Garry Buchan’s Story
My name is Garry Buchan and because of you I’ve begun rebuilding my life.
I started selling the magazine in Bristol last October. Things were not going great for me, but The Big Issue gave me a way of earning money and working towards something better. I sell in a nice part of town and I work hard – I’m smashing all my own selling targets.
I’m from the north-east of Scotland and I had been working for a few years as a foreman on construction sites in Aberdeenshire. I was working for one of the big private builders, so we’d build new homes and also do a small proportion of lower-cost homes for the housing association.
Stuart began selling The Big Issue in September 2017 and quickly began building up his sales and regular customers at Green Park (Bath). He was eager to engage with the support on offer and through the course of reviews and conversations, we were able to identify key areas where Stuart could take steps forward. Over the next few months, The Big Issue Foundation was able to help him move toward opening a bank account and registering with a GP, to apply for a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and to explore his longer-term aspiration to become a mentor for other homeless people.
Peter used to sell the Big Issue when it first launched in 1991. The confidence and skills he developed whilst selling the Big Issue enabled him to secure a place training as a bus driver. Sadly a series of life events resulted in Peter rough sleeping and selling the Big Issue again in 2016. His past experience of selling the magazine as well as his work as a bus driver meant he knew how to talk to customers and how to handle money. He soon saved enough money for a room which he moved into early last year.
Smart thinking has helped Nicolas into a work placement from which he aims to find Mainstream employment.
Matthew promised himself he would give up selling the magazine when he was sober and had some stability. He handed in his jacket 11 weeks ago.
My name is Tony. I am 58 years old and have been selling the Big Issue in the Victoria area of London since April 2017.
I started selling the magazine last September, originally on the other side of town, at Pero’s Bridge, Bristol. I’m not long out of hospital so I just do a few hours a day on my pitch, enough to make some money. I nearly died after an operation and I was in hospital for a month but I’m getting better now.
I’m from Derby originally but I’ve done a fair bit of travelling; I’ve been to Leeds, York, Nottingham. Eventually I found myself in London. I was living on the streets, begging, when a vendor came up to me and said that I could be doing something better, making my own living. He told me about The Big Issue and I decided to give it a go: earn a living, get some self-respect.
I was born in Belize and adopted at the age of 4. My adopted father was in the Navy so we moved around a lot. I eventually moved to London but things didn’t work out and I ended up on the streets. Whilst living rough I met a Big Issue vendor who told me about the magazine, so I decided to walk through the doors of The Big Issue in August 2009 and have never looked back. Selling is like a real job: I was on my pitch early every day and worked an 8-10 hour day. It showed people I’m hard working, that I make my own money and run my own business.