TBIF Winter newsletter 2013

NEWSLETTER WINTER 2013

a i mi ng H i gH THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p1 / WINTER 2012

THe POWer Of WOrk is greaTer THan THe POWer Of mOney

NEWSLETTER WINTER 2013

HOW selling THe magaZine Well HelPs PeOPle mOVe On, P06

CONTENTS Profile 03 Vendor Viv Askeland The Right To Work 04 One vendor and his business The Wind In My Sales 06 How we help people sell the mag The Stuff Of Dreams 08 What is Aspirations Week?

Upcoming Events 08 How you can get involved Sam, I Am 10 An ex-vendor's compelling story Sharp Focus 12 A challenging new photo project A Day In The Life 14 Service Broker Sam Grief In Memory 16 We salute vendors we have lost Cover picture: Anthony Brown. Many thanks to photographers Tom Campbell (pics on p2 and 3) and Andy Commons (main pics on p6, 8 and 10)

mOst OF us can understand the benefits that arise from working: structure, a wage, social contact and friends. For us all there are times when this is not always the case but on the whole work can offer purpose and meaning. It can enrich our lives in more ways than just paying the bills, more than just proving the power of money...

Big Issue vendors are traders, modern day heroes who apply their entrepreneurial skills to begin a process of change. What starts with work - with support when needed - can literally be transformational. The journey begins with a sale and the destination is often unknown; frequently troubling, it remains your journey and that, for me, is where the power of ‘work’ really comes into play.

This newsletter talks about ‘outsiders’. In the first person and in the broader sense, it challenges us to ask the question ‘what makes us care?’. People who are homeless are often perceived as ‘outsiders’, as people who have contributed to their downfall, deserving of little more than our distrust, dislike and condemnation. Big Issue vendors are also ‘outsiders’ because of the nature of the job they have chosen. They work on the streets of our country and are frequent recipients of negativity and worse.

One of our ex-vendors, Sam, shares her story in the most truthful and brave sense of the word. It is not pretty; she is honest and unflinching in her commitment to reveal what has happened in her life and how she has been able to turn it around.

When you become homeless you do not lose your humanity, it is often the last thing that you have left.

Big Issue vendors have families, past experiences, friends, loved ones and people they have lost, like all of us. In this newsletter we pay tribute to some of our friends who have fallen along the way.

We have people with us today who have lost jobs, people with experiences of the Armed Forces, ex-teachers, ex-whatever; the past is the past and, with the support of our donors, the future is somewhere else, somewhere brighter, somewhere better, somewhere where a life can be rebuilt brick-by-brick.

What does it take to inspire you? Is it the aspirational ‘better life’ or the ‘hard journey’ to get there? I hope our newsletter can do both. I hope you can see the real ‘value’ in our work and the amazing ‘value’ and impact that your generous support provides.

Thank you for taking the time to read this update. The winter season is often long and hard. Please do help us in any way that you can. Every person can do something to make a difference and help someone in their journey to a better life.

The Big Issue Foundation is dedicated to the wellbeing of Big Issue vendors and we work with over 2000 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.

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 UNSUBSCRIBE INFO: If you wish to unsubscribe or subscribe to e-newsletters please email foundation@bigissue.com or call 0207 526 3454

Vendor Chris Sherrington at his favourite place Hyde Park, as featured in The Big Issue magazine

THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p2 / WINTER 2013

Viv Askeland

cracking a smile A meeting while sharing an apple juice proved how important a smile is.

Viv Askeland came to the UK from Norway in 1978. She married and had two children. All was fine, but then, 21 years into her marriage, she split with her husband and moved out of the family home, sleeping on sofas at friends’ houses.

Little did she know it but she was only at the top of a downward spiral and she ended up on the street begging. For two years she slept under Blackfriars Bridge.

On the street Viv started knitting. At first she did it to keep her hands warm and it gave her a sense of purpose. She would knit things for people she met who gave her various knitting challenges – she felt she was truly part of something.

She met a new partner who introduced her to The Big Issue and this gave her a sense of pride. It was a job, she was appreciated for it and this increased her self-esteem. Earning her own money was key.

Through her own hard work, and the support of the Big Issue Foundation, she now has somewhere to call home and has

taken great steps in her journey away from homelessness.

Viv has also been part of the Big Issue Foundation’s corporate engagement project with law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP. She worked there one day a week selling The Big Issue magazine in the canteen, forging links and acting as a great advocate for the cause. Viv also became a valued member of the Freshfields knitting group.

viv works as a " tour guide on the

streets where she once lived " She still knits for various people and is part of the workforce of Unseen Tours, (sockmobevents.org.uk), a pilot scheme helping people who are homeless to find sustainable work as tour guides on the THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p3 / WINTER 2013

streets where they once lived. This award-winning business has had its social conscience endorsed by the Observer’s Ethical Awards, and Virgin’s Responsible Holidays. It offers Londoners and nonLondoners the chance to discover a fresh angle on the city, while also supporting those who have arguably been some of the most vulnerable citizens within the fast-paced metropolis.

Earlier this year, the Big Issue Foundation helped Viv get connected to Pathway, a not-for-profit organisation which empowers communities to reach their full potential and transform their own lives.

Pathway helped to organise a referral to a dentist, meaning that after Christmas of this year Viv’s already engaging smile will be dazzling to everyone she meets.

This exciting development in her life will serve Viv well as she embraces the challenge of being a full-time tour guide and employee of Unseen Tours in the New Year.

The Big Issue Foundation couldn’t be more proud of the success of Viv and her imaginative perseverance.

T H E RIG H T T O W O RK

Even though Mark's life unravelled he never lost the dream of getting back to work. This is why The Big Issue was the perfect first step on a path that led to the creation of his own business The Big Issue office in Bath provides a livelihood for vendors, who effectively work as self-employed street-traders, running their own micro-businesses. The service goes beyond that though, with The Big Issue working in close conjunction with local and national agencies to make a genuine difference in the vendors’ lives.

Many locals will be aware of the amazing work carried out by Julian House – the local charity offers a night shelter for people who are homeless, as well as offering them advice and guidance on next steps.

Someone who is fully aware of the work of Julian House is Mark Bailey. Mark, now 48, came to Bath in 2012 and initially found himself begging to get by. After moving in to the night shelter, Mark quickly became a Big Issue seller, with the encouragement of Julian House. His support worker Mike says: "Mark recognised that he wanted to be working."

For Mark, running his own business and being in control of his finances was important – "I sold the mag for ten months and, during that time, had a way to earn…

I didn’t want to claim Job Seekers’ Allowance, I wanted to work." Mike supported Mark’s desire to work, commenting on how his "life skills improved immensely" through working

again. Mark’s dedication to earning an honest living is one that is reflected in all our vendors here in Bath. Mark’s key worker says: "We got the feeling when we first met Mark that he had drive… he’s at his best when he’s working."

Mark also became involved with The Lifeline Service, which is a branch of The Genesis Trust in Bath. The Lifeline Service is run by Gloria, who helped Mark during his journey. She says that the project is

i am a " businessman and

have independence once again " "there for people working on the streets, and helps with the next steps in peoples' lives." She speaks warmly of Mark, saying that the team were "delighted to be able to help and support him," and that the support is never taken away.

The Vendor Support Fund is available to all vendors, and gives them the chance to apply for funding to help them achieve

their aspirations. If their application is successful they have to save to contribute a certain percentage of the funds themselves, demonstrating the importance of financial management. Mark says, "I always wanted to run my own business."

By applying to the Vendor Support Fund, Mark was able to buy enough kit to set up his own housing maintenance business.

He’s already done his first successful job and aims to complete many more: "I want to work five days a week, 52 weeks a year!"

The Big Issue offers help to many, and, by working in conjunction with charities and agencies, can provide so much more than sale skills and an income – it can provide a stepping stone to a new life, and a way out of the hardships that so many of our vendors struggle through.

"If it wasn’t for the services in Bath, including The Big Issue, I would still be on the streets begging," says Mark.

"Instead I am a businessman and have independence again."

Mike is clearly impressed by Mark’s success, stating: "It’s an absolutely amazing achievement." Mark’s story is both moving and inspiring, and reflects the journeys of many of our vendors, as well as reitterating The Big Issue’s ethos – "a hand up, not a handout".

CASE STUDY: MARK BAILEY

WHY HAVING A JOB IS SO IMPORTANT “I came to Bath about a year ago and was rough sleeping and begging. Through outreach support I moved into the night shelter and was encouraged to try selling The Big Issue. I sold the magazine for 10 months and during that time started to sort my life out. I didn’t want to claim

Job Seekers Allowance, I wanted to work. So I sold the mag and claimed Working Tax Credit. I always wanted to run my own business and now it’s a reality.

I now have the kit I need to run my own housing maintenance business. I’ve already done my first job and sent the invoice. If

it wasn’t for the services in Bath including The Big Issue I would still be on the streets begging.

Instead I am a businessman and have my independence again. I want to work five days a week, 52 weeks a year because I am proud of the maintenance service I offer."

THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p4 / WINTER 2013

THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p5 / SPRING 2013

Mark Bailey, on the first rung of the business ladder

T He W ind in my sales The Big Issue Foundation is right behind vendors when it comes to helping them sell the magazine

August sAw the return of the Big Issue Foundation’s Sales And Money Week. The annual event seeks to promote the benefits of improved sales skills, financial responsibility and forward thinking, with events held for vendors up and down the country.

Supported by workers from the Big Issue Foundation, vendors were set sales targets for the week, with discounted magazines offered in reward to any vendor who hit their target.

Teams in Bournemouth and Oxford went one further, giving each of their active vendors a personal laminated card showing their sales for the four previous weeks and a challenge to improve their sales in the coming weeks by 20 per cent. The London team equipped vendors with a Sales And Money pack that included record sheets, a calculator donated by Casio and stationery to chart their weekly sales, as well as a tool to illustrate the income incentive of increasing their sales.

As many as a third of our vendors have no form of bank account, living hand to mouth, with no consideration of the day after tomorrow. Learning to plan for the future is a key step in mastering a stable and self-sufficient life, and events were held to raise awareness and offer guidance on how best to budget, keep records and overcome financial struggles. The Citizens Advice Bureau ran information sessions on how vendors could manage their debts and drop-in sessions were held to open bank or credit union

accounts, with incentives offered for deposits made into the Big Issue Foundation’s own vendor saving scheme.

Promotion of education and training also features as part of Sales And Money Week as improving employability is another key step towards a life away from the streets. Bourneville College hosted a session for our Birmingham vendors offering information on the courses available to them, sparking a discussion on how NVQs could be adapted to help vendors with numeracy or computer skills.

A survey was conducted as part of the week which underlined that there is a great deal of work to be done. Less than half the vendors said they actively saved for the future and more than half said they were in debt. 55 per cent have no form of official identification, making it hard to open bank accounts and gain financial support, and many use the Foundation’s 'care of' postal facility, having no fixed address of their own.

More shockingly, vendors shared some eye-opening testimonies regarding the harrowing realities of homelessness. Forty of the 80 vendors surveyed first slept rough before the age of 18, an astonishing 12 were aged 13 or less. Many of our vendors were thrust into crisis so early that they had little chance of achieving a stable livelihood. The Big Issue Foundation seeks to offer the support needed to help vendors find some stability and have the chance they never had.

now keePs records " kevin oF his eXPenditure and has a new cv " THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p6 / WINTER 2013

were set targets " vendors and given discounted maga zines as a reward "

Case study from Sales and Money week in Oxford Kevin Hegarty participated in several workshops during Sales And Money week where he received 1-2-1 budgeting advice and CV/Job Hunting help. Kevin (pictured with Silja Andersen, Big Issue Foundation) is 65 and has been a Big Issue vendor for many years. Kevin was struggling to budget for bills and essential costs but with the help of the workshops he is now more aware of income/ expenditure and is starting to keep records of these. He has updated his CV to distribute to charity shops looking for voluntary positions and has requested an application form for a voluntary role at the local hospital.

THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p7 / WINTER 2013

T H E S T UFF O F DREAMS

Knowing what vendors want helps staff help them to work towards personal goals. That’s what Aspirations Week is all about

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 3455 or go to www.bigissue.org.uk/events

London to Paris

24th-27th July 2014

THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p8 / WINTER 2013

The London Marathon 13th April 2014

At the Big Issue Foundation we work with a range of vendors of different ages, from different backgrounds and with different life experiences. To make sure we know them really well we run Aspirations Week. Our aim is also to encourage an aspirational culture amongst vendors.

Because of the immediate difficulties facing people who are homeless or vulnerably housed, it can be difficult for them to stay focused on where they want to be in the medium- to long-term. Aspirations Week is an opportunity to step away from vending and reflect on their longer-term goals. So we create activities that help vendors set goals and to plan ways to achieve them.

This year the reaction we got from Aspirations Week was a strong reminder of how many things you lose on your way to the streets. Several of our vendors said they dreamed about having permanent accommodation, reconnecting with family, overcoming an illness, being able to provide for their children, moving on to full-time work and saving money. These are hugely important aspects of life that some of us take for granted. We think having a job, a house, being financially secure, healthy and caring for our children are 'the basics', not really dreams, but givens. However, for our vendors each one of these things represents prosperity, security, stability, comfort and ultimately an easier, happier life.

There are also more urgent dreams amongst our vendors. Some vendors have been with us longer than others and as a consequence are in a more stable situation, which allows them to dream of the future.

Others have only recently committed to the self-help model of The Big Issue, so their lives are still more chaotic, their problems more challenging, and as a result their dreams are more immediate. For instance, some vendors said they just want to maintain their sobriety, taking one day as a time; another said he hoped to continue to decrease his methadone usage, which means he is progressing towards being clean.

So, as you can see our vendors’ dreams are diverse; perhaps you can identify with some of them, while others are a world away from your reality. Even so, I think we can all agree that these are worthwhile dreams.

They are the aspirations of people who have faced incredible hardship, but who are determined to improve their lives. Here at The Big Issue Foundation we feel privileged to work with people who have not given up in the face of hardship. And you, our wonderful supporters and donors, should feel extremely proud of the life changes and dreams that your support enables. You are dream makers. Thank you.

THank yOu TO

Casio for generously providing calculators for our London vendors in relation to Sales And Money week Dartmouth College One Water for their generosity this warm summer. Hundreds of bottles of vitamin water helped our vendors in the heat Common Purpose Louise Teboul Solent Credit Union who did a drop-in during Sales And Money Week in Southampton.

Oona for matching ÂŁ10,000 worth of gifts this summer and for her longstanding support Helen Wakeman-Jones for amazing event planning www.wkmproductions.co.uk Adrian, owner of Society Cafe in Bath Crane.tv 4C Hotel Group Create And Craft All the cyclists who took part in our London to Paris ride this summer.

North West Kent College, Dartford Starbucks Bournemouth for providing free coffee, food and staff for Bournemouth office open day Lush Handmade Cosmetics for donating prizes for Bournemouth Office open day Shelter housing advice for outstanding support offered to our vendors

THe Big sleeP OuT SPRING 2014

THe Big JumP 9Th MARCh

THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p9 / WINTER 2013

Bournemouth and Poole College for helping five Big Issue vendors complete their QCF Level 2 in Customer Service

SAM , I AM O n e e x- v e n d o r sh a r e s her dr a m at ic l i f e s to r y to i n s p i r e oth e r s to s t ay s t r o n g T THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p10 / WINTER 2013

H

said nothing - and finally narrowly escaping a two-day i, my name is Sam Spungold and I kidnapping and robbery by some crack dealers who held wanted to share my story with you my partner hostage until they emptied his bank account. because I hope to inspire people with addictions, mental health problems, those Oh, and not to mention dying from an OD and being who sell The Big Issue and others who are brought back on my 19th birthday. going through hell in their life. For others During this time, people on the street would shout reading this story who don’t fit the above, abuse, stare, ignore me or even laugh. Some would buy me I hope my story will help you to realise food, lend an ear, give me money or buy The Big Issue. that behind every drug addict and every Selling the magazine was a job and made me happy. It homeless person or Big Issue seller there kept me out of trouble and helped me to be careful with is a story and these people are just like you, they just need my money. society to treat them that way and not like an outcast.

Whilst begging at night time one Saturday I saw an ex.

When I was 11 I played the part of a boy in a play. I had Seeing him reminded me how happy I once was. I knew I the lead role and my boyish haircut meant that when I would be dead soon if I carried on and a little fire inside started high school they thought I was a lesbian and I was me grew and I knew I wanted to live, just not like this. bullied terribly. My school life was hell and I was not happy Eventually I ran away from my boyfriend and with the at home and I ran away. I was help of new friends I did a placed in care at 13 and had five two-week blind methadone detox. foster families. Many were not It was not easy and my bones and happy experiences and I was even head ached and the nightmares The Room I had Breakfast In molested by one of my foster dads. were the worst ever. I had kept At 17 I left home with no help half a bag and constantly wanted As she sits so cold in the doorway from social services. I wound up to do it, but after two weeks, She can't remember when she last ate in a room in a rundown house unable to flush it, I gave it away.

All the people walk past and ignore her share.

I was 20 years old. A year later Some look upon her with hate I was at college full-time I had my daughter, who is now 10. studying a GNVQ in Health and I then cleared my hepatitis whilst The drugs numb her from the coldness Social Care and GCSE Psycholcompleting year one of a degree in But somewhere deep inside, ogy, I worked as a care assistant Psychology and Philosophy to She was still a person and spent weekends working in a alleviate the boredom whilst Who was very much alive kebab shop. On my only morning bed-ridden from the treatment. off I looked after a friend's baby.

With a thirst for life and knowlOnce she was just like them It was all too much and I failed edge I went on to achieve: Not a gutter rat fit for the bin college. Feeling like a failure I had LAMDA silver and gold for acting In fact she too once had a home a breakdown and spent a week in both passed with distinction. I and The room I had breakfast in hospital after taking 100 or so also now have an AS level in painkillers. acting, a diploma in musical For that person and their journey was me Unable to work I was evicted. I theatre, level 3 radio production, a I just strayed off of the track had been to the council and they foundation degree in creative arts But once I found my way back again said I had made myself intentiontherapies, with a third year top up I was determined never to go back ally homeless and was not entitled in applied drama and I recently to help! completed year one of a masters I don't regret having been there After months 'sofa surfing' I in creative writing for therapeutic To that dark place of trouble and strife was raped. After days of clubbing purposes.

For it's made me who I am today and taking ecstacy and speed I It’s just a part of my life I have decided to pursue my crashed into a deep sleep and creative talents. I present a radio someone took advantage. This has show every Friday at midnight on Teardrop left me with sleep problems, Bristol’s 93.2FM called The Baby October 2012 paranoia and nightmares.

Boomtown Show. I have interAfter six months in Manchesviewed many famous people from (Inspired by a line from the poem The ter I returned to Sussex and to my Jimmy Cliff to George Galloway. I Kitchen by James Gregory 2003 old care assistant job. It felt good hope to make it all the way to a big Published by Tetrastic Plymouth 2004) to be normal again and I worked radio station and maybe do some 13-hour shifts all over Xmas and TV presenting too.

New Year so that I could afford a I have written a lot of poetry deposit on a new flat. On the second of January the senior which I would love to get published (I have shared one care assistant tried to frame me for theft. She placed a with you called The Room I Had Breakfast In). I have also resident's wallet under a pillow in a room where I was sat written an autobiographical play which I am converting with a dying patient. The residents were all suffering from to a film script. As well as a few children’s stories that dementia and never had any money on them, so this was need illustrating before I can take them to a publisher. the first thing that led the police to believe that I had been I find that if I keep busy I am less likely to slip into a set up. The charges were dropped but I now had no job, a deep depression and self harm in one way or another. I pay cheque a third of the size it should have been and no have good days and bad days of course, but I try to keep faith in life. looking to the future and use my past as a drive that helps I ended up in a hotel paid for by housing benefit, which me to be stronger. was full of heroin and crack addicts and soon like them I If you are at rock bottom, be strong and fight, no was addicted to heroin and later crack cocaine. matter how long it takes, you honestly can be who you This life saw me sleeping rough, stealing, committing want to be and if you never reach your goal, at least you fraud, being raped by a dealer, contracting hepatitis C went out fighting. So what are you waiting for? Your new from my partner who watched as I used his needle and life starts whenever you want it to... I believe in you.

THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p11 / WINTER 2013

Sh a r p Fo c u s Skins actress Kathryn Prescott recently embarked on a photo project that challenges us to look twice, to think again, and to ask ourselves What Makes Us Care?

I’ve been a big supporter of The Big Issue and Centrepoint for a while. I’m really encouraged by the work they do in equipping people to make changes for the better.

I wanted to do something that challenged why we respond to some faces rather than others. After I did Skins, I was taken aback by how many people would come up and speak to me just because they recognised my face from TV. They would be very nice, even if some of them wouldn’t necessarily know why they knew me. Some would say, “Did we go to school together?”

I found it strange. There are people out there who really need some attention and care and a few kind words - people who don’t often get those things. I wondered to myself, “What’s in a face? What makes us care?”

I remember walking with a friend near Camden tube station and my friend saw someone he knew lying on the ground with a sleeping bag. My friend spoke to him for 20 minutes, found out how he was doing, talked about what his options might be. So knowing him, even as a friend of a friend, broke down a barrier. He was a person, not just someone sleeping on the streets.

So that person you walk past is someone’s friend; someone’s brother; someone’s sister. I’ve spoken to some Big Issue vendors about it, and they say being completely ignored by those walking past is the worst thing.

I thought I would try to bring some sense of familiarity to the problems homeless people face. I thought using familiar faces from television – faces out of context, faces which look like they’re in a bad way – might stir something in the viewer, because you are looking at someone you have seen before.

The project really got to a lot of the actors I photographed, to imagine being so vulnerable. A few of them started crying. Maybe it reminded them that

homelessness is not as far removed from them as they may have previously thought.

We look at certain faces and make instant judgements. It’s strange how we blame people for their misfortunes. Some people have had to go through horrible things, things they couldn’t do anything about. So many people end up in difficult situations, but they often have a network of family or friends or the resources to pull them through and move on.

Some people get a lot of help with second chances.

Some don’t.

Sometimes we might fail to recognise how much people are trying; trying to break the cycle of homelessness, doing positive things. I met a Big Issue vendor in Birmingham recently – Kris Dove. He was doing well and had recently got his own flat. He was enthusiastic about the human connection he had made with his regular customers, and how much their support had allowed him to do.

It’s difficult for a lot of young people these days: they understand housing problems and homelessness are not so far away. I know people sofa-surfing in London because it’s just not feasible to pay rent and for their education at the same time, despite working long hours. When young people do suffer tough times, it’s important to give them proper support before some destructive habits and cycles take hold, because self-medication can feel like the only option. I know the problems of many of the Big Issue vendors out there began when they ran away from home as teenagers. It’s horrible to think what must have being going on at home to make the uncertainty of the streets the preferable option.

I think a lot of people really do care. They just don’t always know how to help. The answers aren’t always easy, but we should never simply ignore a problem or judge too quickly. It’s better to acknowledge people, however difficult their problems might seem to be. Showing you care is a good first step.

W h at M a k e s U s C a r e ?

For more details on how to buy prints go to: www.bigissue.org.uk/whatmakesuscare THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p12 / WINTER 2013

Skins actors Kaya Scodelario (this pic), Lily Loveless and Tom Payne

A week in the life of Service Broker Sam Grief

Monday

My busiest and my favourite time is when vendors come in to purchase the new magazine and I find out how they did with their sales the previous week. Chatting with vendors in the morning also gives me the chance to find out how they are. We have quite a few new vendors at the moment who need encouragement and support.

Later I meet a vendor who is rough sleeping and desperate to get into a hostel. His mental health is bad and he is struggling to cope. I encourage him to see the Homeless Health Care Team. Over 50 per cent of our vendors manage mental health issues.

Tuesday

We are planning a week of activities in November to help vendors manage their health.

One vendor, Ian Duff [pictured above with Sam], suggested running a healthy eating session. An ex-chef, he is setting up a social enterprise called DuffCooks, to help people learn basic cooking skills.

Every Tuesday the local rough sleepers' Outreach Team join us on our outreach. We visit pitches and see how each vendor is doing. Chatting with vendors on their pitch allows them to be more open.

Wednesday

In Bristol for a meeting about how we can offer our services to more vendors. We are planning to link with support agencies near some of our rural pitches. As a small team it can be tricky to get out and about, so will use our fantastic team of volunteers to help.

Thursday

A new volunteer starts with us this morning. Lauren is from America. She is here until December, so my colleague, Jim and I chat with her about what she would like to get involved in. Lauren is studying English so she is going to write case studies about our vendors to put up in local cafes near their pitches.

Friday

Bath has seen a significant increase in begging, so today I meet with other agencies in the city to create a plan. We talk about what we can offer, but also realise we need the public to understand their role. Many of the people who are begging are trapped in that situation as people continue to give them money. This makes it difficult for the support services to encourage individuals to use the help available. Another meeting is fixed to see if we can involve the Council and local businesses to help us spread the word.

THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p14 / WINTER 2013

There are over 2,000 Big issue vendors across the country determined to get off the streets. But the foundation’s support network is currently simply too thin on the ground to help them all. Please help us expand our services by employing more people like sam grief (featured on the opposite page)

A commitment of £7 a month could help fund the salary of a Service Broker who works to support our vendors with their individual needs 1. cOnTacT deTails

4. i WOuld like TO seT uP a regular gifT Instruction to your bank or Building Society to pay

by Direct Debit

Service user number 9

7

3

6

0

4

Please fill in the form and send to: The Big Issue Foundation (charity No: 049077) Freepost LON17469, London, SW8 2BR

FOR THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION OFFICIAL USE ONLY This is not part of the instruction to your bank or building society

£5

£10

£20

Other

Amount: £.................

Name and full postal address of your bank or building society To: The Manager

Bank/building society

Address Postcode Name(s) of account holder(s)

Bank/building society account number

Branch sort code

Reference (for official use only)

Name Address

Instruction to your bank or building society Please pay The Big Issue Foundation Direct Debits from the account detailed in this Instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this Instruction may remain with The Big Issue Foundation and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my bank/building society.

Postcode Email

Signature(s)

Telephone

Date

Date Of Birth Banks and building societies may not accept direct debit instructions for some types of account

2. HOW WOuld yOu like TO giVe?

5. dOnaTe Via TexT

Please tick where appropriate.

To donate £10, text the number 70070 with a text saying: TBIF13 £10

Direct Debit (go to section 3) Credit/Debit card (go to section 4) Cheque (please enclose a cheque payable to The Big Issue Foundation)

3. i’d like TO make a dOnaTiOn By crediT/deBiT card Amount £ Name on card

gifT aid declaraTiOn yes

I would like The Big Issue Foundation to reclaim the tax on all qualifying gifts of money I have made in the past four years and 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 I pay as much Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax to cover the amount that all the charities and CASCs that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for each tax year. (6 April to 5 April), currently 25p of tax for every £1 I donate. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify.

Card number Start date Issue number

Expiry date (if applicable)

Security number

THank yOu fOr yOur suPPOrT.

Please return this completed form to our Freepost address: The Big Issue Foundation (Registered charity No. 1049077) Freepost LON17469, London, SW82BR

(last three digits on back of card)

THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p15 / WINTER 2013

in memory

vendors we've lost i n th e l a s t y e a r It is with great sadness and respect that we commemorate the loss of the following men and women from The Big Issue Foundation vending community. We are filled with gratitude for their lives and the honour of working alongside them

Birmingham:

Ian Watson Gladwish (31) and Wayne Busst (32) were fatally stabbed in front of horrified commuters during rush-hour in Birmingham city centre. An outpouring of grief followed from the friends and family of this dearly loved pair; we also salute ex-vendor Robert Clarke and ex-vendor Billy Price, who has died due to an overdose.

B o u r n e m o u th :

Donna Osman died in June 2013 at the age of 40.

Donna was an inspiration to us all in the office as she was always up-beat and headstrong, not letting her disability hold her back; Steven Ralph died May 2013 aged 46 from pneumonia - Steven had sold the Big Issue for many years.

memorial plaque; Jozef Lakaszewski died in July of throat cancer at the age of 57. Josef had sold the Big Issue for 10 years and had introduced many of his friends to selling the magazine. He did not have any family but a touching funeral service was attended by Polish and English friends.

Lo n d o n :

Long-term vendor Andy Coupe died this year from natural causes; long-term vendor Anthony Tiffany died this year from natural causes; Romanian vendor Ion Ciolanf died following an accident when he returned to Romania.

Nott i n g h a m :

Claire Willes died in May 2013 age 49. Claire sold The Big Issue for a short period of time. She had struggled with her substance misuse and rough sleeping for many years and tragically passed away from a heroin overdose.

Dave Ashalla, a vendor in Derby, has sadly passed away; Mick Atkin, who was a much-loved ex-vendor in Nottingham, has also died; the cause of his death was a drink-related stomach problem; Ray, known as ‘Trainer’, has passed away. He was a Northampton vendor who had been so reliable that he became a vendor co-ordinator.

B r i s to l :

P e t e r bo r o u g h :

John Holt died in March of a heart attack at the age of 54. John's family, including his mother, his loyal customers and Big Issue staff attended his funeral. He had managed to keep in touch with his three children in Australia who were there to lay flowers in front of a

Andrea Lenaghan died in her friend’s arms from natural causes in Peterborough. Andrea was muchloved and would lend a hand to newly homeless people in the city. She will be sorely missed by those who knew her.

THE BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION / p16 / WINTER 2013