The Big Review 2009
The 1st of December 2009 saw the launch of The Big Issue Foundation annual review. The Big Review has been written and photographed by current and ex Big Issue vendors, who share their experiences of homelessness and how The Big Issue Foundation has helped them.
Here London vendor Pam Cahill writes about her experiences of writing for The Big Review and attending the launch event...
The launch of The Big Review 2009 took place on Tuesday at Simmons and Simmons on Ropemaker Street and it was an enlightening experience to be there.
Over coffee and bacon sandwiches about thirty representatives of charitable trusts and individual supporters of The Big Issue met with some of the authors and photographer of the Annual Review, vendors and ex-vendors Richard Mortimer, Charlie Thompson, Gary Cox, Sean Gaskell and Adrian Cox (all recipients of achievement awards earlier this year), as well as staff and trustees of The Big Issue Foundation.
Once seated in the lecture theatre, I was particularly interested when Chief Executive of The Big Issue Foundation, Stephen Robertson spoke because he really seemed to have his finger on the pulse when it came to the reality of being a vendor and the difficulties involved in actually trying to sell the magazine. He mentioned the fact that the number of Big Issue vendors had increased dramatically this year and that 40% of vendors have seen a decrease in sales in the last six months. He also reported some other alarming if not surprising statistics from recent surveys conducted by the Foundation. These revealed the impact the recession is having with 43% of vendors naming the recession as a definite factor that led to their becoming homeless. An equally disturbing find showed that at least 83% of vendors have been affected by an increase in the cost of living. As a vendor, I was glad to know someone was actually taking the time to inform themselves of the facts and to report them.
We then listened to an emotive and eloquent speech from ex-vendor Charlie Thompson who shared memories of his long journey away from homelessness that left the audience very moved. The morning ended with a number of interesting questions from the audience posed to the panel of vendors.
When I was asked to contribute to The Big Review this year, I was grateful for another chance to contribute as a freelance writer. I was also grateful because it gave me the perfect opportunity to give something back by saying what The Big Issue means to me personally and to thank the many people who work so hard to make the magazine appear in print week after week. Attending the breakfast and launch was another great opportunity. This time, to meet those people I would never otherwise meet and who have been so supportive to The Big Issue over the years. It was a privilege to meet you and a very big thank-you to you all.
Pam Cahill
To view The Big Review 2009 please click here
Alternatively if you wish to request a paper copy of The Big Review 2009 please call 020 7526 3456 or email foundation@bigissue.com
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