Editors’ Letter: What is The Big Issue?

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]e’ve all done it. You’re ambling down the high street and above the clamour of the busy crowds, you hear the dreaded: “Big Issue, please?”. You stutter “Um, sorry, not today” and walk away faster than you would if you were trying to catch a U1 on a Monday morning. Or worse, you ignore it.

I’m not ashamed to admit, I used to be that person, until I met a vendor of The Big Issue that, without sounding melodramatic, changed my world view.

I met Will in July. I had a job interview on Leamington’s Parade and I was outside having a cigarette. He came over and asked if he could have one. I obliged. He noted my smart attire and asked if I was on my break. I told him about my interview, and he wished me luck. I didn’t think anything of it; I just dismissed it as polite small talk, as thanks for the cigarette.

I don’t know if you’ve ever picked one up, but a recent copy I’ve got has an Alt-J interview, an article on that Nick Cave film my housemate won’t shut up about, political cartoons… it could give the Boar a run for its money!

I got the job. So began my career of selling school trousers and posh butties, and a great friendship with Will. We would talk everyday. One day, Will asked me about my degree. Naturally, I started moaning about Virgil. I ended up in such a deep conversation about The Aeneid, I was late for work. Will is a fountain of knowledge, and it was then that I had the ultimate lightbulb moment: no one chooses poverty.

I’ve started buying The Big Issue. I don’t know if you’ve ever picked one up, but a recent copy I’ve got has an Alt-J interview, an article on that Nick Cave film my housemate won’t shut up about, political cartoons… it could give the Boar a run for its money! You’re helping a vulnerable person move away from life on the streets AND getting some top-notch content. £2.50 seems steep when you can peruse BuzzFeed to your heart’s content for nothing, but it’s not even the price of a pint. If you haven’t got the change to spare, having a chat can be a welcome break for a vendor from a day of being continually blanked when they’re just trying to do their job.

The £1.25 vendors earn from each sale of the magazine goes towards rebuilding their lives. They can open bank accounts, access healthcare, find accommodation…all the things we’ve never thought twice about. There are around 2,000 vendors of The Big Issue in the U.K. 50 percent of them are supporting families.

I still see Will pretty often; we catch up and it genuinely brightens my day talking to him. Next time you’re forking out for a Starbucks caramel brulée latte with whipped cream and sprinkles to boot, remember: £2.50 goes a long way.