Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Don’t miss this offer - 8 issues for just £9.99
SUBSCRIBE
News

Introducing the new Big Issue agony uncle Mark Dempster…

Mark Dempster is a Harley Street addiction therapist, has a radio show with Russell Brand – and now he is The Big Issue's brand new agony uncle

Harley Street addiction therapist and counsellor Mark Dempster knows better than most the power of The Big Issue to help people on the road to recovery from addiction.

A former drug addict and dealer, and having served time in prison, Mark was a Big Issue vendor from 1993 to 1996, before he trained as a counsellor and launched his successful Harley Street practice. He and Russell Brand – cover star of this week’s new Big Issue, who spent time talking through the gamut of addiction issues with a group of the magazine’s vendors for our cover feature – co-present a radio show, We are Recovery Radio, on Zone One station.

And now Mark is teaming up with The Big Issue to offer advice to readers with issues of addiction to alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, the internet and more. His first column is online here and you can send questions to Mark in confidence at bigissueproblems@bigissue.com (let us know if you would like anonymity), with his advice appearing right here on our site. You can also get in touch directly via the contact for below…

[contact-form-7 id=”13433″ title=”Agony Aunt Form”]

Find out more about Mark’s work here.

And for first steps towards getting advice, here are a few sources of helpful information:

Drugs & alcohol: Addaction

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

Drugs advice: Talk to Frank

Alcohol: Drinkaware

Drinkline free helpline: 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am–8pm, weekends 11am–4pm)

Smoking: Smokefree NHS

Gambling: Gamcare

Gamcare free helpline: 0808 8020 133 (8am-midnight, seven days)

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

Never miss an issue

Take advantage of our special subscription offer. Subscribe from just £9.99 and never miss an issue.

Recommended for you

View all
One in five parents of disabled children wait more than a year to be seen by social services
Carla Alderman and her son Cameron, who have been supported by Sense. Image: Sense
Disabled children

One in five parents of disabled children wait more than a year to be seen by social services

'Hidden crisis' of rural homelessness needs urgent attention – here's one way to fix it
a man in a tent in the woods
Homelessness

'Hidden crisis' of rural homelessness needs urgent attention – here's one way to fix it

Scottish whisky and salmon exporters brace for 'significant hit' from Trump's tariff war
Tariffs

Scottish whisky and salmon exporters brace for 'significant hit' from Trump's tariff war

Mouldy homes on London estate leaves dozens of tenants with serious health issues
Residents on the Nags Head estate. Image: Andy Parsons
Housing

Mouldy homes on London estate leaves dozens of tenants with serious health issues

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know
4.

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know

Support our vendors with a subscription

For each subscription to the magazine, we’ll provide a vendor with a reusable water bottle, making it easier for them to access cold water on hot days.