Marlene was born on the streets of Macedonia and for the first nine months of her life was a stray, struggling to survive.
“She was picked up and neutered, then put back on the streets,” says Marlene’s owner Ian Duff. “Two days later, she made her way back to the kill shelter – imagine, trying to get into a kill shelter! – then she was rescued.”
Marlene was lucky to be picked up by an organisation called Dia’s Legacy, which rehomes street dogs in other parts of Europe. “I got her in November last year,” Ian smiles. And this week she’s starring on the cover of Big Issue. Now that’s an incredible journey.
Who doesn’t love dogs? Loyal, loving, sometimes naughty but always nice, they are an essential part of the family and ask for so little in return. Many of our vendors have a dog – much-needed companions on their pitches as well as in their lives. So in time-honoured Big Issue Christmas tradition, we now celebrate all the amazing mutts (plus a few cats) and the vital work they do.
What else in this week’s Big Issue?
Labour has revealed its plan to ‘get Britain working again’. It’s an ambitious move, but safeguards must remain to protect our most vulnerable
Labour’s long-awaited proposals to transform employment support, reduce the benefits bill and change the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) itself has been mostly welcomed – but charities have warned the government against using “scare tactics” to drive people into work. Benefit claimants need to be able to afford food and to put their heating on before they can engage effectively with Jobcentres, experts and activists have also told Big Issue.
Last year, Sebastian ate Christmas dinner in a prison cell. This year, he’s cooking up a storm in a fine dining restaurant
For Sebastian, Christmas Day 2023 was not what most people think of when they think of Christmas. He took some food from the prison canteen back to his cell. The meal in the canteen wasn’t where the action was. Sebastian made fritters with the chicken, cooked in his kettle. Others made rice, dumplings and fried chicken. “It wasn’t all that,” he says of his year inside, but adds: “Christmas Day was actually all right, not too bad. Everyone in the cells was making food.”
