursday July 18 to sunday July 21 2013
vendor dean on his 2012 london to Paris adventure before the event:
I was nervous and apprehensive, that feeling of not knowing what you are going into kind of like your first day at school. I was wondering who the other people would be and if I would be the slowest...
thursday:
I had to get up really early - at this stage my nerves were terrible. We met at the York House in Twickenham. Everyone else seemed really nice. I was put into the ‘fun’ group with Baggy our guide. Baggy gave us a briefing and we were off. We started off going through Surrey, and passed through Cobham, the town I grew up in so it brought back all sorts of memories. The hills were tough. Everyone in the group had to get off and walk one, it was that steep! It was great getting to know everyone while we were riding along and telling them a bit about myself, I really enjoyed this part. On the ride I felt safe, organised – compared to everything else going on in my life. We made
it to Portsmouth where we showered, ate and later got on the overnight ferry; let’s just say I slept well this night.
friday:
We arrived in Caen very early, the ferry put on some horrible music at 5.30am to wake everyone up! It was a beautiful morning in France riding along the canal to start with; not too far into the ride Baggy stopped us at one of the most significant bridges in the civil war. This day was our biggest day of riding – 90 miles! The small villages and big country fields were so beautiful and picturesque. In the afternoon we stopped for coffee at this tiny French town at a café where the locals were watching the Tour de France. We finished the day at a restaurant around the corner from our hotel; everyone was absolutely shattered!
saturday:
I was pleasantly surprised by the attitude towards cyclists in France: we had to stop to change an inner tube and had people stopping to check if we were okay. Nice change from cycling in London. I hit a bit of THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p16 / WINTER 2012
a wall in the afternoon at our last stop before heading into Paris; I was absolutely exhausted but had to keep going. Before heading to the Eiffel tower we stopped at the Palace of Versailles, it was beautiful. Cycling around the Arc de Triomphe was an amazing experience, all of us in our matching jerseys; I would describe it as ‘organised chaos’! We rode down the Champs Elysees and to the Eiffel tower gardens where we had team photos under the tower. It was a fantastic feeling completing this ride, something I had built up to for almost a year. I’m very proud of what I have achieved. We had a special team dinner at a French restaurant, I said a speech but I forgot the joke I was meant to say. It was a great night with everyone. To finish off this amazing experience the following day we got to watch Bradley Wiggins win the Tour de France. I also went sight seeing with some of my new friends around Paris.l To register online and for more information visit: www.bigissue.org.uk/london2paris or call us on: 0207 526 3453 or email us: events@bigissue.com