The Big Issue

Finding myself inexplicably visiting the sales with Beth for ball gown, I popped outisde to have a chat with The Big Issue vendor, and to grab a photo of him for my one street project.

I have an enormous amount of time for The Big Issue as an organisation that looks to help homeless and those on the edges of homelessness to help themselves. The Big Issue magazine that they sell is a good read covering all kinds of issues in contemporary culture, politics as well as issues of social justice. As it's good, I feel that the £2 I pay for my copy is an honest transaction, I understand that the vendors pay £1 (no sale or return). The whole issue of interaction and responding to homeless is complex, I like how this gives these folks the visibility and dignity that is so often lost with homelessnes.

I had a chat with this guy, he'd been working hard for the last 3 days, was greatful that it wasn't cold. At the time it was raining hard and he'd asked the owner of the swanky shoe shop behind if he could stand under the awning which they were happy to do. For him it wasn't just about keeping himself dry - "you get used to that" it was about keeping the magazines dry when he was selling them. He seemed fairly cheery. I regret not asking him his name.

Ilkley is not a place that has many homeless, one chap has lived rough here for years and has no intention of doing otherwise, when he's in the mood for a chat he'll talk endlessly about classical music and modern history and what has been on radio 4 - but mostly he keeps out of the way. Occasionally we have folks passing through for a season or a night or two, often as a temporary place of safety after some nastyness in Leeds or Bradford. Many of us fear that changes in benefits that will kick in in April will see many more homeless in this country and not your archetypal hobo.

So my one street foto from the Grove comes to you thinking about those sleeping rough, those who may end up there in 2013, a massive dose of respect for organsiations like The Big Issue and a smile for the kindness of swanky shoe shop owners.