Winter newsletter 2017 by The Big Issue Foundation

WINTER NEWSLETTER 2017

MOVING ON UP THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p1 / WINTER 2017

WINTER NEWSLETTER 2017

CONTENTS Suits You, Sir 03 Nicolas gets smart at a corporate placement The Big Push 04 How The Big Issue Foundation fights for vendors' rights Leaving The Big Issue Behind (Cover story) 06 How Matthew managed to move on Week In The Life 08 Michael Hill and Hannah Smith, Oxford News From Around The Country 10 Videos, volunteering and victories Perfect Match 12 A partnership with Southampton FC Back On Track 14 The benefits of a train station pitch Activist's Corner 15 John Bird on his Credit Worthiness Bill Walk The Walk 16 The Big Night Walk 2018 is just around the corner! Writing Wrongs 18 Celebrating Charles Dickens' campaigning journalism

The Big Night Walk 2017

WWW.BIGISSUE.ORG.UK/NEWSLETTERS Photography by Magnus Arrevad, Travis Hodges, Marcus Pond To complement the self-help ethos of The Big Issue Magazine, The Big Issue Foundation was established in 1995 as an independently funded charity. The Big Issue Foundation addresses the fundamental issues attached to social and financial exclusion by working with Big Issue vendors who have made the first step towards working themselves out of poverty through selling the magazine. Our vision is to end poverty and exclusion for Big Issue vendors and our mission is to connect Big Issue vendors to the vital support they need to enable them to rebuild their lives and determine their own pathways to a better future. Our work benefits over 2,000 people every year across London, the South Coast, Oxford, the Midlands and the South West.

3rd Floor, 113-115 Fonthill Road, Finsbury Park, London, N4 3HH Tel: 020 7526 3458 www.bigissue.org.uk Email: foundation@bigissue.com www.twitter.com/TBIF www.facebook.com/TheBigIssueFoundation UNSUBSCRIBE INFO: If you wish to unsubscribe from our postal newsletters please call 0207 526 3458 or email foundation@bigissue.com

WE ARE HERE TO OFFER SUPPORT AND CAN ONLY DO IT WITH YOUR HELP There is no avoiding it. The papers we read, the news we watch, the people we see as we go about our daily lives: the “homeless problem” is getting bigger. Countless people are falling foul of the poverty of their experiences, support options are on the wane and the streets are the stage where this sad theatre plays out; all of us as unhappy an audience as there could be. Most of us would struggle if faced with these circumstances. Hope, resilience and fortitude might escape us and we would spiral down without the strength to get back up. The Big Issue offers a solution: the chance to work, the chance to take part, and the opportunity to create positive personal change. We are The Big Issue Foundation, we are here to extend the hand of help and we are only able to do this through the support that your gift provides. We help people to find their strength, to wrestle with their demons and lay the pathway to a better tomorrow. This newsletter contains just a few of the countless stories of change that have occurred in these hard times. Matthew’s brave battle with addiction and circumstance, leading to hope and work in the future, is a compelling story of a return to life that many of us would find hard to imagine. The Big Issue is a family for those who may have lost contact with friends and relatives and, just like a family, we are here for the good times and for the bad. Our services team members take pride in their work. A Week In The Life of Hannah and Michael shows how just two part-time

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workers go about fighting homelessness and exclusion in the city of Oxford. Our partnership in Southampton with the football club and the Saints Foundation illustrates how together we can reach into the community and create opportunity and employment ambitions for the future. The work of our founder, John Bird, in the House of Lords, shows how we, as a family, are seeking to tackle the root causes and injustices of poverty at the heart of modernday politics. We are nothing if not busy! The forthcoming Big Night Walk is our flagship fundraising event. On Friday 2 March 2018 over 350 people from across the country will complete a sponsored event that raises funds to help us help more Big Issue vendors change their lives for good. You can find out how to join us in the pages you hold in your hands. I do hope to see as many of you there through the night as humanly possible. If you enjoy receiving the newsletter and would like us to keep in touch, make sure to complete the form on the back. People alone, people seeking help and people gathered together in makeshift camps are an increasingly distressing sign that something needs to change. So please be a change-maker, be an activist; buy The Big Issue to support your local vendor, and donate to fund the services that enable future dreams to become realities. Thank you one and all for what you have done and for what you will go on to do in the future. The future will be better for the many we help as a result.

Dave, Nicolas and Naomi Venn, Head of Corporate Marketing & Communications EMEA

SU I TS YO U, S I R

Smart thinking has helped Nicolas into a work placement from which he aims to find mainstream employment

n March, Nicolas became the fourth vendor to take on a corporate placement hosted by Northern Trust in Canary Wharf, where he took over from Dave Martin (Spring/Summer 2017 Newsletter). Our corporate placement programme provides Big Issue vendors with a weekly, supported sales opportunity, as well as a chance to develop skills with the host company’s employees. Corporate placements also provide an opportunity for companies to bring corporate social responsibility and diversity and inclusion strategies to life in the work environment. Nicholas, meanwhile, is very happy: “I like the fact that people are respectful and nice here, but of course, you have to be respectful also. Respect is earned.” Nicolas started selling The Big Issue in 2011. “It’s good enough to survive from,” he says. “Though it depends a lot on how you are with people.” His steady sales, and commitment to his job on his pitch outside Southwark station, made him a perfect candidate to take over from Dave. He hopes to make new customers, work in a new environment, and grow his experience so he can find employment. The positive experience of vending at Northern Trust, and the energy he feels from being in the financial quarter has inspired Nicholas to start thinking about life beyond selling the magazine. From

that point, says Nicolas, things changed; he changed. In July, Nicolas moved into a room in a shared house. He was sleeping on a couch initially, but this gave him back pain and he was referred for physiotherapy. The Big Issue Foundation’s Vendor Support Fund enabled Nicholas to purchase a bed, supported by London Service Brokers Sikira and Ana. Two weeks later he was on the mend and ready to dedicate his time to look for mainstream employment.

" I T' S G REAT. I H AV E WA N TED A S U I T F O R A W H I L E. A N D I TH I N K DA RK B LU E S U I TS M E ! " Ana helped Nicolas update his CV. They then applied for hotel and kitchen jobs in London. His lack of experience meant he struggled to get an interview, so they turned to Business in the Community (BITC). They are the Prince’s Responsible Business Network, whose members work together to tackle a range of issues essential to building a fairer society. They helped

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Nicholas get an interview at a catering placement at Freshfields, another one of our corporate partners. In preparation, Nicolas got a suit from Suited & Booted, a charity that helps vulnerable men back on their feet with smart clothes. Nicolas said: “It’s great! I have wanted a suit that I can use for church and special events for a while. I think dark blue suits me!” Nicholas was delighted when he was told he had secured the placement at Freshfields. After attending a couple of training and confidence workshops with BITC, Nicolas started his two-week placement in September. He liked it there, and got on with the team. They have reported: “Nicholas is such a lovely person, and great to have around. He had a great, positive attitude and worked hard.” Hopefully, gaining this experience will increase his self-confidence and empower him to take positive steps in his journey towards employment. Until then, BITC will pair him with a job coach to help him along the way and, of course, he always has us here at the Foundation to support him.

THE BIG PUSH Big Issue vendors are forced far away from mainstream living by multiple challenges, but The Big Issue Foundation is here to help them fight for their rights

he Big Issue Foundation supports vendors from all walks of life. The vendors we work with are aged from 17 to over 70, male and female, and from every background imaginable. Many have suffered abuse, been victims of trauma, been failed by the education and the care systems, and have experience of the criminal justice system. Some have multiple university degrees, a successful career to look back on, or extensive travelling experience. Yet Big Issue vendors can suffer with mental health difficulties, physical health difficulties, and some are battling with addictions. Every Big Issue vendor’s story is different, yet all face obstacles that push them further out of society. This article will shed some light on what those barriers are, and what is being done to break them down, because no one deserves to be excluded. Between 2010 and 2015, bed spaces in homeless accommodation projects fell by 16%, with 41% of projects seeing a reduction in funding. People with complex needs face particular problems, with 76% of accommodation services reporting turning someone away because their needs were too great (Support for single homeless people in England, Homeless Link, 2015). But even when vendors find a hostel place, a lack of accessible and affordable permanent accommodation to move into means that vendors are trapped in emergency or short-term accommodation. Many Big Issue vendors are “hidden homeless”. Despite the fact that many live in very poor-quality private rented housing, they are not a priority, because they are not

seen as homeless. However, living in substandard conditions has negative implications for mental health, physical health and general wellbeing. Overcrowding is not uncommon, with vendors feeling like they do not have any rights and cannot demand better housing. Unfortunately, some vendors are reluctant to access healthcare, while others find it difficult to access the care they need due to lack of an address. This not only leaves conditions untreated and therefore negatively impacts on vendors’ quality of life, but also increases the risk of some health conditions, such as tuberculosis,

OVERCROWDING IS NOT UNCOMMON, WITH VENDORS FEELING LIKE THEY DO NOT H AV E A N Y R I G H T S which can spread extremely quickly in overcrowded conditions. When important preventative healthcare is missed, it often leads to vendors reaching crisis point. Catch 22 situations are common. With some credit unions withdrawing their current account facility, and some vendors receiving letters informing them that in order to continue receiving their benefits they need to switch from a Post Office

Our mission at The Big Issue Foundation is to connect every Big Issue vendor to the support and personal solutions that enable them to rebuild their lives

account to a bank account, the inaccessibility of bank accounts is more excluding than ever. However, in order to set up a bank account, you have to have proof of address – an unrealistic option for many vendors. Some banks will not accept a hostel address, while a lack of utility bills due to living in severely overcrowded housing, sofa surfing, or living in alternative abodes such as caravans, poses a barrier for others. Not having a bank account can also prevent vendors from moving into employment, as the majority of companies now transfer wages directly into their employees’ bank accounts. This punishes vendors who have worked hard at developing their skills and experience by selling the magazine and accessing volunteering and skills-building opportunities by vastly limiting the type of work they can take on. Similarly, a lack of address can prevent a vendor from obtaining a driving licence, further limiting opportunities. Big Issue vendors often have complex support needs, yet in the current climate these can be deemed insufficient for the vendor to be entitled to the required help, while seemingly neverending cuts to funding for vital services create yet another barrier. With less funding, some vital specialist services have been forced to narrow their criteria, reduce the spectrum of support they can offer, limit opening times, and operate on a drop-in rather than casefile/appointment basis. For vendors who are at crisis point, taking time out from vending to queue for an hour with no guarantee of being seen and no follow-up support on offer is too risky.

Service Brokers continuously build their knowledge of emergency and short-term accommodation services so they can refer vendors to hostels that are more likely to have a bed. Service Brokers also support vendors to access safe and secure long-term accommodation by referring them to apply for any

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housing benefit they are entitled to; bid on properties on the General Housing Register; and/or use the Vendor Saving Scheme to save a deposit for a suitable room in safe, shared accommodation or a small rental flat. Service Brokers have a good knowledge of local health services so that they can support

vendors to access the healthcare they need. Service Brokers also organise for one-off and regular drop-in clinics to operate from their offices, offering treatment including podiatry, blood-borne virus screening, and mental health support. Additionally, our national Health Week ensures that vendors have access to a range of healthcare at a location in which they feel comfortable.

Service Brokers support vendors to access identification, which can open doors. For example, some hostels will only accept guests with official ID, so we use the Vendor Support Fund to help vendors obtain a copy of their birth certificate. By working in partnerships with key services, Service Brokers are sometimes

able to help vendors navigate the complicated web of specialist support agencies. Service Brokers also organise in-house drop-ins, with volunteer translators for vendors who find it easier to communicate complex problems in their native language. Crucially, our Service Brokers can support vendors to appeal against unfair decisions that deny them access to essential support.

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T H E G N I V LEA BIG ISSUE BEHIND

MATTHEW PROMISED HIMSELF HE WOULD GIVE UP SELLING THE MAGAZINE WHEN HE WAS SOBER AND HAD SOME STABILITY. HE HANDED IN HIS JACKET 11 WEEKS AGO.

’m Matthew. I started selling the magazine in 2013. I stopped 11 weeks ago. I made myself a promise that when I was given accommodation – which I was – that I would give it another three months to be sure that this time I was able to maintain a clean and sober life and maintain the flat. And then, when those three months were up, when I was no longer homeless, when I was no longer vulnerable, I could let go. I realised it was important that I did, too. Here is my story: I’m 48 years old and I’ve been in Oxford for 12 years. I arrived here homeless from London. I’ve been homeless on and off for much of the last 23 years. I have had accommodation at times but it generally hasn’t lasted because of the way that I’ve lived. I came to Oxford to get a bed in a night shelter. I was having issues with the police because I was living rough and drinking. I ended up on license, and my probation officer said to me: “There is a night shelter in Oxford that takes people on a first come, first served basis.” So I arrived here, queued up and got myself a bed. Living alfresco I got to see Big Issue vendors and got to know the basic idea of what they did. The Big Issue has a big presence here, so I knew about vending long before I started. But I was pretty chaotic at the time and didn’t see it as something I was able to manage, initially. Lucy Faithful House was the first hostel I moved to from the night shelter. It’s closed now. The idea behind these hostels was that they provided help for people who were chronically homeless. At the beginning, the organisation had a positive energy about it. But as the relationship between drug addiction, homelessness and mental health progresses – and it did – so do the circumstances in which you find yourself. We were individually becoming worse, so collectively we became worse. By the time it closed, the hostel was as tired as most of its residents. It was a negative

space, very few successes, lots of deaths, the whole environment became suffused with so much pessimism and resignation. It was a resigned building. I think the future isn’t in warehousing us anyway. I see integration. Smaller units integrated into communities so that you’re surrounded by ordinary living. It’s very easy to create a pocket of homelessness and within that world all your behaviours and all your problems become normalised. That’s what happens when you warehouse the homeless and the addicted. I’ve witnessed it and been part of the problem. I applied five years ago to the General Housing Register (GHR) and I got put on the waiting list. The council offered me a one-bedroom flat in the city centre, early this year. It’s marvellous, it’s wonderful. I’m there by myself. They say you start with a plant, then you move on to a pet and

I WANT TO HELP BUT I C A N ' T AT T H E M O M E N T. I T A L L FEELS TOO RAW THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p6 / WINTER 2017

eventually you move on to a person. That’s the plan; well that’s what they say. I had a plant, it died after three months. You can’t neglect them at all, you can have off days but no days off. In time, maybe. I started drinking when I went to university. I was thrown out of university within a year, because of the way that I drank. I wasn’t to know I was an alcoholic. The idea is that people drink to socialise but that’s not why I drank. I kind of kidded myself that that was why I was drinking. In some way, my relationship with booze and drugs bypassed reason. I wasn’t able to manage this thinking in the same way I was managing other stuff. Like, I eat until I’m full but I don’t drink until I’m drunk. I keep going. There were a lot of people drinking dysfunctionally, in quantities and in ways at the time that are not socially acceptable. The difference is, most people move on. Most people realised it’s counterproductive and they let it go. I didn’t. I think with alcoholics and addicts something is different, bodily different. We have a different reaction to these things. I think science is backing this up more and more as well. There’s a kind of allergic reaction, it’s physical as much as it’s emotional and mental. We’re

HANNAH SMITH, SERVICE BROKER ON MATTHEW

processing these things differently. I am now clean and sober: 15 months, 467 days. All I would recommend is that a person who wants to stay sober spends time with other people who want to stay sober. Birds of a feather flock together. If I want to learn to live on a sober basis, I had better spend some time with some sober alcoholics. Fundamentally we agree on one thing: we’re drunks and we don’t want to drink. That’s crucial. There are other drugs too. I was very much into crack. In fact, the last three years of my drinking and using I was on spice. I was a “spice head". It was a legal high, initially. By alternating its chemical makeup subtly, they could keep it in a loophole that was within the law. It was only made illegal last year. One of the phrases for people who live how I lived was that we’re “park-bench politicians”. When we’re living that life, we have opinions on everything. People had suggested to me in the past that counselling might be a good avenue for me to pursue, if I was to ever get clean and sober. If I ever re-integrated socially maybe it’s something I should do. Thanks to The Big Issue Foundation’s

Matthew started in October 2013, and within a couple of months he was undertaking painting and decorating courses and hitting his personal money savings target, using the Vendor Saving Scheme. By Christmas he was selling and saving well so he treated himself to a box set of DVDs, as a Christmas gift. Soon after, he was awarded the Vendor of the Month award in recognition of his efforts and the progress that he made towards achieving his personal goals. Over the years we’ve supported Matthew in a variety of ways: enrolment onto courses, support to open a savings account, and support to access various addiction treatment services. Matthew has had a bumpy time with accommodation, but following some long-term work and support from The Big Issue Foundation, he was offered a flat through the General Housing Register. He has progressed well, staying free from spice and alcohol, and is focused on rebuilding his relationships and developing a support network. Selling The Big Issue has helped Matthew to develop a routine and maintain stability, and before he moved on, the support he received from us had evolved to mostly encouragement and reminders. We are very proud.

Vendor Support Fund, I was able to access courses in Practical Philosophy and Introduction To Counselling. I’ve now looked and it’s not for me. For now, at least – it all feels a bit raw. The best people in the world with the most useful experiences are those who’ve had addictions and recovered. They have a credibility and authenticity you can’t get through books, it’s about experiences. While it’s common for people like me who have recovered to want to help – and I do want to help – I’m not sure I want to do it professionally. Hannah and Michael from The Big Issue Foundation have been available to me throughout. I didn’t always choose to work with them but we have a good relationship. They’re sympathetic, non-judgmental. As a homeless person, never mind an addict, you’re well aware of the fact that you are being judged. Whatever anyone thinks, you’re probably not being judged as harshly by others as you are by yourself. There’s a deficiency in your life of sympathy; a sympathetic, non-judgmental ear. Through the Vendor Support Fund I got myself a soprano sax. It’s an old love. When I was young, my father brought me this beautiful sax and I started to play. It fell by the wayside pretty early on. It still causes me pain that I let that instrument go in the most ridiculous circumstances. I love playing my new sax. I practice every day. The Big Issue gave me structure, purpose, a sense of usefulness. A place in the community. When I was begging and drinking, my eyes were always down. But never as a vendor. I sold over 75 magazines a week. Half the furniture in my flat has come from my regulars. The income from my magazine sales also paid for visits to my dad when he was ill. Ruth and Gill sent me a postcards from their travels. Margaret, one of my customers from the beginning, came to visit me for a cup of tea and biscuits on Friday. She’s awesome. She once asked me to help in her garden, I varnished one of her garden benches and helped fill a wall in with mortar to keep the slugs out. My pitch was outside the post office on St Aldates, I worked five to six days a week. There are lots of businesses and colleges up and down St Aldates, and so a lot of people passed by. I worked a morning and early afternoon pitch. That’s where I met Steve, a head porter at a local college. We became mates; he got to know me, got to see me getting clean and sober. He told me about a vacancy at the college. I applied for the full-time vacancy. I didn’t get that. But they liked my interview so much they offered me the part-time vacancy instead. I’m due to start soon. I’m looking forward to the free lunches; college kitchens are awesome. The Big Issue has been a huge part of my recovery. Without it I wouldn’t have the job I now have, the friends that I now have, some of the clothes on my back, some of the food in my cupboard. I cannot thank everyone enough.

A W EEK IN T HE L IF E

MICHAEL HILL AND HANNAH SMITH MOND AY BY MICH A EL

Monday is our busiest day at the office: the new magazine is out and vendors arrive early in the morning to buy their copies, book pitches and plan their sales for the week ahead. I take this opportunity to chat to vendors about last week’s sales, what they have going on and what support they might need. This week, I talk to vendor Sean about the upcoming Big Sleep Out. Sean has taken part in many Foundation events before and is looking forward to doing so again. We talk about his fundraising efforts, travel arrangements and his invitation to speak at the event about his role as a vendor. He is apprehensive but proud of the opportunity to talk about his experiences to Big Issue Foundation supporters. He’s a great ambassador of our work and demondstrates well the ability people have to overcome adversity. In the afternoon, I meet with another vendor who is new to Oxford. He wants to return to college to undertake English qualifications with a view towards pursuing further education. Together, we make a plan to help him reach this goal. In Oxford, we’re lucky to have Ruskin College, which offers further and higher education for adults with few or no qualifications. We get in touch with them to find out what they offer and, after identifying appropriate courses, apply online. The vendor is determined to reach this goal and he’s on the right track already. We’ll be on hand to support him with this going forward.

T UE SD AY BY MICH A EL

Today there is important work to be done as I’m supporting a vendor to move into a hostel. Lionel found himself in a very difficult housing situation after being evicted from his tenancy. Barriers to alternative accommodation were great and his options were limited, so myself and Hannah worked hard to ensure he wouldn’t have to sleep rough and successfully secured a hostel bed for him. We meet in the morning to clarify arrangements for the move-in and agree to meet at the hostel in the afternoon. I meet Lionel there and help him take his bags to his new room. Lionel is glad to have a fresh start and put his recent housing difficulties behind him. I arrange to meet him again next week to help him resettle. We’ll notify relevant organisations of his new address and begin work on tackling his debts. I’m in constant communication with his support network to ensure we’re all working together to best support this vendor. I’m off now until Friday and leave our vendors in Hannah’s very capable hands. I make sure to brief her fully on the work I’ve been doing so she’s ready to pick up where I left off.

T O D AY I ' M HELPING A VENDOR W I T H A D I F F I C U LT H O U S I N G S I T U AT I O N F I N A L LY M O V E INTO A HOSTEL

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IT'S 6.30AM AND I AM ON OUTREACH WITH OXFORD'S ROUGH SLEEPER TEAM T HUR SD AY BY H A NN A H

W EDNE SD AY BY H A NN A H

I check my mail – an email I receive today is a poster about a new IT course at Aspire, a local organisation that helps vulnerable people into employment. After printing and displaying the poster, it’s time to open. I chat to the vendors and find out that one has fallen behind with his energy bills, so I support him to set up an affordable repayment plan with his energy supplier. He will be able to have a warm shower again. Now he’ll go out to work to earn the money. Another arrives for his three-month review: we do this with all our vendors to assess how things are improving, set new goals and plan interventions that might help them. We use a tool called an outcome STAR to track the key topics we discuss. One topic is accommodation – he is working with his keyworker and the council to increase his accommodation banding from a five to a two. This will increase the chances of him moving on into a local authority property. The hard work he is putting into this area means that we agree on an eight on the STAR chart. This is a good improvement from last time. We discuss his hopes of eventually going back to his building work. Part of his work towards this might be taking up new hobbies, so I give him information on a football group and a local Rotary Club. In the afternoon I go to a network meeting about rough sleepers. They are a vulnerable group so it’s vital that every organisation within the network works collaboratively in order to provide the best possible support. After the meeting, I walk around the sales pitches in Oxford city centre and check in with the vendors as they are selling, catching up about needs and making suggestions of places that could help.

Our volunteer, Mair, is working with me today. While I catch up with vendors and offer referrals, she takes flyers to the Simon House hostel and does a drop-in there to offer the opportunity of selling The Big Issue to residents. Next, she meets someone from Crisis Skylight and takes them around The Big Issue pitches to give vendors timetables and discuss the courses Crisis have to offer. I also start outreach and catch up with a couple of vendors. I see three people who are out begging and offer them the opportunity of The Big Issue as a positive alternative. They each take a contact card. Mair and I meet and de-brief. She tells me who is interested in the courses so that I can follow up later. We plan a new project for her – she is going to get some quirky quotes from the vendors and create material that will help the public get to know their vendors. We agree that promoting the ethos of The Big Issue, to offer a hand up, not a hand out, is a good way of helping vendors with their sales. I begin my writing-up to hand over to Michael and to help us feedback to funders in our reports.

F R ID AY BY MICH A EL

It’s 6.30am and I’m undertaking a monthly joint outreach with Oxford’s rough sleeper outreach team. This work helps me to stay in touch with the street community, support the outreach team in their work and promote The Big Issue as an opportunity to earn a legitimate income. I give out my card and encourage a couple of people to visit the office to get badged up. By 9.30am I’m at the office and catch up with the work Hannah has been doing. Good communication is essential for us to work together effectively. I induct a new vendor who is rough sleeping with his dog. I refer him to the rough sleeper outreach team, which can support him off the streets, and also to the Dogs Trust Hope Project so he can access free veterinary treatment for his dog. He’s keen to move away from begging towards a more constructive lifestyle. Today he’s made the first step towards social and financial inclusion and The Big Issue Foundation will be there to support him on this journey.

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NEWS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TRAINING, VISITING PRISON, FIGHTING RACISM, GOING TO SCHOOLS, FESTIVAL-GOING AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!

with Stand Against Racism & Inequality (SARI), which other support agencies, as well as several local councillors, also attended. Hopefully we'll get an opportunity to present our report to Bristol’s mayor next. We also attended a conference hosted by Community Access Support Service (CASS), which featured a short film about the mental health needs of the Eastern European Roma community. The film featured a Bristol Service Broker, who also took a lead in the ensuing discussions. In Weston-super-Mare, we held a workshop in conjunction with Community Learning West to disseminate information and to encourage prospective vendors to get badged. We also had a stall at Weston-superMare Pride (pictured) where we chatted to festival-goers and other services about the Foundation’s work. Vendor Robin sold at the festival gate and enjoyed great sales. In Bath we welcomed new Service Broker Geo Leonard and we re-instigated an arrangement of shared outreach between ourselves and Reach (the city’s main outreach team). Vendors and volunteers alike attended First Aid training with the Red Cross at our office. Since gaining a diagnosis of Asperger’s, Bath vendor Brian has been assessed by Henrietta House (an autism-friendly housing unit), which is a very positive step along his journey. He will also be entitled to increasing support.

NOTTINGHAM The Nottingham office has started a new

LONDON Remaining true to our pledge to enhance

employability among Big Issue vendors, we have recently offered one of our franchisee vendors a full-time position in our outreach team, filling a role in distribution. Jason is getting on great and enjoys it very much, and we are lucky to tap into the vast experience he has working with vendors. Meanwhile, George has been commissioned to write a paper as part of his placement with Wellcome Trust, which will be published in an academic journal before the end of the year. Over in Canary Wharf, Nicolas has finished his catering placement with Freshfields, made possible through a new partnership with Business In The Community. With this recent experience and great references, and under our guidance and encouragement, he is now one step closer to his goal of getting a job. The Brigade, Prét a Manger and Evolve are just a few of the companies and charities that we have looked at for training courses,

apprenticeship schemes and employment opportunities. This adds to the corporate placements and Network Rail pitches we already coordinate in-house. We have opened conversations with a number of employment agencies that place staff in hospitality roles around London, and made our first referrals to Suited & Booted and Dress For Success – two charities that dress people who may otherwise struggle to access appropriate clothes for interviews. We are also working closely with the British Transport Police and the local police to increase the safety of our vendors; we want to be the go-to agency for police who are working with people begging. This will be reflected in a change of office hours to accommodate later shifts.

BATH & BRISTOL (SOUTH WEST) With many of our Romani vendors telling us of unfair treatment from landlords, we produced a report on the subject with case studies, which we presented at a Gypsy, Roma & Traveller (GRT) Voices meeting THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p10 / WINTER 2017

partnership with Aggregate Industries. This followed on from Stephen Robertson talking to them about the work of The Big Issue Foundation. After weeks of preparation we have a pitch in their reception with the vendor receiving training and support within the Credit Team. The commitment from Aggregate Industries has been fantastic and it has given us the opportunity to provide a really unique experience for a vendor in the East Midlands. We look forward to building on this opportunity and supporting the vendor. We have also been involved in the local Financial Resilience Steering Group, which has been particularly active in looking at the issues vendors experience trying to open a bank account. A subgroup called the Bank Summit has met with local support services, the city council and banks. The most pressing issue is the difficulty in providing confirmation of address, particularly if someone is rough sleeping. We have taken this opportunity to promote the work The Big Issue Foundation does to help vendors access birth certificates for ID purposes. Another pressing issue has been alerting banks to how vital it is that they adequately promote the use of basic bank accounts and make information as accessible as possible. These meetings are ongoing, with the Bank Summit due to meet again in October, and we hope to make some really positive steps within the city.

OXFORD In Oxford, we’ve been meeting people at

local hostels and drop-in centres to offer the

opportunity to sell The Big Issue, and we’ve seen a surge of new vendors. Right from the initial assessment, we have listened to individuals and supported personal solutions to challenging situations. We’ve been able to use the Vendor Support Fund to support vendors to purchase mobile phones to help them stay in touch with the services they need. We’ve also raised awareness within our networks of vulnerable vendors, and made appropriate referrals to prevent individuals from rough sleeping. We have a great bunch of vendors in Oxford, who are working incredibly hard on their journey away from poverty and exclusion. By discussing sales regularly with vendors, encouraging forward planning, good presentation and record-keeping, we enable progression through the gaining of further employability skills. We also create opportunities to meet with representatives from essential services in order to break down the barriers Big Issue vendors face when trying to get help. We also partnered up with Crisis Skylight and the Oxford Street Population Outreach Team (OXSPOT) during recent outreach sessions. Crisis met vendors on their sales pitches to offer them the opportunity to access their latest training opportunities.

WEST MIDLANDS In Birmingham and across the West

Midlands we have been networking with agencies such as the Birmingham Central Foodbank, soup kitchens, and members of the No Wrong Door Network (such as Mind, Crisis, CGL, Fire Service and Police) to see how we can forge and maintain great working relationships. This enables a multi-agency approach to support the vendors we work with, as well as promoting The Big Issue Foundation’s services. We attended a homelessness conference in the Black Country to build more links, with a view to extending our services. We also attended an open evening at a prison. Staff development has been a priority, and we attended various training events including Sexual Health, Mental Health First Aid and Psychologically Informed Environments. This will help Service Brokers provide solid support for vendors. Two of the vendors we work with wanted to focus on their progression and have moved into volunteering placements with charities in the Birmingham area. They hope that in the future this will aid them to gain employment in their respective fields. We’ve continued to engage with social workers who are supporting Big Issue vendors in areas ranging from physical disabilities, learning disabilities, addictions, housing, and money management. Last but by no means least, our long-term volunteer Gabi was nominated for The Rising Star Volunteer of the year award and we were invited to a lovely afternoon hosted by the Birmingham Voluntary Services at the Soho House Museum. We had afternoon tea and met the mayor and the Birmingham Police Crime Commissioner. The climax of the event for us was when we found out that Gabi had won

her category and came away with an award. Having her volunteer with us is priceless as she is incredibly passionate, and for her to receive this recognition is richly deserved.

DORSET AND HAMPSHIRE We’ve been developing our partnership with

the Saints Foundation so vendors can get employment-related training. So far, vendors have attended First Aid, and are due to attend an employability workshop. We are actively involved in starting up the Street Support website, which brings services for rough sleepers and other forms of homelessness together, in order to make accessing support easier. Calling cards that will be distributed to vulnerable individuals, as well as agencies working to combat homelessness and rough sleeping, have been designed and printed. These cards make it easier for people to

contact us, become vendors, and receive service brokerage support from The Big issue Foundation. We have also strengthened our reach on the Isle of Wight with a new franchisee positon. The franchisee will distribute the magazine to local vendors. We delivered an awareness-raising talk at a local language school, led by vendor Bill. The response was very positive and we will be delivering more talks in the future to equip their students with an understanding of the magazine, The Big Issue Foundation and the issues we tackle. We were able to raise the need for housing officers to be present at the multi-agency rough sleeper action group, which has since been implemented. We are now working towards establishing a presence at the rough sleeper drop-in at Winchester prison, which will provide a platform for joined-up working and vendor recruitment.

HOW # GI V ING T UE SDAY IS CH A NGING T HE WAY PEOPL E GI V E T O CH A R I T Y The power of social media is being increasingly harnessed to help people around the world bring about real change On Tuesday 28 November we’ll be celebrating #GivingTuesday – a global day of giving that seeks to encourage people around the world to give to their favourite charities. #GivingTuesday harnesses the potential of social media and the generosity of the global community to bring about real change. As a global movement, #GivingTuesday unites countries on every continent by sharing our capacity to care for and empower one another. So far, over £130m was raised across 98 countries to help support charities around the globe. We are encouraging all our supporters to get involved by helping us raise funds to spread the word about The Big Issue Foundation’s vision of ending poverty and exclusion for every Big Issue vendor. Whether it’s donating your spare change or organising your own fundraising event, every donation will go towards ensuring that we can connect every Big Issue vendor to the support and personal solutions that enable them to rebuild their lives. If everyone who reads this newsletter donates just £1 to celebrate #GivingTuesday, we will raise thousands in one day! THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p11 / WINTER 2017

Previously, our amazing supporters have raised funds for The Big Issue Foundation’s work with Big Issue vendors in many ways, including holding a bake sale, organising a film night with friends, or selling unwanted items on eBay. If you would like to help raise awareness and funds by organising an event for #GivingTuesday, we would love to hear about it and promise to support you in any way we can. This year we are also asking our supporters to help us raise awareness in a different way – by participating in an online flashmob! All you have to do is head over to thunderclap.it and pledge a tweet or Facebook message for TBIF. The awesome Thunderclap folks will then release everyone’s messages at 8am on 28 November, creating a great, big, loud social media “thunderclap”! We are hoping to get as many of you to sign up as possible so we can spread the message of giving “A Hand Up, Not A Hand Out” across our social media channels on #GivingTuesday. Log on and get involved here: http://www.bit.ly/ ThunderclapTBIF

PERFECT MATCH THE PARTNERSHIP

An exciting new partnership between Southampton Football Club (AKA the Saints), The Big Issue and The Big Issue Foundation was launched in the summer, opening up a plethora of opportunities for Big Issue vendors and raising awareness of our work. The partnership kicked off with a special edition of The Big Issue magazine done in collaboration with Southampton FC. The issue was sold by vendors across Southampton and the surrounding areas and acted as the official match-day programme for the Premier League match against Swansea City on 12 August. This culminated in 14 Big Issue vendors selling the magazine on match day in and around the stadium. Greg Baker, head of Saints Foundation and Community Partnerships (the charitable arm of Southampton FC), said: “We’re incredibly proud to partner with The Big Issue. The launch of a special edition of the magazine marks just the start of our relationship, which will also see existing vendors undertake an employability programme, delivered by Saints Foundation, with the end goal of them gaining suitable and long-term employment at Southampton Football Club.”

VENDOR EXPERIENCE

Prior to the day, four Southampton footballers, Nathan Redmond, Oriol Romeu, Manolo Gabbiadini and Florin Gardos, ventured on to a different kind of pitch, swapping their football kit for vendor tabards to try their hand at selling the magazine alongside local vendors Mark Morgan, Lee Barnes, Gary Jackson and Kev Collick on the streets of Winchester. Saints and England midfielder Nathan Redmond said: “I could see how hard these guys have to work – they’re out in all weather. It’s not easy and I have huge respect for them. It was great to meet the guys, and be involved in a partnership where two great

"I COULD SEE HOW HARD THESE GUYS WORK. I H AV E H U G E R E S P E C T " organisations like Southampton FC and The Big Issue can achieve so much together.” “It’s been amazing to meet the players, and the day has been full of lots of handshakes and smiles,” beamed local Big Issue THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p12 / WINTER 2017

vendor Lee Barnes. “I have never sold as many Big Issues in such a short period of time. It’s been absolutely class. What we’ve done today has brought a lot of focus to The Big Issue and hopefully that focus will carry on throughout the partnership. “I am excited to be selling on match day this Saturday and having met some of the players, it means even more to me now. It was great to see some of the players and the vendors working together so well today.” Big Issue seller Mark Morgan said: “I enjoyed it today. It was nerve-wracking but I’m glad I did it. The players made me feel at ease and that was a big part of it for me. The public loved it and explaining to them what it all means, about the partnership … it seemed to come across well. I’m looking forward to match day. It’s going to be a one-off experience, something I have never done before.”

SALES OF MAGS

A total of 4,661 copies of the special edition were sold, generating sales of £11,652.50 – with half of the cover price going directly to the vendors and the other half to support the work of The Big Issue. Greg Baker said: “The match day activation of our partnership at our first

home fixture of the season against Swansea City was an incredible experience and really demonstrated how our shared values are at the heart of our partnership. “It was great to see our fans embrace the partnership, and the vendors, and we look forward to welcoming them back to the club and into the employability programme that we will be running in the near future.” Paul McNamee, editor of The Big Issue, said: “It has been a joy to work with both Southampton FC and Saints Foundation throughout the process and wonderful for the vendors to have been involved throughout. The results really show the shared values we have as two organisations, working with the most vulnerable in society, giving them a hand up, not a hand out. “It’s great to see a football club working towards a positive outcome in this way. We are delighted with how it has gone and are looking forward to working with Southampton FC and Saints Foundation in the future.” Big Issue vendor Andy Degruchy said afterwards: “It was brilliant today. The atmosphere was great and it can only be a good thing that The Big Issue has come together in this way with Southampton FC.” Big Issue vendor Dumitru Barbu said: “I enjoyed today, it has been both pleasant and interesting. The atmosphere was really positive and I’m so glad that I was given the opportunity to take part.”

EMPLOYABILITY PROGRAMME

As part of the initiative, Big Issue vendors will also be provided with the opportunity to enrol in the eight-week employability programme run by Saints Foundation, which will equip them with job-ready skills. Upon completion of the course, vendors will be able to apply for long-term appointments with Southampton FC. Improving the lives of vulnerable adults is at the core of both Saints Foundation and The Big Issue’s missions – “Turning Potential Into Excellence” and “A Hand Up, Not A Hand Out”, respectively – and in coming together, we hope to create longterm job prospects for Big Issue vendors in the local area. Saints Foundation head Greg Baker explained: “Southampton is a club built

around tradition and family, and this partnership is an exciting way to begin the new season and help drive positive change within our community. We’re delighted to help provide adults in and around the area with opportunities and skills they need to take the first step towards a fruitful career – whether that be with Southampton FC or elsewhere – and we hope to see fans and residents alike get involved with the campaign to support local vendors.” The Big Issue Foundation services team will assist with connecting vendors to this great opportunity by making intelligent referrals for vendors whose primary aspirations are to improve their personal employability opportunities. The employability programme, offering vendors a Level 1 award in Customer Services, launched at the beginning of October. The sessions include: how to deliver good customer service, communication methods, dealing with customer queries,

" T H E V E N D O R S H AV E R E A L LY R E S P O N D E D T O THE CHALLENGE" problems and complaints, and interview skills and preparation; culminating in an award ceremony at the end. Following this, all participants will be offered an interview for roles at Southampton FC. Stephen Robertson, Chief Executive of The Big Issue Foundation, commented: “I am delighted at the launch of this exciting and innovative project. The match, the magazine and Big Issue vendors’ presence on the day marks a significant moment for this new partnership. It will create real opportunities that will help deliver real change for those vendors who are taking part.” We have five Big Issue vendors currently enrolled, with the aim that at the end of the programme they are equipped with transferable skills that will enhance their current situation and contribute towards future work-related personal objectives. Mobile Service Broker Stephen Fatuga, who attended the launch day, said: “The

THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p13 / WINTER 2017

feedback from the vendors has been really positive, they seem full of enthusiasm. Some vendors have experienced some anxiety engaging with the course, arising from being in a structured learning environment, but they’ve responded positively to the challenge and appear to feel valued and have found the environment stimulating.” Saints Foundation is the official charity of Southampton Football Club and exists to fulfil the potential and change the lives of children, young people, and adults at risk across Southampton and surrounding areas. Saints Foundation delivers targeted programmes across six key themes: Youth Inclusion, Lifelong Learning, Health & Wellbeing, Education, Schools & Community and Saints4All (Accessible Sport). Over the past year, Saints Foundation has worked with almost 7,500 young people and adults at risk, and a further 5,000 children were involved in their football and multi-sport sessions in schools, clubs and coaching centres. Saints Foundation aims to invest £2.8m into the local community over the course of the next year.

turned my life around. I work long hours, seven days a week, but I firmly believe that you only get out what you put in to any endeavour. This is a real job that works in exactly the same way as all other types of self-employment. In June, I took on a pitch at Victoria train station, a bustling hive of activity where The Big Issue has a specially allocated area. This is made possible thanks to the wonderful partnership The Big Issue Foundation has with Network Rail. I’ve been pitch-sharing with my Big Issue colleague Donato. It is certainly a challenge, because of the sheer scale of the operation, but it is already showing signs of growth as I determine the key hours and begin to establish a rapport with regular purchasers. It seems to be the less sociable hours that are working best for me, when the station is quieter, which gives me greater visibility. I must say that the station staff have been very friendly, helpful and supportive. Security is a key factor throughout Victoria, due to its location between Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament, and the train station is a focal point. Everyone needs to work together to ensure it stays safe.

"SINCE I BEGAN SELLING T H E B I G I S S U E I H AV E DEVELOPED A GROWING C O N TA C T S L I S T "

BACK ON TRACK Tony’s experience of vending at a Network Rail-supported pitch is helping him get back into the world of work

y name is Tony. I am 58 years old and have been selling The Big Issue in the Victoria area of London since April 2017. I used to be a consultant design engineer in the energy industries. After I suffered from burn-out about 17 years ago, I moved around, ending up in Romania. Drawing on my range of experiences, and determined to spend the rest of my life helping others, I was involved in several charitable ventures, which I funded from my consultancy income. Suddenly, without warning, my main client of eight years cut me off and I was left with no income in the depths of the harsh Romanian winter. And thus, together with my girlfriend, I

became homeless. I was forced to return to the UK. Unfortunately, due to changes in regulation, I was not entitled to any support despite having been a homeowner and tax payer here. After a month of sleeping in winter night shelters in the town where I had formerly lived, and making no progress whatsoever, I made the decision to move to London, a city I didn’t know well, in the hope of finding work. The Big Issue was an obvious choice – I used to buy it in the early days of the magazine, and I’d previously worked with John Bird’s PR agency handling some online aspects. To cut a long story short, from that time onwards, being a Big Issue vendor has totally THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p14 / WINTER 2017

One of the main benefits of being a Big Issue vendor is the opportunity for networking and making contacts. I already have a growing list that could not conceivably have been created otherwise. And many of them are already helping me in so many ways in addition to being regular purchasers. I would like to take this opportunity to thank The Big Issue Foundation for this opportunity with Network Rail, and thank the many wonderful Big Issue supporters I have encountered in Victoria over these past few months; and indeed The Big Issue team, without whom my “renaissance” would not have been possible. It is through their dedication and enthusiasm that I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully a wonderful future not only for myself but also for my girlfriend and two children whom, thanks to The Big Issue, I am able to continue supporting. I also thank the other vendors at Victoria for their friendship, help and inspiration. It’s a great team! Tony has been working with Service Broker Ana on settling into the community and re-engaging with society. Keen to get back into marketing and communications, Tony has been using a donated laptop to support The Victoria Life and Light festival, which launches next year with the aim of focusing all profits on alleviating poverty.

ACTIVIST'S CORNER John Bird has taken his fight for an end to social exclusion into the House of Lords with his Credit Worthiness Assessment Bill

ohn Bird, our founder, campaigns tirelessly to dismantle poverty. In June, he launched the Credit Worthiness Assessment Bill for fair access to credit. The bill seeks to ensure that lenders and other credit service providers are obliged to take rental and council tax payment data into account when assessing a person’s credit worthiness. The bill is about fairness and inclusion, with the potential to support the UK's 11 million private renters. “Generation rent has been hit hard and they deserve fair access to credit,” he says. “We want to empower more people to get on in life. “Rather than continuing to struggle to put sticking plasters over the country’s growing social problems, The Big Issue has championed stronger government intervention to prevent poverty from occurring.” Big Issue Invest – the social investment arm of The Big Issue Group – has already tested this approach in the social housing sector to tackle financial exclusion. The Rental Exchange scheme, a partnership between Big Issue Invest and Experian, has shown that 80% of tenants see their credit score rise once included in the initiative. Lord Bird has also been demanding that poverty prevention is put at the heart of all government departments, with a dedicated poverty prevention unit taking the lead. “We know that prevention pays off,” he says. “We know that when money is spent on prevention, it reaps enormous benefits.” And he continued his quest by writing to the editor of the Financial Times, asking if the government was investing our money in the best way, and why funds that could be used to prevent poverty are instead only poured into emergencies, cures and coping mechanisms.

The rise of street homelessness has also been at the forefront of John’s awarenessraising work. In an article published by the Guardian, John held the cuts caused by austerity accountable for the rise of vulnerable people living on the streets. “Welfare cuts have had an impact, but I think the real thing that has hit is the removal of support for local authorities … councils have then cut back on support for those working with the most dispossessed.” He pointed out that mental illness was disproportionately prevalent among the rough sleeper community. In September, John told the House of Lords about his experiences, as a teenager, of going to prison for stealing a bike and then again for stealing £5. “We have a prison population full of people who have failed at school. I failed at school, as did most of the people I knew

THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p15 / WINTER 2017

in prison. When I go into a prison, I ask a simple question: ‘How did you do at school?’ Virtually all – 80% – of them will say, ‘I failed at school.’” Understanding the root causes of poverty, and changing our collective approach so that the most vulnerable people can be supported before it’s too late, is vital. You can stay updated on John’s work by reading his weekly magazine column in The Big Issue, or online @johnbirdswords, or by signing up to our monthly e-newsletter at: www.bigissue.org.uk/newsletter. To walk in solidarity with Big Issue vendors, you can sign up to The Big Night Walk. The 13-mile nighttime walk through central London will take place in March next year. Turn the page, for more information.

WALK THE WALK One of The Big Issue Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flagship events, the Big Night Walk is an engaging, rewarding and unusual Friday night on the town

THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p16 / WINTER 2017

eturning for the eighth year, the Big London Night Walk is back! Friday 2 March will see 400 “night walkers” take to the streets of London on a walk like no other. Te night will see supporters, volunteers and Big Issue vendors will join forces and tackle a unique 13-mile walk through central London at night – will you be joining them? As one of The Big Issue Foundation’s flagship fundraising events, the Big Night Walk grows in popularity each year and is sure to sell out in advance. Founded in solidarity with those who find it safer to walk during the night than settle down and sleep on the streets, the Big Night Walk gives participants a chance to see London from a whole new perspective. Many Big Issue vendors find themselves sleeping on the streets at some point, particularly in the first few weeks of selling, and these experiences are central to this event. Throughout the night, you’ll have the opportunity to hear about the work we do from a range of voices, like one participant from last year who told us walking alongside vendor Simon for the final five miles was a “very humbling experience”. From finding yourself walking a few miles with a Big Issue vendor, chatting to volunteers and staff at rest stops, and hearing from Big Issue Foundation CEO Stephen Robertson about our big plans for the future, you’ll learn about how we aim to eradicate poverty and exclusion for Big Issue vendors, and what part you can play in this. Last year’s Big Night Walk saw walkers welcomed by the inspiring London City Voices Choir, described as “really motivating” by a past participant, before a talk from Stephen Robertson. As the main focus of all of our work, we always welcome Big Issue vendors to the Big Night Walk and, in 2017, vendor Bill from Bournemouth encouraged our night walkers by showing how their funds had helped him – Bill was able to access the Vendor Support Fund for help with kitting out his house with essentials to make it “feel like a home”. Last year, former vendor James Bowen and his feline sidekick Street Cat Bob took a break from their busy celebrity schedule to thank participants for their vital support of Big Issue vendors. A much-loved tale (and tail!), the story of James and Bob has sold over five million copies worldwide and their appearance proved a treat for Big Night Walk participants – we hope they’ll be able to stop by this year for another appearance. Before setting off, walkers got their heart rates going with a warm-up and stretches with CJ De Mooi and promptly headed off. Each rest stop provided both information about the work of The Big Issue Foundation and snacks and treats to keep the energy up. Of course, Big Issue vendors accompanied walkers throughout the night. For instance Steve and his adorable dog Skye, offering insights and views into life as a vendor. And this year? We’re going bigger and better! From a brand new starting point at Shoreditch Town Hall, the first

miles of our route will take you to Camden past King’s Cross, seeing how others may be spending Friday night. Over Waterloo Bridge, you’ll see the magnificent London Eye lit up in front of the Houses of Parliament. From there, the route takes you along the Thames Path, until you reach Millennium Bridge, where you’ll be met by the iconic sight of St Paul’s Cathedral by night. Onwards through the usually bustling streets of the City, you’ll head back to Shoreditch Town Hall for a wellearned rest, paired with your breakfast, a medal and a mighty sense of achievement. If you’re thinking of coming to The Big Night Walk alone, you’ll be in great company. Solo walkers will have the first arrival time of the night, giving you a chance to meet other walkers you’ll be sharing the route with, as well as Big Issue vendors and volunteers. Pierce, a previous Big Night Walk participant, told us: “As a solo walker, it took no time at all to make friends with my fellow solitary ramblers” – you never know what friends you’ll make! With a fundraising target of £250 per participant, our Night Walk event raises vital funds to enable us to continue working towards our vision of ending poverty and exclusion for every Big Issue vendor. For Bill from Bournemouth, access to advice and the Vendor Support Fund meant he was able to move from a tent to a council flat for him and his dog, Chloe. It wasn’t just Bill who The Big Issue Foundation was able to support – Chloe was registered with the Dogs’ Trust to ensure she stayed healthy too. Your fundraising would enable vendors such as Bill, and so many more, to access housing, education and training, and financial advice. So why not fundraise for Big Issue vendors across the country, all while you join in on a unique Friday night experience that’s sure to be unforgettable. But don’t just take our word for it – past participants have called the Big Night Walk “insightful”, “inspiring”, and “a total delight”. Last year, one participant told us the event was “one of the most powerful and magical nights of my life”: “Meeting and speaking with past and current vendors was extremely insightful and deepened my appreciation for The Big Issue and its noble work. Experiencing London in the wee hours was simply amazing and I made many new friends. Meeting James and Bob was a treat. Overall, the 2017 Big Night Walk exceeded my already high expectations. I will definitely come back to participate in this event again!”

"THE 2017 BIG NIGHT WALK EXCEEDED MY ALREADY H I G H E X P E C TAT I O N S . I W I L L D E F I N I T E LY COME BACK"

You can find out more about the Big Night Walk 2018 and register at www.bigissue.org.uk/walk, 020 7526 3456 or email events@bigissue.com.

THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p17 / WINTER 2017

THANK YOU W E WOULD LIK E T O SAY A V ERY BIG TH A NK YOU T O A LL THE PEOPLE A ND ORG A NISATIONS TH AT M A K E OUR WORK POS SIBLE, INCLUDING: The Change Project The Mayor of Bath’s Office Hugh Kenyon Laura Hannan Technology Innovator Rant & Rant Phil Rice and Aggregate Industries Mike Levett Simmons & Simmons Wellcome Trust Freshfields

WRITING WRONGS How The Big Issue Foundation and the Charles Dickens Museum celebrated the author’s campaigning journalism

he tireless work of Charles Dickens as a campaigner and investigative journalist was given overdue recognition with a new exhibition, Restless Shadow, based at his former London home. It followed Dickens as he pounded the streets of London, learning about the terrible conditions, injustices and hardships faced by the poor. Cindy Sughrue, director of the museum, said: “Dickens’ combination of a passion for walking and his periodic bouts of insomnia helped to create the ‘restless shadow’ that found its way into the darkest corners of society and exposed so many inequalities. “Had he never written a word of fiction, Dickens’ journalistic career is worthy of great recognition. We are proud to throw light on this area of his life ... I feel he would have approved of our partnership with The Big Issue Foundation.” Dickens was a habitual, even obsessive, visitor to workhouses, prisons, fetid midnight streets – any area of London where the poor lived and suffered and died. He wanted to shine a light on “the rejected ones, whom the world has too long forgotten, and too often misused”. His championing of these people is world famous, of course, in great novels such as Oliver Twist and Little Dorrit, but much less well known now is that Dickens was a journalist and magazine editor dedicated to exposing social evils, and a campaigner dedicated to eradicating them. It is this aspect of his life and work that the Charles Dickens Museum – in association with The Big Issue Foundation – was seeking to highlight in the exhibition Restless Shadow.

In A Christmas Carol, two starving infants appear; the personification of Ignorance and Want. How would Dickens feel to learn that, 174 years later, they are still with us? “Unsurprised but outraged,” says actor Simon Callow, who created an acclaimed theatrical version of the story. We ask him if we could do with Dickens now. “We certainly bloody well could,” Callow heartily states. “I feel that all the time. Where is our tribune of the people? “Dickens would have entirely endorsed the ethos of The Big Issue,” concludes Callow, also an enthusiastic Big Issue Foundation supporter. “‘A hand up not a handout’ is exactly what he believed,” Callow continued. “He knew he could so easily have become a criminal or simply destitute, but there was a spark inside him that refused to accept that, and he wanted to ignite the same spark in everybody else.”

To mark the end of the exhibition, The Big Issue Foundation invited supporters and vendors along to thank them for their commitment and long-term support. Lord John Bird treated the audience to an entertaining account of his own “Dickensian” upbringing, alluding to how these experiences helped inspire the setting up of The Big Issue magazine in the early 1990s. This was followed by a few words from Dickens expert Professor Drew, who brought to life the Restless Shadows title chosen for the exhibition after reading an editorial written by the great author himself. Guests then had the opportunity to see the museum for themselves. THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p18 / WINTER 2017

Northern Trust Mondelez International SAXOPRINT The Charles Dickens Museum The Saints Foundation Network Rail Bear Jam and G Media Business in the Community Suited and Booted and Dress for Success The Younger Foundation Doctor Philip Welch Charity The Anna Hammond Fund The Nick Vassiliou Charitable Trust The Ione Vassiliou Charitable Trust The Jeannine Vassiliou Charitable Trust Anthony and Deirdre Montagu Charitable Trust Oxford City Council The Eveson Charitable Trust Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners Russell and Mary Foreman 1980 Charitable Trust John and Sue Edwards Charitable Trust The Bernays Trust The anonymous donor who gifted us a substantial gift All our supporters, without who our work wouldn’t be possible

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A ‘YES’ today is one of the most important tools in the fight against poverty & exclusion! We would love to keep you up to date with our latest newsletters, appeals, Big Issue vendor stories, ways to get involved and let you know the impact your support is making possible. Tell us how you want to be contacted: Post Yes o No o Phone Yes o No o SMS Yes o No o Email Yes o No o We won’t allow any other organisations to have access to your details. You can change your mind at any time, email foundation@bigissue.com, call 020 7526 3458 or say yes online here www.bigissue.org.uk/say-yes

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Make your gift worth 25% more at no extra cost to you! like The Big Issue Foundation (TBIF) to reclaim the tax on all qualifying gifts of money I have made in the past, present o Iandwould on all future donations I make from this day forward until I notify you otherwise. I confirm that I am a UK Tax Payer and that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax to cover the amount that all the charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for each tax year (6th April to 5th April, currently 25p of tax for every £1 I donate), it is my responsibility to pay any difference.

o I am not a Tax Payer TO DONATE ONLINE GO TO WWW.BIGISSUE.ORG.UK/DONATE TO DONATE VIA YOUR MOBILE PLEASE TEXT NEWS44 £10 TO 70077 TO DONATE OVER THE PHONE PLEASE CALL RHIA ON 0207 526 3458

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RETURN ADDRESS Please return this completed form to our freepost address: FREEPOST RTTS-JGTR-LRYR, THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p19 / WINTER 2017 The Big Issue Foundation, 3rd Floor, 113-115 Fonthill Road, Finsbury Park, London, N4 3HH

RIGHT NOW, A ‘YES’ IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOLS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY AND EXCLUSION FOR BIG ISSUE VENDORS

From May 2018 The Big Issue Foundation won’t be able to contact you with our latest newsletters, appeals, Big Issue vendor stories and ways to get involved unless we have a ‘YES’ from you. If you have already told us how you want to hear from us – thank you! However, if you haven’t told us yet, wish to update your preferences, or want to make sure they are correct, just fill in our short form below:

WHAT DOES A ‘YES’ FROM YOU MEAN? • You will be able to hear from The Big Issue Foundation how you want to – whether by post, email, phone or text. You can choose as many or as few of these as you like • You can change your mind at any time • You’ll still hear from us after 18 May 2018 – if you don’t respond to us, you could miss out on hearing ways to get involved with The Big Issue Foundation, and about Big Issue vendor stories and updates

WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS? • POST – You’ll receive newsletters with Big Issue vendor stories, updates from Service Brokers, event information and other ways to support our work • EMAIL – You’ll receive our monthly e-newsletter with our latest news and ways to support our work • PHONE – A great way to talk directly about the work we do with Big Issue vendors • TEXT – A quick and instant way to find out what is happening on your mobile

HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE CONTACTED? • Select ‘YES’ to allow The Big Issue Foundation to contact you about the effectiveness and impact your support, both financial and non-financial, is making possible in the fight against poverty and exclusion

FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW

HOW WOULD YOU LIK E T O BE CONTAC TED? Phone: Yes

Text: Yes

Full Name

Email: Yes

Post : Yes

Phone

Mr/ Mrs/ Ms

Full Address

Postcode

PLE ASE RE TURN THIS COMPLE TED FORM IN THE PRE-PA ID ENV ELOPE OR TO: FREEPOST RTTS-JGTR-LRYR, The Big Issue Foundation, 3rd Floor, 113-115 Fonthill Road, Finsbury Park, London, N4 3HH.