IT training the big issue TruePDF 18 march 2019

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contents.

BOOKS P28

P10

FACT/FICTION

'ż ƣĪƠżƣƸƫ ƸŊÿƸ ǝżƣŤŏŲŃ ŰǀŰƫ ÿƣĪ Ƹż
ěŧÿŰĪ łżƣ ƸŊĪ ÃfᡉƫżěĪƫŏƸǣĜƣŏƫŏƫĜÿƣƣǣ
ÿŲǣǝĪŏŃŊƸ᠈

P13

JOHN BIRD

àŊǣ ǝĪ ŲĪĪģ ŊǀƣĜŊŏŧŧᡉƫǜżŏĜĪ

ŰżƣĪƸŊÿŲĪǜĪƣ

P14

CHANGEMAKER

®żĜŏÿŧ ǝżƣŤĪƣ ®ÿƣÿŊ ǀƣƣżǝƫᡉ ǿŃŊƸ
ÿŃÿŏŲƫƸ ƸŊĪ ĜƣŏŰŏŲÿŧ ƸƣĪÿƸŰĪŲƸ żł
ƸŊżƫĪǝŏƸŊŧżǜĪģżŲĪƫŏŲƠƣŏƫżŲ

P16

LETTER TO MY
YOUNGER SELF

Hello,my
name is Dodge

Vendor photo:ƣŧÿŲģżGŏŧŏ

P46

'ĪÿŲ żł ģĪŲŏŰ FƣÿŲĜŏƫ ¦żƫƫŏ żŲ
¥ǀż᠁ŤŏģƫÿŲģŤŏĜŤŏŲŃĜżĜÿŏŲĪ

P20

MODERN SLAVERY

Nżǝ ¼ŊĪ ŏŃ SƫƫǀĪ ŏƫ ŊĪŧƠŏŲŃ ƸÿĜŤŧĪ

ƸŊżƫĪƠƣĪǣŏŲŃżŲƸŊĪǜǀŧŲĪƣÿěŧĪ

P24
ǽƸĪƣ ƫŧĪĪƠŏŲŃ ƣżǀŃŊ łżƣ ÿěżǀƸ ᙸ‫ ڑ‬ǣĪÿƣƫ᠁ ŏŲĜŧǀģŏŲŃ ÿ ƫƠĪŧŧ ŏŲ ÿ ƸĪŲƸ᠁ SᡉǜĪ ŃżƸ ƫǀƠƠżƣƸĪģ ŊżǀƫŏŲŃ᠇
SƸ ŰĪÿŲƫ ƫż ŰǀĜŊ Ƹż ŰĪ Ƹż ěĪ ŏŲ Űǣ żǝŲ ƠŧÿĜĪ᠇ S ŤŲżǝ ǝŊÿƸ ŏƸᡉƫ ŧŏŤĪ Ƹż ƫƸƣǀŃŃŧĪ ÿŲģ Ŋżǝ ǣżǀ
ĜÿŲ ĪŲģ ǀƠ ěĪŏŲŃ ƠƣĪǣĪģ ǀƠżŲ᠁ ŧŏŤĪ ƸŊĪ ǜŏĜƸŏŰƫ żł ŰżģĪƣŲ ƫŧÿǜĪƣǣ᠁ ǝŊŏĜŊ ǣżǀ ĜÿŲ ƣĪÿģ ÿěżǀƸ
żŲ ƠÿŃĪ ᙸᙶ᠇ ěǜŏżǀƫŧǣ ƣĪǢŏƸ Ŋÿƫ ģżŰŏŲÿƸĪģ ƸŊĪ ŲĪǝƫ ᠲ żŲ ƠÿŃĪ ᙸ  ŧ rǀƣƣÿǣ ƸÿŧŤƫ ÿěżǀƸ
ŊżǝŊŏƫƠǀěŧÿŲģŧżƣģĜŊÿƣÿĜƸĪƣłżƣĪƫÿǝǝŊÿƸǝÿƫĜżŰŏŲŃ᠇æżǀĜÿŲƣĪÿģŰǣƫƸżƣǣżŲƠÿŃĪ ᚂ᠇

AL MURRAY

Nżǝ ƣĪǢŏƸ ŊĪŧƠĪģ ƸŊĪ Ơǀě ŧÿŲģŧżƣģᡉƫ
ƠÿƸƸĪƣěĪĜÿŰĪÿƫĪŧłᠵłǀŧǿŧŧŏŲŃƠƣżƠŊĪĜǣ

P28

BOOKS
A HAND UP, NOT A HANDOUT

¼Ŋŏƫ ŰÿŃÿǭŏŲĪ ǝÿƫ ěżǀŃŊƸ ěǣ ǣżǀƣ ǜĪŲģżƣ łżƣ ᢓᙷ᠇ᙸ‫ ڑ‬ÿŲģ ƫżŧģ Ƹż ǣżǀ łżƣ ᢓᙸ᠇‫ڑ‬ᙶ᠇
¼ŊĪǣÿƣĪƠƣżǀģŧǣǝżƣŤŏŲŃ᠁ŲżƸěĪŃŃŏŲŃ᠇ǀǣŏƸ᠁ƸÿŤĪŏƸ᠁ƫƠƣĪÿģƸŊĪǝżƣģ᠇

ĪÿǀƸŏłǀŧ ƣŏƸÿŏŲ ŏƫ ěĪŏŲŃ ƫżŧģ żdzł ᠲ
ÿŲģǝĪƫŊżǀŧģěĪÿŲŃƣǣÿěżǀƸŏƸ

P39

DEMENTIA
If you can’t get hold of a copy of the magazine on a regular basis, you can subscribe to receive
The Big Issue every week: bigissue.com/subscribe

ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ 

Nżǝ żŲĪ ǝżŰÿŲ ƸǀƣŲĪģ ÿ ģÿƣŤ
ģŏÿŃŲżƫŏƫŏŲƸżÿŧŏłĪᠵÿdzǿƣŰŏŲŃŧĪŃÿĜǣ
.&.]]gɋJC ʸ 03


the big list.

What to do this week in England and beyond

01

WATCH

Pose

American Crime Story maker Ryan Murphy’s fabulously
groundbreaking new US show celebrating queer resistance features
the largest cast of trans actors ever assembled in a mainstream series.
Set against the rising terror of the Aids epidemic, Pose delves into the
underground world of 1980s ball culture in New York, familiar from cult
doc Paris Is Burning and Joseph Cassara’s stunning novel The House of
Impossible Beauties. BBC2, March 21, 9pm

02

DISCOVER

New Bristol

poetry festival Lyra

In the week of World
Poetry Day (March
21), the South
West welcomes a
brand new festival
of contemporary
ǜĪƣƫŏǿĜÿƸŏżŲ᠇
Organised by
poet, rapper and
producer Danny
ᡈ ƣÿǽƸᠵ'ᡉ£ÿŲģżŧǿ
and featuring guests
including Bristol Poet
Laureate Vanessa Kisuule,
Jo Bell, Mark Pajak, Olivia Gatwood
and Anthony Anaxagorou, the
programme includes everything from
ÿƫŧÿŰƸżÿŧĪĜƸǀƣĪ᠁ÿǿŧŰƫĜƣĪĪŲŏŲŃ᠁ÿŲ
open mic, readings, performances, a
walking tour and much more.
Various venues, Bristol, March 20-24;
lyrafest.com

03

SEE

Photo: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Childish
Gambino

04

Did anyone capture the moment last year
like rapper Childish Gambino with This
SƫŰĪƣŏĜÿ᠁ŊŏƫǵŧÿŰŏŲŃŊżƸƸÿŤĪżŲƸŊĪ
desperate state of the nation, accompanied
by a richly allegorical video that has to rate
among the greatest of all time? All that
and his acting sideline as plain old
Donald Glover that saw him star
in Solo: A Star Wars Story and
Atlanta. You’ll probably need
ƸżƣĪᠵŰżƣƸŃÿŃĪǣżǀƣŊżǀƫĪƸż
get your hand on a ticket for
ƸŊĪƫĪƫżŧģᠵżǀƸƫŊżǝƫ᠁ŏłǣżǀ
don’t already have one – there
is scarcely a hotter gig to be
attended this year.
The O2, London, March 2425; childishgambino.com

Go underground in London as you never
have before this spring and summer with a
season of tours and events held in disused
stations and other secret subterranean
locations. Discover historic Aldwych’s
long-abandoned tube stop together with a

screening of Churchill biopic Darkest Hour,
or walk in the footsteps of James Bond
under Charing Cross, watch Skyfall and
enjoy a complimentary martini (shaken,
not stirred, naturally).
Various locations, London, March
21-September 27; ltmuseum.co.uk

04 | BIGISSUE.COM

BOOKING NOW

New season
of Hidden London
disused station tours

ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ


This
week on…
BIGISSUE.COM

Why Fiona Shaw jealously guards
her creative friendship with
Phoebe Waller-Bridge

The true story behind explorer Ed
®Ƹÿdzłżƣģᡉƫ60 days sleeping rough
across the UK

08

Seven secrets to sucker-punch
sleeplessnessÿŲģƫŧŏƠżdzłŏŲƸż
satisfying somnolence

DON’T MISS

Ólafur Arnalds

The Icelandic contemporary-classical pianist and
composer responsible for Broadchurch among other
ǿŧŰÿŲģ¼ßƫżǀŲģƸƣÿĜŤƫŏƫěÿĜŤǝŏƸŊÿŃŊżƫƸŧǣᠵ
beautiful live experience to treasure in support
of his new album re:member. Self-playing pianos
żŲǀŲģĪƣᠵŧŏƸƣŏƫĪƣƫƣĪÿĜƸÿŲģƣĪƫƠżŲģƸżƣŲÿŧģƫᡉ
ƠŏÿŲżǜŏÿƠŏżŲĪĪƣŏŲŃŲĪǝƫĪŧłᠵģĪǜĪŧżƠĪģƫżǽƸǝÿƣĪ᠁
illuminating and glowing in the process.
®Ƹ'ÿǜŏģᡉƫNÿŧŧ᠁ ÿƣģŏdzł᠁rÿƣĜŊᙷᚅᠤƸŊĪŲƸżǀƣŏŲŃᠥ᠒
żŧÿłǀƣÿƣŲÿŧģƫ᠇ĜżŰ

05

WATCH

Red Bull Neptune Steps

Watch crazed masochists – sorry, we mean hardy endurance swimmers – repeatedly
plunge into the icy waters of Glasgow’s Forth and Clyde Canal and swim 400 metres,

hoisting themselves over seven canal lock gates using ropes and ladders as they go.
Turn up to cheer competitors on – a record number of which have entered this year.
They’ll be needing all the encouragement they can get.
rÿƣǣŊŏŧŧhżĜŤƫ᠁GŧÿƫŃżǝ᠁rÿƣĜŊᙸᙹ᠒
ƣĪģěǀŧŧ᠇ĜżŰ᠓ŃěᠵĪŲ᠓ĪǜĪŲƸƫ᠓ƣĪģᠵěǀŧŧᠵŲĪƠƸǀŲĪᠵƫƸĪƠƫᠵǀŤ

06

09

CELEBRATE

c©™&Úêą‚½ËɸÞ
20th birthday

Buy the
latest Street
Art in The
Big Issue Shop

dǀŧŏÿ'żŲÿŧģƫżŲᡉƫĜŧÿƫƫŏĜŤŏģƫᡉěżżŤÿěżǀƸÿ
cunning mouse and his attempts to outsmart
every predator in the woods turns 20 this
ǝĪĪŤ᠇FżŧŧżǝŏŲŃƠǀěŧŏĜÿƸŏżŲżłÿŲĪǝĪģŏƸŏżŲ
żłƸŊĪěżżŤĪÿƣŧŏĪƣƸŊŏƫǣĪÿƣ᠁àÿƸĪƣƫƸżŲĪƫ
stores around the UK from Leamington Spa
to Edinburgh are celebrating ¼ŊĪGƣǀDzłÿŧżᡉƫ
ěŏƣƸŊģÿǣǝŏƸŊƣĪÿģŏŲŃƫ᠁ŃÿŰĪƫÿŲģżƸŊĪƣ
ÿƫƫżƣƸĪģłǀŲ᠇ ŊĪĜŤǣżǀƣŧżĜÿŧŧŏƫƸŏŲŃƫłżƣģĪƸÿŏŧƫ᠇
Participating Waterstones stores UK-wide,

rÿƣĜŊᙸᙹ᠒ǝÿƸĪƣƫƸżŲĪƫ᠇ĜżŰ

07

GO

Homegrown
Festival:
Occupy

Part of a programme handing
the keys of two major London
theatres to visionary artists
of colour for short stints,
Occupy will see young and
underrepresented voices
take over South London’s
Battersea Arts Centre for four
weeks of theatre, music, live
games, virtual experiences,
rap, poetry, installations and more. Performances will include
High Rise Estate of Mind, a play told through grime and beatboxing,
that exposes young people’s fears about where they will live in the
age of #generationrent.
Battersea Arts Centre, March 18-April 12; bac.org.uk
ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ

SHOP

/ǜĪƣǣǝĪĪŤŏŲ¼ŊĪŏŃSƫƫǀĪǝĪ

ƠǀěŧŏƫŊĪǢĜĪƠƸŏżŲÿŧÿƣƸǝżƣŤƫ
by talented creatives living
żŲƸŊĪŰÿƣŃŏŲƫżłƫżĜŏĪƸǣ᠁ěĪ
ŏƸěĪĜÿǀƫĪżłŊżŰĪŧĪƫƫŲĪƫƫ᠁
ŰĪŲƸÿŧżƣƠŊǣƫŏĜÿŧŊĪÿŧƸŊƠƣżěŧĪŰƫ᠁ÿģģŏĜƸŏżŲ
or other forms of social exclusion. Many of
ƸŊĪƫĪÿƣƸǝżƣŤƫÿƣĪƫǀěƫĪƢǀĪŲƸŧǣƫżŧģÿƫŊŏŃŊᠵ
ƢǀÿŧŏƸǣƠƣŏŲƸƫŏŲ¼ŊĪŏŃSƫƫǀĪ®ŊżƠ᠁ǝŏƸŊŊÿŧł
ƸŊĪƠƣżǿƸƫŃżŏŲŃƸżƸŊĪÿƣƸŏƫƸƫ᠇ƣżǝƫĪÿŲģěǀǣ
the latest superb additions to the collection by
ƸŊĪŧŏŤĪƫżł ŊƣŏƫŏƣģᠤWinter ForestƠŏĜƸǀƣĪģᠥ᠁
rÿƣǣßÿŧŧĪŧǣÿŲģ¦ĪŲĪ¦żěěŏŲƫŲżǝ᠇
ěŏŃŏƫƫǀĪƫŊżƠ᠇ĜżŰ

10

LAST CHANCE

Petition to protect
library services

The Big Issue has long been a champion
żłěżżŤƫÿŲģƣĪÿģŏŲŃÿŲģŊÿƫĜÿŰƠÿŏŃŲĪģƸż
protect libraries around the country from closure and
ĜǀƸƫ᠇¼ŊÿƸᡉƫǝŊǣǝĪᡉƣĪŊĪŧƠŏŲŃƸżŃŏǜĪÿŧÿƫƸƠǀƫŊƸżÿ
petition to ring-fence government funding for libraries.
Add your signature before the March 24 deadline to
ŊĪŧƠģĪłĪŲģÿǜŏƸÿŧƣĪƫżǀƣĜĪ᠁ŲżƸšǀƫƸłżƣƸŊĪƠƣżŰżƸŏżŲ
żłŧŏƸĪƣÿƸǀƣĪÿŲģĜǀŧƸǀƣĪ᠁ěǀƸÿŧƫżłżƣƸŊĪģŏŃŏƸÿŧŧǣ
ĪǢĜŧǀģĪģ᠁ǝŊżŲĪĪģŧŏěƣÿƣǣĜżŰƠǀƸĪƣƫƸżŃĪƸżŲŧŏŲĪ

ÿŲģÿĜĜĪƫƫŤĪǣƫĪƣǜŏĜĪƫ᠇
ƠĪƸŏƸŏżŲ᠇ƠÿƣŧŏÿŰĪŲƸ᠇ǀŤ᠓ƠĪƸŏƸŏżŲƫ᠓ᙸᙸᚄᚃ ᙸ
.&.]]gɋJCʸ05


platform.
Your views on the big issues

THIS WEEK WE ASKED YOU...

Perfect family telly would be
the return of plodding teatime
police soap The Bill, according
to a YouGov poll.
What TV show do you long to see
back on the box?
@highlandjam
I heard That’s Life was already
coming back and I was happy before I
remembered we’re all old now so it won’t
ěĪÿƸƣĪÿƸƸżƫƸÿǣǀƠÿŲģǝÿƸĜŊǿƣƫƸĜŧÿƫƫ
storytelling and consumer journalism
sprinkled with innuendo. So – bring back
The Muppet Show.
@mobile_angela
Blockbusters teatime quiz – who
could be the new presenter?
@Hoopslegend2
żǣƫłƣżŰƸŊĪŧÿĜŤƫƸǀDzł
Tree cheers for

Japan’s ecofriendly timberframe towers

@Bryan13571
Spitting Image
@BDevlin1
I think if there was a soap channel
that would show series like Coronation
Street, Crossroads, Dixon of Dock Green,
etc from the very start that would
be fantastic. Social history as well as
entertainment history and
sheer nostalgia. Glorious.
@Annie__McGuire
Friday Sportscene with
@RobMacleanSport

GET IN TOUCH
@bigissue
/bigissueUK
@bigissueuk

2nd Floor, 43 Bath St,
Glasgow, G2 1HW

06 | BIGISSUE.COM

Home report
The timely article and picture of high-rise building out of timber in Japan [March
4-10] resonates with the housing crisis in the UK. Building with concrete/cement
(ie foundations, block, brick, tile, steel and glass) is so carbon-intensive that half of

carbon emissions attributable to a new house over its 60-year life is embodied at
‘practical completion’, before the dwelling is occupied. As there has to be a transition
to a low and then net-zero carbon economy over the next decade or so, attention
will have to move from 300,000 new builds per year to an equivalent number of
sub-divisions of the existing under-occupied stock. This could be done with the help
of the many thousands currently languishing on the statutory self/custom-build
registers held by local councils and given the duty to provide an equivalent number
of serviced plots, partnering the many millions looking to downsize.
Daniel Scharf, Abingdon

Taking on Tim
Shame on you, Tim Waterstone! You, of all people, buying books on Amazon “numerous
times a year”, just because you already know what book you want [March 4-10]. When
you want, instead, the “feelings of pleasure in a great bookshop”, how do you know the
bookshop will still be there?
I go to my local bookshop. If I want a book, and it’s on the shelf, I can buy it on the
spot. If they don’t have it – and, to be fair, I sometimes ask for fairly obscure books –
then they’ll order it for me. In one case, I know that the proprietor contacted the author
directly to get me a copy. And if it’s out of print, they will search for a second-hand copy.
Do I want hardback or paperback? Mint quality, or simply clean and readable? Whatever I
ask for, it arrives, and always at a very reasonable price. They have never let me down. It’s
worth paying a bit extra, and maybe waiting a little longer, to support such a treasure as a
local independent bookshop. Show a better example, Mr Waterstone!
Fiona Vincent, email
ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ


Spouting opinions
®ƸĪǜŏĪfƣÿǣĪƣᠢrÿƣĜŊᙷᙷᠵᙷᚃᠣŏƫżłƸŊĪᠤƢǀÿŧŏǿĪģᠥżƠŏŲŏżŲƸŊÿƸ
NÿƣƠĪƣhĪĪᡉƫTo Kill a Mockingbird is the greatest American

novel. The overwhelming consensus in American academia
ÿŲģěǣƸŊĪƠĪżƠŧĪŏƫŊżǝĪǜĪƣżłƸŊĪżƠŏŲŏżŲƸŊÿƸNĪƣŰÿŲ
rĪŧǜŏŧŧĪᡉƫMoby DickŏƫŰĪƣŏĜÿᡉƫŃƣĪÿƸĪƫƸŲżǜĪŧ᠇àƣŏƸƸĪŲěǣ
ÿŰÿŲ᠁ÿŲģǝŏƸŊżǀƸÿƫŏŲŃŧĪłĪŰÿŧĪĜŊÿƣÿĜƸĪƣŏŲƸŊĪěżżŤ᠇
rĪŧǜŏŧŧĪŏƫĜżŲƫŏģĪƣĪģƸżěĪŰĪƣŏĜÿᡉƫ®ŊÿŤĪƫƠĪÿƣĪ᠇ƣƸÿŲģ
literature have nothing to do with political correctness and
nor should they.
James Allenby, email

Martha, my dear
SÿŃƣĪĪǝŏƸŊżěěǣ ŊŏŧģǝŊĪŲŊĪĜÿŧŧƫdżŊŲNǀŰƠŊƣǣƫÿ
ěǀŧŧǣᠢrÿƣĜŊ ᠵᙷᙶᠣ᠇SᡉŧŧƸÿŤĪŊŏƫÿģǜŏĜĪÿŲģŧŏƫƸĪŲƸż¦ÿģŏżᚂ
łżƣÿĜŊÿŲŃĪ᠇NżǝĪǜĪƣ᠁SŧŏŤĪƸŊĪToday programme when
Martha Kearney is a presenter she always thanks the person
ǝŊżŃŏǜĪƫƸŊĪŏƣƸŊżǀŃŊƸłżƣƸŊĪģÿǣ᠇®ŊĪŏƫŃƣÿĜŏżǀƫ᠁ÿƫƸǀƸĪ
ÿŲģÿŲĪǢĜĪŧŧĪŲƸŏŲƸĪƣǜŏĪǝĪƣ᠇®ŊĪŲĪǜĪƣŧĪƸƫƠżŧŏƸŏĜŏÿŲƫŃĪƸ
ÿǝÿǣǝŏƸŊŏƸ᠁ěǀƸǀŲŧŏŤĪdżŊŲNǀŰƠŊƣǣƫ᠁ƫŊĪᡉƫŲżƸÿěǀŧŧǣ᠇
Dyana Rodriguez, Hereford

One for EU
ᡆSÿŰƫÿłĪ᠇tżᠵżŲĪŏƫƸÿŤŏŲŃŰǣƣŏŃŊƸƫÿǝÿǣᡇ᠇¼ŊÿƸŏƫǝŊÿƸ
®ƸĪǜĪhǀƫƸŏŃᠢ£ŧÿƸłżƣŰ᠁rÿƣĜŊᙷᙷᠵᙷᚃᠣƫĪĪŰĪģƸżƫÿǣÿěżǀƸ
ƸŊĪƣĪłĪƣĪŲģǀŰżŲƸŊĪ/ǀƣżƠĪÿŲÃŲŏżŲ᠇SŲÿŃĪŲĪƣÿŧ
ĪŧĪĜƸŏżŲƸŊĪƢǀĪƫƸŏżŲŏƫģĪłŏŲĪģ᠇àŊŏĜŊżłƸŊĪƫĪƠĪżƠŧĪ
ģżǣżǀǝÿŲƸƸżěĪǣżǀƣĜżŲƫƸŏƸǀĪŲĜǣr£᠈rŏƫĜżŲģǀĜƸ᠈
SƸᡉƫĜÿŲĜĪŧŧĪģ᠇NżǀƫĪżł żŰŰżŲƫhŏěƣÿƣǣěƣŏĪłŏŲŃƠÿƠĪƣ
ᙶᚃᙸᙷᙸƫÿŏģƸŊĪƠżŧŧǝÿƫÿģǜŏƫżƣǣ᠇¼ŊĪĜƸżł£ÿƣŧŏÿŰĪŲƸ
ƸŊÿƸŰÿģĪƸŊĪƣĪłĪƣĪŲģǀŰƫÿŏģŲżƸŊŏŲŃÿěżǀƸǝŊÿƸƸż
ģżǝŏƸŊƸŊĪƣĪƫǀŧƸ᠇SƸŏŃŲżƣĪģƸŊƣĪĪŰÿšżƣŃƣżǀƠƫ᠀ĜŏƸŏǭĪŲƫ
żłżƸŊĪƣ/ÃĜżǀŲƸƣŏĪƫŏŲƸŊĪÃf᠒ƣŏƸŏƫŊĜŏƸŏǭĪŲƫÿěƣżÿģ

ŰżƣĪƸŊÿŲᙷ‫ڑ‬ǣĪÿƣƫ᠒ᙷᚂᠵᙷᚄǣĪÿƣżŧģƫ᠇
There were three campaigns. One presented
ŲżŲƫĪŲƫĪÿƫłÿĜƸ᠇ᡈÃfŧÿǝ᠀àŊÿƸƠƣżƠżƣƸŏżŲŏƫŏŲłŧǀĪŲĜĪģ
ěǣƸŊĪ/Ã᠈ᡉěǣFǀŧŧłÿĜƸżŲdǀŲĪᚄ᠁ᙸᙶᙷᚂƫÿŏģƸŊĪƣĪŏƫŲż
simple way to count, and it depends what you are talking
ÿěżǀƸ᠇'ĪłĪŲĜĪŏƫŊÿƣģŧǣÿłłĪĜƸĪģ᠒łÿƣŰŏŲŃƢǀŏƸĪÿŧżƸ᠇
¼ŊĪżƸŊĪƣƸǝżĜÿŰƠÿŏŃŲƫěƣżŤĪƸŊĪŧÿǝ᠇rŏĜŊÿĪŧ'żǀŃÿŲ
żłƸŊĪÃŲŏǜĪƣƫŏƸǣżłhŏǜĪƣƠżżŧĜÿŧŧĪģƸŊĪŰᡆģŏƫŊżŲĪƫƸǣżŲ
ÿŲŏŲģǀƫƸƣŏÿŧƫĜÿŧĪᡇ᠇æĪƸěĪĜÿǀƫĪƸŊĪƠżŧŧǝÿƫÿģǜŏƫżƣǣ᠁
ƸŊĪƣĪŏƫŲżŧĪŃÿŧƫÿłĪŃǀÿƣģƸżÿŲŲǀŧƸŊĪƣĪƫǀŧƸ᠇àŊÿƸǝÿƫ
łżǀƣǝżƣģƫŏƫŲżǝÿ‫ڑ‬ᙶᙶᠵƠÿŃĪƠƣżƠżƫÿŧ᠇àĪƫÿǣěĪŏŲŃŏŲ
ƸŊĪ/ÃŏƫěĪƸƸĪƣ᠇
Phil Jones, Member, European Movement UK
@bigissue

@BeckyBarnesB
hżǜĪ ƸŊŏƫ ƢǀżƸĪ żŲ ƸŊĪ ᥑěŏŃŏƫƫǀĪŧĪƸƸĪƣƫƠÿŃĪłƣżŰ
żěěǣ łƣżŰ ŏƣŰŏŲŃŊÿŰ ÿěżǀƸ ŧŏƫƸĪŲŏŲŃƸżƸŊĪƣÿģŏż᠀ᡆSŤĪĪƠ
ÿ ŲżƸĪěżżŤ Ƹż ŰÿŤĪ ÿ ŲżƸĪ żł ŲĪǝ ƫżŲŃƫÿŲģÿƣƸŏƫƸƫÿŲģĜÿŲ
ŊżŲĪƫƸŧǣ ƫÿǣ ŏƸ Ŋÿƫ ŏŰƠƣżǜĪģ Űǣ ƢǀÿŧŏƸǣżłŧŏłĪ᠇ᡇ
@ShaheenCymru
tżƸżǽƸĪŲŰǣżǀƸǿƸŰÿƸĜŊĪƫ
ƸŊĪłƣżŲƸĜżǜĪƣ
@_RosyD

¼ŊÿŲŤƫᥑŏŃSƫƫǀĪłżƣǵŧÿŃŃŏŲŃƸŊŏƫƠĪƸŏƸŏżŲ᠇®ŏŃŲĪģ᠇
ŰĪŲģƸŊĪŧÿǝÿŲģƣĪĜŧÿƫƫŏłǣƸŊĪŰĪÿŲŏŲŃżł᠑ŏŲƸĪŲƸŏżŲÿŧŧǣ
ŊżŰĪŧĪƫƫ᠑᠇ᠵ£ĪƸŏƸŏżŲƫ
ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ

EDITOR’S LETTER

Brexit isn’t the
only thing to
care about

T

hey got something right, last week. They did, those in
parliament. Between the new nightly prime time evening vote
ƫŊżǝ ᠲ ŏŲ ǝŊŏĜŊ ƸŊĪƣĪ ǝÿƫ ÿ ᠤģƣżƠ żdzł ƸŊĪ ǿŲÿŲĜŏÿŧᠥĜŧŏdzǵŊÿŲŃĪƣ
every night – senior politicians made a positive impact.
In a joint push, Universities Minister Chris Skidmore and Children and
FÿŰŏŧŏĪƫ rŏŲŏƫƸĪƣ tÿģŊŏŰ ðÿŊÿǝŏ ĜÿŧŧĪģ łżƣ ěĪƸƸĪƣ ÿĜĜĪƫƫ ÿŲģŊĪŧƠƸżÿ
ǀŲŏǜĪƣƫŏƸǣ ĪģǀĜÿƸŏżŲ łżƣ ĜÿƣĪ ŧĪÿǜĪƣƫ᠇
In new guidelines, the ministers called on universities to do more –
ŏŲĜŧǀģŏŲŃ ƠĪƣƫżŲÿŧ ƫǀƠƠżƣƸ ƸŊƣżǀŃŊ ěǀģģǣ ƫǣƫƸĪŰƫ ÿƫ ǝĪŧŧ ÿƫŃŏǜŏŲŃĜÿƣĪ
ŧĪÿǜĪƣƫ ŰżŲĪǣ łżƣ ĜżǀƣƫĪ ŰÿƸĪƣŏÿŧƫ ÿŲģ Ƹż ÿŧŧżǝ ƸŊĪŰ Ƹż łǀŧŧǣĪǢƠĪƣŏĪŲĜĪ
ƫƸǀģĪŲƸ ŧŏłĪ᠇ ¼Ŋŏƫ ƫżǀŲģƫ ǝżżŧŧǣ᠇ ǀƸ ŏƸᡉƫ ƠƣÿĜƸŏĜÿŧ᠇ ¼ŊĪǣᡉƣĪ ƸÿŧŤŏŲŃÿěżǀƸƸĪǢƸ
ěżżŤƫ ÿŲģ ƫŏŰƠŧĪ ƸŊŏŲŃƫ ƸŊÿƸ ÿƣĪ ŲĪĪģĪģ Ƹż ŧĪÿƣŲ᠇
This came through the newly minted Higher Education Principles. The
ŃǀŏģĪŧŏŲĪƫ Ńż łǀƣƸŊĪƣ ƣĪƢǀĪƫƸŏŲŃ ƸŊÿƸ ƸŊĪ ŰżƫƸ ƫĪŧĪĜƸŏǜĪ ǀŲŏǜĪƣƫŏƸŏĪƫƠƣżǜŏģĪ
łƣĪĪ ÿĜĜżŰŰżģÿƸŏżŲ ÿŲģ ěǀƣƫÿƣŏĪƫ Ƹż ĜżǜĪƣ ƫƸǀģǣ᠇
Ƹ ƠƣĪƫĪŲƸ żŲŧǣ ƫŏǢ ƠĪƣ ĜĪŲƸ ᠲ ®Så᠃ ᠲ żł ĜÿƣĪ ŧĪÿǜĪƣƫ Ńż Ƹż ǀŲŏǜĪƣƫŏƸǣ᠇
Ųģ ƸŊĪǣ ÿƣĪ ƸǝŏĜĪ ÿƫ ŧŏŤĪŧǣ Ƹż ģƣżƠ żǀƸ᠇ ¼ŊÿƸᡉƫ ÿ ƫŊżĜŤŏŲŃ ÿŲģ
ǀŲÿĜĜĪƠƸÿěŧĪ ƫƸÿƸŏƫƸŏĜ᠇
ǀƣƣĪŲƸŧǣ᠁ ÿŧŧ ĜÿƣĪ ŧĪÿǜĪƣƫ ᠤŏŲ /ŲŃŧÿŲģ ÿŲģ àÿŧĪƫᠥ ǝŊż ŃżƸżǀŲŏǜĪƣƫŏƸǣ
ĜÿŲ ĜŧÿŏŰ ÿ ᢓᙸ᠁ᙶᙶᙶ ěǀƣƫÿƣǣ łƣżŰ ƸŊĪŏƣ ŧżĜÿŧ ĜżǀŲĜŏŧ᠁ ᢓᙷ᠁ᙸᙶᙶ łƣżŰƸŊĪ
ĜżŧŧĪŃĪ ŏł ƸŊĪǣ Ńż ŏŲƸż łǀƣƸŊĪƣ ĪģǀĜÿƸŏżŲ ÿŲģ ᢓᙷ᠁ᙶᙶᙶ łżƣ ƸŊĪ ǿƣƫƸǣĪÿƣżłÿŲ
apprenticeship.

The ministers are also calling on universities to proactively go out
Ƹż ƸŊĪ ĜżŰŰǀŲŏƸŏĪƫ Ƹż ᡆĪŲĜżǀƣÿŃĪ ŧżżŤĪģ ÿǽƸĪƣ ĜŊŏŧģƣĪŲ Ƹż ÿƠƠŧǣłżƣ
higher education.”
SƸᡉƫ ƠÿƣƸ żł ƸŊĪ ÿƣĪ hĪÿǜĪƣ żǜĪŲÿŲƸ ǝŊŏĜŊ Ŋÿƫ ƫĪĪŲ ƠŧĪģŃĪƫŰÿģĪěǣƸŊĪ
GżǜĪƣŲŰĪŲƸ᠁ ěǀƫŏŲĪƫƫĪƫ᠁ ĜŊÿƣŏƸŏĪƫ᠁ ÿŲģ ǜżŧǀŲƸÿƣǣ ƫĪĜƸżƣ ŃƣżǀƠƫƸżƠƣżǜŏģĪ
ǝżƣŤ ÿŲģ ĪģǀĜÿƸŏżŲᠵěÿƫĪģ żƠƠżƣƸǀŲŏƸŏĪƫ Ƹż ǣżǀŲŃ ƠĪżƠŧĪ ŧĪÿǜŏŲŃƸŊĪĜÿƣĪ
ƫǣƫƸĪŰ᠇ ®ż łÿƣ᠁ ᚃᙹ żƣŃÿŲŏƫÿƸŏżŲƫ
ŊÿǜĪ ƫŏŃŲĪģ ǀƠ᠁ ÿƫ ŊÿǜĪ ᙷᙹ
universities.
tżƸŊŏŲŃ ÿěżǀƸ ƸŊŏƫ ŏƫ ěÿģ᠇
SƸᡉƫ ǜŏƸÿŧ ƸŊÿƸ ƸŊżƫĪ ǝŊż ŧĪÿǜĪ
ĜÿƣĪ ŊÿǜĪ żƠƠżƣƸǀŲŏƸŏĪƫ ĪƢǀÿŧ
Ƹż ƸŊżƫĪ ǝŊż ĜżŰĪ łƣżŰ ƫĪƸƸŧĪģ
łÿŰŏŧǣ ěÿĜŤŃƣżǀŲģƫ᠇ Ųģ ÿ
genuine attempt to speak up
łżƣ ƸŊÿƸ ŏƫ ŲżƸ šǀƫƸ ŧÿǀģÿěŧĪ᠁
ŏƸᡉƫ ĪƫƫĪŲƸŏÿŧ᠇
But one thing is missing
– money. The groups the government is calling on, in particular councils
ÿŲģ ǀŲŏǜĪƣƫŏƸŏĪƫ᠁ ÿƣĪ ŃżŏŲŃ ƸŊƣżǀŃŊ ŏŲĜƣĪģŏěŧĪ ǿŲÿŲĜŏÿŧ ƫƢǀĪĪǭĪƫ᠇¼ŊĪǣÿƣĪ
ŊÿǜŏŲŃ Ƹż ƣĪƫƸƣǀĜƸǀƣĪ ÿƸ łǀŲģÿŰĪŲƸÿŧ ŧĪǜĪŧƫ᠇
®ż ŏŲ ƸŊŏƫ ƠżƫƸᠵÿǀƫƸĪƣŏƸǣ ƠĪƣŏżģ ƸŊĪ ŃżǜĪƣŲŰĪŲƸ ŲĪĪģƫ ƸżěÿĜŤǀƠƸŊĪ
good words with cold hard cash. Otherwise, it looks like they are having
ƸŊĪ ěĪŲĪǿƸ żł ƫÿǣŏŲŃ ǝŊÿƸ ®NÃh' ŊÿƠƠĪŲ ǝŏƸŊżǀƸ ÿĜƸǀÿŧŧǣŊÿǜŏŲŃƸżģż
ÿŲǣƸŊŏŲŃ ÿěżǀƸ ŏƸ᠇
S ŤŲżǝ ƸŊÿƸ ǝĪ ƫĪĪ ƣĪǢŏƸ ÿƫ ƸŊĪ ŃƣĪÿƸ ěŏŃ ģƣĪÿŰᠵĪÿƸĪƣ ƸŊÿƸƫŏƸƫżŲƸżƠ
żł ƸŊĪ Ŋŏŧŧ ÿŲģ ŃżěěŧĪƫ ĪǜĪƣǣƸŊŏŲŃ᠁ ǝŏƸŊ ƠżŧŏĜǣ ÿŲģ ƠƣżŃƣĪƫƫ ěĪŏŲŃƫƸǣŰŏĪģ
ǀŲƸŏŧ ƣĪƫżŧǀƸŏżŲ ŏƫ łżǀŲģ᠇ ǀƸ S ģżŲᡉƸ ÿĜĜĪƠƸ ƸŊÿƸ᠇ ĪĜÿǀƫĪ ŧŏłĪ ŰżǜĪƫ᠇£ĪżƠŧĪ
ŰÿŤĪ ģĪĜŏƫŏżŲƫ ÿŲģ ģĪĜŏƫŏżŲƫ ĜżŲƸŏŲǀĪ ŏŲ ƣĪÿŧ ŧŏłĪ᠇ ®ż᠁ ƣÿƸŊĪƣƸŊÿŲǀƫŏŲŃÿ
ᡈěǀƸ ƣĪǢŏƸᡉ ǵŧÿŃ żł ĜżŲǜĪŲŏĪŲĜĪ Ƹż ƠƣĪǜĪŲƸ ŰżǜĪŰĪŲƸ ᠤěĪĜÿǀƫĪƣĪÿŧŧǣƸŊÿƸ

Ĝżǀŧģ ěĪ ǵŧżǝŲ łżƣ ƢǀŏƸĪ ƫżŰĪ ƸŏŰĪᠥ᠁ ƫŊÿŤĪ ƸŊĪ ƸŏŲ ÿƸ ƸŊĪ ¼ƣĪÿƫǀƣǣÿŲģŰÿŤĪ
ģĪŰÿŲģƫ᠇ ¼ŊĪŲ Ńżżģ ǝżƣģƫ Ĝżǀŧģ ěĪ ěÿĜŤĪģ ǝŏƸŊ ƸŊĪ ŲĪĜĪƫƫÿƣǣĜÿƫŊ᠇
¼ŊĪ ŧĪÿģĪƣƫ ǝŊż Ĝżǀŧģ ŃǀŏģĪ ǀƫ żǀƸ żł ƸŊĪ ŏŰƠÿƫƫĪ Űÿǣ ǜĪƣǣ ǝĪŧŧ ĜżŰĪ
ƸŊƣżǀŃŊ ĜÿƣĪ᠇ ¼ŊĪ ƫżżŲĪƣ ǝĪ ŃŏǜĪ ƸŊĪŰ ÿ ŃĪŲǀŏŲĪ żƠƠżƣƸǀŲŏƸǣ᠁ ƸŊĪ ěĪƸƸĪƣ

“Care leavers
must have equal
opportunities.
But one thing is
missing – cash”

Paul McNamee is editor of The Big Issue
@pauldmcnamee
.&.]]gɋJCʸ07


CAPITAL AT RISK. INVESTMENTS ARE LONG TERM AND MAY NOT BE READILY REALISABLE.
ABUNDANCE IS AUTHORISED AND REGULATED BY THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY (525432).

add to your
rainy day fund

without
arming dictators

abundance investment

make good money

Photo:/ģǀĜÿƸŏżŲSŰÿŃĪƫ᠓ÃSGǜŏÿGĪƸƸǣSŰÿŃĪƫ

news.
HEARTLESS COUNCIL
UNDER FIRE FOR TELLING
WOMAN TO “COPE”
WITH ROUGH SLEEPING
Row in scenic Torba s arks debate on mental health and homelessness
rĪŲƸÿŧ ŊĪÿŧƸŊ ÿŲģ ŊżŰĪŧĪƫƫŲĪƫƫ ĪǢƠĪƣƸƫ ŊÿǜĪ ƫŧÿŰŰĪģ ¼żƣěÿǣ żǀŲĜŏŧ ÿǽƸĪƣ ŏƸ Ƹżŧģ ÿ ǝżŰÿŲ
ǝŏƸŊ ŰĪŲƸÿŧ ŊĪÿŧƸŊ ƠƣżěŧĪŰƫ ƫŊĪ ĜÿŲ ᡈĜżƠĪᡉ ǝŏƸŊ ƫŧĪĪƠŏŲŃ ƣżǀŃŊ᠇
The letter, sent to the young woman who was to be removed from temporary housing
ÿǽƸĪƣ ÿ łżǀƣᠵǝĪĪŤ ƫƸÿǣ᠁ ŲżƸĪģ ƫŊĪ Ŋÿģ ěĪĪŲ ģŏÿŃŲżƫĪģ ǝŏƸŊ ģĪƠƣĪƫƫŏżŲ ÿŲģ ěżƣģĪƣŧŏŲĪ ƠĪƣƫżŲÿŧŏƸǣ
disorder – but concluded that she was not a priority for accommodation, even if it meant she would
ěĪ ŰÿģĪ ŊżŰĪŧĪƫƫ᠇ Ųģ ŏƸ ĜŧÿŏŰĪģ ƸŊÿƸ ƫŊĪ ǝÿƫ ŲżƸ ŧŏŤĪŧǣ Ƹż ƫǀdzłĪƣ ÿŲǣ ŰżƣĪ ŊÿƣŰ ƸŊÿŲ ᡆżƣģŏŲÿƣǣ
people… even if that homelessness were to result in [her] having to sleep rough occasionally or in the
longer term”.
Links between mental illness and homelessness have long been recognised. According to Homeless
Link, 80 per cent of homeless people in England reported mental health issues while 45 per cent have
been diagnosed with a condition.
Dr Antonis Kousoulis, associate director of research and development at the Mental Health
Foundation, told The Big Issue the impact of homelessness can be devastating for mentally ill people.
ᡆàĪŤŲżǝŊżŰĪŧĪƫƫŲĪƫƫŏŰƠÿĜƸƫżŲƠĪżƠŧĪᡉƫÿěŏŧŏƸǣƸżƫĪĜǀƣĪ ƫƸÿěŧĪ ŊżǀƫŏŲŃ᠁ ǿŲģ ÿŲģ ŰÿŏŲƸÿŏŲ
a job, stay physically healthy and
maintain relationships, which are
Thelettersaidshe
all very important factors for our
could sleep rough
mental health. Being homeless can
make it even harder to recover.”
àŊĪŲ ¼ŊĪ ŏŃ SƫƫǀĪ ÿƠƠƣżÿĜŊĪģ

the council it said in a statement
that the full content of the letter
had not been published on social
media and did not show the criteria
used by the assessor. But it did

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Earlier this month we unveiled a
captivating ‘whodunnit?’, launching
żǀƣ ĜżŰƠĪƸŏƸŏżŲ Ƹż ǿŲģ ƸŊĪ ŲĪǢƸ
Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle
or Ian Rankin.
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before May 31 to get your work in front
of our crack team of judges. Please
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ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ 

not deny that it told the woman she was not at
increased risk while sleeping rough, despite her
diagnosed mental health problems.
The council spokesperson told The Big Issue:
ᡆàŊĪŲ ÿŲǣżŲĪ ĜżŰĪƫ Ƹż ǀƫ ƫƸÿƸŏŲŃ ƸŊĪǣ ÿƣĪ
homeless we try to help them as much as we can.
àĪ ģż żǀƣ ěĪƫƸ Ƹż ĪǢƠŧÿŏŲ żǀƣ ģĪĜŏƫŏżŲ ĜŧĪÿƣŧǣ ÿŲģ
in a way that people can understand what it means
for them.”
The woman who received the letter is a
client of local homelessness charity Humanity
¼żƣěÿǣ᠁ ǝŊŏĜŊ ĜżŲģĪŰŲĪģ ƸŊĪ ĜżǀŲĜŏŧᡉƫ
heartless approach.
Groups of potentially vulnerable people classed
ÿƫ ƠƣŏżƣŏƸǣ ŲĪĪģ ǀŲģĪƣ ƸŊĪ ĜżǀŲĜŏŧᡉƫ ĜƣŏƸĪƣŏÿ ŏŲĜŧǀģĪ
pregnant women, people with dependents, the
elderly, and people with disabilities and mental
illness. But Humanity Torbay points out that the
woman at the centre of the row does fall under
priority need, which was recognised by the council
in its letter – yet was still told she will just have
to sleep rough. It is a challenge most of us would
struggle to cope with even in full health – as
/ģ ®Ƹÿdzłżƣģᡉƫ 60 Days On The Streets Channel 4
documentaries are showing.

Free period poverty products
in schools are top class
When Philip Hammond announced that
schools and colleges in England would receive

free period poverty products in last week’s
Spring Statement, it marked the latest
ŰŏŧĪƫƸżŲĪ ŏŲ ƸŊĪ ŰżǜĪŰĪŲƸ Ƹż ÿěżŧŏƫŊ
period poverty.
The changes will come into force in the next
academic year to prevent girls from being
łżƣĜĪģ Ƹż ƸÿŤĪ ƸŏŰĪ żdzł ƫĜŊżżŧ ěĪĜÿǀƫĪ ƸŊĪǣ
ĜÿŲŲżƸ ÿdzłżƣģ ƸŊĪ ěÿƫŏĜ ĪƫƫĪŲƸŏÿŧƫ ƸŊĪǣ ŲĪĪģ
every month.
The Big Issue has played an integral role in
ƸŊĪ ǿŃŊƸ ÿŃÿŏŲƫƸ ƠĪƣŏżģ ƠżǜĪƣƸǣ ǝŏƸŊ żǀƣ ƫǀƠƠżƣƸ
of Hey Girls who, alongside other campaigners
like The Red Box Project, Bloody Big Brunch and
Amika George, shone a light on the problem.
Since Celia Hodson founded Hey Girls with
daughters Becky and Kate at the beginning of
2018, the Scottish social enterprise has grown

ƫż ƣÿƠŏģŧǣ ƸŊÿƸ ƸŊĪǣ ÿƣĪ Ųżǝ ƫƸżĜŤŏŲŃ àÿŏƸƣżƫĪ
and Asda shelves, in part thanks to a £50,000
ŏŲǜĪƫƸŰĪŲƸ łƣżŰ ŏŃ SƫƫǀĪ SŲǜĪƫƸᡉƫ £żǝĪƣ ÃƠ
Scotland social investment programme.
They unveiled their #Pads4Dads campaign
last week, enlisting the help of social enterprise
advocate Michael Sheen to smash the stigma
around periods with resources and products to
help dads.
ᡆSƸᡉƫ ÿǝŤǝÿƣģ łżƣ ģÿģƫ Ƹż ŊÿǜĪ ƸŊŏƫ ĜŊÿƸ
ěĪĜÿǀƫĪ ĜŊÿŲĜĪƫ ÿƣĪ ƸŊĪǣ ģŏģŲᡉƸ ŧĪÿƣŲ ÿěżǀƸ
ƠĪƣŏżģƫ ŏŲ ƫĜŊżżŧ᠁ᡇ ƫÿŏģ ®ŊĪĪŲ᠇ ᡆàĪ ǝÿŲƸ Ƹż ěĪ

ƫǀƠƠżƣƸŏǜĪ᠁ ěǀƸ ƸŊĪƣĪᡉƫ ÿŧŰżƫƸ Ųż ŏŲłżƣŰÿƸŏżŲ
żǀƸ ƸŊĪƣĪ ÿŏŰĪģ ÿƸ ģÿģƫ᠇ hĪƸᡉƫ ŲżƸ ŧĪÿǜĪ ģÿģƫ żǀƸ
of the bloody conversation!”
Hammond also announced £3bn to build
ᙹᙶ᠁ᙶᙶᙶ ÿdzłżƣģÿěŧĪ ŊżŰĪƫ ᠁ěǀƸ ǝÿƫ ĜƣŏƸŏĜŏƫĪģ łżƣ
ŲżƸ ƫĜƣÿƠƠŏŲŃ ƸŊĪ ěĪŲĪǿƸ ĜÿƠ ǝŏƸŊ ĜÿŰƠÿŏŃŲĪƣƫ
ǝÿƣŲŏŲŃƸŊÿƸᡆłÿŰŏŧŏĪƫǝżǀŧģěĪĜǀƸÿģƣŏǽƸᡇ᠇
.&.]]gɋJC ʸ 09


fact/fiction.

Old news, truthfully retold

Are working mums to blame for
Britain’s childhood obesity crisis?
HOW IT WAS TOLD

WORTH
REPEATING

FACTS. CHECKED
While it is true that the study does show a link
between working mothers – especially those who are
single – and rising childhood obesity, the idea that
scientists are blaming them for making their kids fat
isn’t quite right.
The UCL research – titled ‘The impact of maternal
employment on children's weight: Evidence from
the UK’ – has been penned by Emla Fitzsimons and

Benedetta Pongiglione and will be published in the
journal SSM – Population next month.
They assessed almost 20,000 UK children up to the
ÿŃĪżłᙷ ŧżżŤŏŲŃłżƣÿŧŏŲŤěĪƸǝĪĪŲŰżƸŊĪƣƫǿŲģŏŲŃ
work and the sedentary behaviour and poor eating
habits that lead to ballooning weight and resulting
health problems, both physical and mental.
¼ŊĪƣĪƠżƣƸĜżŲĜŧǀģĪƫƸŊÿƸƫŏŲŃŧĪŰżƸŊĪƣƫǿŲģŏŲŃ
ƸŊÿƸĪŰƠŧżǣŰĪŲƸŏƫŧŏŲŤĪģƸżÿģǜĪƣƫĪĪdzłĪĜƸƫżŲ
children’s BMI.
The study found kids of single mothers in work are
24.3 per cent more likely to be overweight, reporting
that these children are 29 per cent less likely to eat a
10 | BIGISSUE.COM

regular breakfast and 19 per cent more likely to watch
TV for more than three hours a day.
However, they also found no statistical impact from
the fathers’ side with 80 per cent working full-time
hours consistently throughout the kids’ childhood.
The study itself also warns that there are limitations
ƸżŏƸƫǿŲģŏŲŃƫ ᠲ ŲżŲᠵƫƸÿŲģÿƣģ ƫŊŏǽƸ ƠÿƸƸĪƣŲƫ ÿŲģ żƸŊĪƣ
time-varying factors were not taken into account, so
ŲŏŃŊƸƫŊŏǽƸƫ ÿŲģ ǭĪƣżᠵŊżǀƣ ĜżŲƸƣÿĜƸƫ ǝĪƣĪ ŲżƸ ÿƫƫĪƫƫĪģ᠇
However, the takeaway from this research was not a
demonising attack on working single mothers who are
struggling to keep the plates spinning between their
career and kids.
In fact, it concludes that the solution must include
fathers, for example by designing healthy eating

programmes that better bring both parents on board.
It also concludes that more prevention work at schools
could be key in promoting healthy behaviour.
Instead the narrative that mothers are somehow to
blame has been propagated by the round of reporting
on the study which has then fed fury on social media.

9.6%

of reception age
ᠤłżǀƣᠵƸżǿǜĪᠵǣĪÿƣᠵżŧģᠥ
ĜŊŏŧģƣĪŲÿƣĪżěĪƫĪ

617,000

ƸŊĪŲǀŰěĪƣżł
żěĪƫŏƸǣᠵƣĪŧÿƸĪģ
ŊżƫƠŏƸÿŧÿģŰŏƫƫŏżŲƫŏŲ
2016/17 – up 18 per cent
żŲƸŊĪƠƣĪǜŏżǀƫǣĪÿƣ
ᙸ᠇ᚄŰŏŧŧŏżŲᠲ
ƸŊĪŲǀŰěĪƣ
żłƫŏŲŃŧĪ
ƠÿƣĪŲƸƫŏŲ
the UK
ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ

Stats:tÿƸŏżŲÿŧ ŊŏŧģrĪÿƫǀƣĪŰĪŲƸ£ƣżŃƣÿŰŰĪ᠒tN®᠒t®

Illustration: Miles Cole

Britain is in the grip of a childhood obesity crisis
ǝŏƸŊżŲĪᠵŏŲᠵᙷᙶŤŏģƫżěĪƫĪěǣÿŃĪǿǜĪ᠁ƣŏƫŏŲŃ
ƸżżŲĪᠵŏŲᠵǿǜĪěǣᙷᙶǣĪÿƣƫżŧģ᠁ÿĜĜżƣģŏŲŃƸż
ŃżǜĪƣŲŰĪŲƸǿŃǀƣĪƫ᠇
From Jamie Oliver cracking down on Turkey
Twizzlers to ending ads for junk food on TV, there has been a concerted push
from the government and food industries to reduce waistlines and the knockżŲĪdzłĪĜƸżłżěĪƫŏƸǣżŲƸŊĪtN®᠇
Last week, a study was released that assessed how mothers’ employment
impacted on their child’s BMI.
The result? For the national newspapers and their online counterparts, the
blame for kids gaining weight lay squarely at the door of single mothers.
ᡆ®ĜŏĪŲƸŏƫƸƫƫÿǣǝżƣŤŏŲŃŰǀŰƫĜżǀŧģěĪƸżěŧÿŰĪłżƣŊǀŃĪŏŲĜƣĪÿƫĪŏŲ
overweight kids”, claimed The Mirror, while The Mail Online went down the
ƫÿŰĪƣżǀƸĪǝŏƸŊ᠀ᡆ®ĜŏĪŲƸŏƫƸƫěŧÿŰĪǝżƣŤŏŲŃŰżƸŊĪƣƫłżƣƣŏƸÿŏŲ᠑ƫĜŊŏŧģŊżżģ
żěĪƫŏƸǣĪƠŏģĪŰŏĜÿǽƸĪƣƫƸǀģǣżłᙸᙶ᠁ᙶᙶᙶłÿŰŏŧŏĪƫᡇ᠇
®ŏƫƸĪƣƸŏƸŧĪƫThe Times and The Sunday TimesżƠƸĪģłżƣģŏdzłĪƣŏŲŃŊĪÿģŧŏŲĪƫ᠁
ranging from brief and to the point with: “Working mums have heavier
ĜŊŏŧģƣĪŲᡇƸżƸŊĪƫŧŏŃŊƸŧǣżģģ᠀ᡆtŏĜĪǝżƣŤ᠁rǀŰ᠀ǣżǀᡉǜĪƸǀƣŲĪģŰĪŏŲƸżÿŧÿǭǣ
lardy”.
Other titles opted to focus on the furious response triggered by the
University College London study behind the stories.
The Independent summed it up: “Childhood obesity crisis study blaming
working mothers cause outrage”.
As did NǀDzǾŲŃƸżŲ£żƫƸ with: “Childhood obesity blamed on working mums
– not dads – and people are furious”, while ¼ŊĪ¼ĪŧĪŃƣÿƠŊ’s Lucy Dunn opined:
“Being a working mum is hard enough without blaming us for childhood
obesity too”.
But did the study actually pin the blame on mums?

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opinion.
JOHN BIRD

F

żƣƸŊĪǿƣƫƸ ƸŏŰĪ ŏŲ ƸŊĪ ÃŲŏƸĪģ fŏŲŃģżŰᡉƫ ŊŏƫƸżƣǣ᠁
ÿŰÿšżƣ ĪŧĪĜƸŏżŲ ƣĪƫǀŧƸ Ŋÿƫ ěĪĪŲ ƣĪšĪĜƸĪģ ěǣ ÿ ǜÿƫƸ
ŰŏŲżƣŏƸǣ᠇ Ųģ ÿ £ÿƣŧŏÿŰĪŲƸ ƸŊÿƸ ŏƫ ģĪĜŏģĪģŧǣ łżƣ żŲĪ
ƫŏģĪżł ƸŊĪ ÿƣŃǀŰĪŲƸ Ŋÿƫ ěĪĪŲ ǀŲÿěŧĪ Ƹż ƣĪƫżŧǜĪ ƸŊĪ
Ĝƣŏƫŏƫ᠒ƸŊĪŤŏŲģżł Ĝƣŏƫŏƫ ƸŊÿƸ ŲżƸ ĪǜĪŲ ®ŏƣ àŏŲƫƸżŲ ŊǀƣĜŊŏŧŧ Ŋÿģ
ƸżŊÿŲģŧĪ᠇àĪÿƣĪĜÿǀŃŊƸ᠁łżƣǝŊÿƸĪǜĪƣƣĪÿƫżŲ᠁ŏŲÿ
ƫżŧǀƸŏżŲᠵłƣĪĪǭżŲĪ᠇
By the by, I’m very good at imitating Winston Churchill’s voice.
For decades now, and along with many former associates, I’ve been

pretending to be the saviour of the British Empire on occasions
where jollity has been called for. I have, of course, also been
imitating others; but mostly anonymous Scotsmen, Irishmen
and South Africans.
But my Winston really does take the biscuit. Better, I think, than
any actor – yes, even Gary Oldman and Albert Finney, who have
taken on the role of portraying him as the mightily mighty Prime
Minister who saved our egg, bacon and chips all those forgotten
decades ago.
The nearest I ever got to meeting Churchill was to deliver wine
to a drunk customer a few doors from where he lived at 28 Hyde
Park Gate. A copper waited eternally outside his house.
Later, of course, I tried to attend his funeral but went to the
wrong church – Westminster Abbey rather than St Paul’s – on the
day that Winston was consigned back to his ancestors. In fact, as
I have continuously reminded whoever will listen, that was the
morning of my 19th birthday.
The spirit of Winston hangs over central government and
Parliament at the moment as the nations’ representatives struggle
with the unresolvable. Or what is put forward as ‘unresolvable’.
Another voice I was very good at was one of The Beatles, but
in a composite way; not any one Beatle in particular. Rather, the
essence of Beatle-ism, you might call it. I owe my skills in this area
to a Liverpudlian I spent time with in custody. He had such a long
list of jokes and funny Scouse comments that when The Beatles did
ĜżŰĪÿŧżŲŃ᠁ƸŊĪŏƣŊǀŰżǀƣƫĪĪŰĪģÿƠÿŧĪƣĪǵŧĪĜƸŏżŲżłǝŊÿƸdÿĜŤƠżƸ
(as we called him) threw about.
At one time, many young people thought that The Beatles were
sent to save us. But whereas Churchill was to save us from Nazis,
The Beatles were to save us from sexlessness, laborious work and

study and drab post-war living. They were to bring excitement and
šżǣƸżżǀƣŲŏŃŊƸƫÿŲģŧŏŃŊƸĪŲżǀƣģÿǣƫ᠇ǽƸĪƣàŏŲƫƸżŲ᠁ƸŊĪǣǝĪƣĪ
here to save us from eternal boredom.

THIS WEEK JOHN WILL BE
READING
Dubliners by
James Joyce

ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ

LISTENING TO
Busoni’s Piano
concerto in C major
(Op. 39)

VISITING
HM Prison Erlestoke
for its annual
literacy festival
Penned Up

Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images

Like Churchill, we
need to make the
right impression
Winston Churchill had the ability
to unite Parliament – somebody
we are lacking at the moment

¼ŊĪǣĪÿƣƸŊÿƸàŏŲƫƸżŲǿŲÿŧŧǣ
ŧĪǽƸƸŊĪƫƸÿŃĪ¼ŊĪĪÿƸŧĪƫǝĪƣĪ
awarded MBEs, and, with those
honours, the idea of mirth
and fun being a British export
showed us as a more joyful lot.
Saving the world in one decade
and titivating their fancies
in another.
No one has asked me to
reprise my Liverpudlian Beatles
accent. I get a lot of requests for
the Irish and the South African,
but mainly from natives of those
countries. Though it does occur
to me that I could go on the radio
and reassure the country that,
despite all of today’s political
grief, we will get out of it. That we
need to prepare for the worst and
hope for the best. All delivered
down the wireless in a measured
and reassuring manner, imitating
the great measured manner
of Winston.
Are there real Winstons
waiting in the wings to jump
in and unite our troubled
parliamentary machine? Are

there those who (rather than
mouth words) could magically
bring us through Brexit?
I saw a recently-published
biographer of Sir Winston
Leonard Spencer-Churchill in the
House of Commons last week.
I didn’t recognise him. He’d cut
his golden locks, perhaps in
preparation, and taking with it
a sly, schoolboy look.
Yes, Boris Johnson did not
look like Boris Johnson. As an
ÿdzłĪĜƸŏżŲÿƸĪÿģŰŏƣĪƣÿŲģŧżǜĪƣ
of Winston, he has penned a
glowing book about the old man;
a man who kept making mistake
ÿǽƸĪƣŰŏƫƸÿŤĪŏŲǝŊÿƸĜżǀŧģěĪ
looked on as preparation for
ŃƣĪÿƸŲĪƫƫ᠇ǽƸĪƣÿŧŧ᠁ǝŊżŊÿƫŲᡉƸ
made the odd cock-up?

I couldn’t do an imitation of Mr
Johnson however hard I tried. I could
just about get the plummy bit. But the
particular ‘charm’ I cannot capture.
But I do sometimes lie in bed at
night and think bad thoughts. If only
SŊÿģƸÿŤĪŲ'ÿǜŏģ ÿŰĪƣżŲᡉƫżdzłĪƣżł
being the Conservative candidate for

the 2008 London mayoral race. Then,
the disdain and hatred of Cameron
for Johnson might not have been
ŰÿŃŲŏǿĪģŏŲƸżƸŊĪ/ÃƣĪłĪƣĪŲģǀŰ᠇
My 10 minutes in the hall of fame
as kingmaker.
But then I reassure myself
that it wasn’t just two Old
Etonians falling out with each other
that brought the EU referendum into
being. I’m sure there were other things.
I am practising my Churchillian
vowels just in case I’m called on to
quell fears and reassure the nation. I
do, of course, know that Winston did
a lot more than speak reassuringly. He
reminded us that even if we lost it all,
ƸŊĪƣĪǝżǀŧģěĪƫżŰĪƸŊŏŲŃŧĪǽƸłżƣǀƫ᠇
My continental accents – like most
Brits when they’re pretending, they
sound like an Eighties sitcom character
taking on French or German – might
add to our problems with Europe. I
have yet to imitate Trump, the other
wobble thrown the world recently.
If I am Churchillian in any way, it
will be via a very strong belief that we
can rise above all things, even tawdry
politicking. And make peace with each
other.

Though like most leaders, he was
ģĪĪƠŧǣǵŧÿǝĪģ᠁ƠĪƣŊÿƠƫǝĪÿŧŧŲĪĪģÿ
little bit of good Churchill in us at this
precise moment.
I’m preparing the voice.

dżŊŲŏƣģŏƫƸŊĪłżǀŲģĪƣÿŲģ
/ģŏƸżƣŏŲ ŊŏĪłżł¼ŊĪŏŃSƫƫǀĪ᠇
ᥑšżŊŲěŏƣģƫǝżƣģƫ
ŧŏŲŤĪģŏŲ᠇ĜżŰ᠓ŏŲ᠓šżŊŲěŏƣģƫǝżƣģƫ
šżŊŲ᠇ěŏƣģᥑěŏŃŏƫƫǀĪ᠇ĜżŰ
.&.]]gɋJCʸ13


changemakers.
The thinkers. The creators. The agitators

The kids of
prisoners were
forgotten. I offer
them support

“T

he children of prisoners seem invisible in this
whole equation,” says Sarah Burrows, founder
of Children Heard and Seen. The charity supports
children and families with parents or partners serving time,
ǿŃŊƸŏŲŃ ƸŊĪ ƫƸŏŃŰÿ ÿŲģ ƫŊÿŰĪ ƸŊĪǣ łÿĜĪ ŏŲ ƸŊĪŏƣ ĜżŰŰǀŲŏƸŏĪƫ᠇
Children whose parents have been convicted are three times

more likely to commit a crime themselves, while 65 per cent
of boys whose fathers are incarcerated will end up in prison
ƸŊĪŰƫĪŧǜĪƫ żŲĪ ģÿǣ᠇
Burrows has worked with vulnerable children in Oxfordshire
ƫŏŲĜĪ ƸŊĪ ěĪŃŏŲŲŏŲŃ żł ŊĪƣ ĜÿƣĪĪƣ᠁ ǝŊĪŲ ƫŊĪ ŧĪǽƸ ƫĜŊżżŧ ÿŲģ
ƠŏĜŤĪģ ǀƠ ÿ šżě ŏŲ ÿ ŧżĜÿŧ ĜŊŏŧģƣĪŲᡉƫ ŊżŰĪ᠇ ®ŊĪ ŰżǜĪģ ěĪƸǝĪĪŲ
studying social work and continuing in residential care until she
šżŏŲĪģ ÿ ƫĜŊĪŰĪ ƸŊÿƸ ƠƣżƸĪĜƸƫ ĜŊŏŧģƣĪŲ ÿƸ ƣŏƫŤ żł żdzłĪŲģŏŲŃ᠇
While working to reduce the number of young people
entering the criminal justice system, the 54-year-old was
gripped by a need to know why they were becoming enmeshed
ŏŲ ƸŊĪ ǿƣƫƸ ƠŧÿĜĪ᠇ SƸ ģŏģŲᡉƸ ƸÿŤĪ ŧżŲŃ łżƣ ŊĪƣ Ƹż ƠŏŲ ģżǝŲ ÿ
recurring theme – an overwhelming majority of them had a
ƠÿƣĪŲƸ ÿŧƣĪÿģǣ ŏŲ ƠƣŏƫżŲ᠇
Burrows assumed there would be tailored support available
for a vulnerable group like the children of prisoners in her area;
she was convinced that this was the key to reducing childhood
żdzłĪŲĜĪƫ᠇ ǀƸ᠁ ƫŊĪ ƫÿǣƫ᠁ ƸŊĪƣĪ ǝÿƫ ŲżƸŊŏŲŃ᠇ ®ż ƫŊĪ ƸżżŤ ŰÿƸƸĪƣƫ
ŏŲƸż ŊĪƣ żǝŲ ŊÿŲģƫ᠇
ŊŏŧģƣĪŲ NĪÿƣģ ÿŲģ ®ĪĪŲ ǝÿƫ ƣĪŃŏƫƸĪƣĪģ ÿƫ ÿ ĜŊÿƣŏƸǣ ŏŲ
2014, but it took another 18 months of Burrows researching and
planning (“a lot of Googling”) on evenings and weekends for the
ƠƣżšĪĜƸ Ƹż ƸÿŤĪ ƫŊÿƠĪ᠇ tĪÿƣŧǣ ƸŊƣĪĪ ǣĪÿƣƫ Ŋÿģ ƠÿƫƫĪģ ěĪłżƣĪ ƫŊĪ
ŧĪǽƸ ŊĪƣ šżě ǝżƣŤŏŲŃ ǝŏƸŊ ÿƸᠵƣŏƫŤ ǣżǀŲŃ ƠĪżƠŧĪ Ƹż Ńż łǀŧŧ ƸŏŰĪ
ǝŏƸŊ ƸŊĪ ĜŊÿƣŏƸǣ᠇
¼ŊĪ łżǀŲģĪƣᡉƫ ǜŏƫŏżŲ łżƣ ƸŊĪ ĜŊÿƣŏƸǣ Ŋÿƫ ƫŊŏǽƸĪģ ƫŏŲĜĪ
ŏƸƫ ŧÿǀŲĜŊ᠇ ǀƣƣżǝƫ ĪǢƠŧÿŏŲƫ᠀ ᡆƸ ƸŊĪ ěĪŃŏŲŲŏŲŃ S ǝÿƫ ƢǀŏƸĪ
ƠƣĪżĜĜǀƠŏĪģ ǝŏƸŊ ƸŊĪ ƠƣĪǜĪŲƸŏżŲ żł żdzłĪŲģŏŲŃ᠇ SᡉŰ ŲżƸ
ÿŲǣ ŰżƣĪ᠇ᡇ
SƸ ěĪĜÿŰĪ ÿƠƠÿƣĪŲƸ ƸŊÿƸ ŰÿŲǣ żł ƸŊĪ ĜżŲģŏƸŏżŲƫ ƸŊÿƸ ŧĪÿģ

ƸżżdzłĪŲģŏŲŃÿƣĪƫƸƣǀĜƸǀƣÿŧᠲŧŏŤĪƠżǜĪƣƸǣ᠁ƠżżƣŊżǀƫŏŲŃÿŲģłĪǝ

NAME: ®ÿƣÿŊ ǀƣƣżǝƫ
PROJECT: ŊŏŧģƣĪŲ NĪÿƣģ ÿŲģ ®ĪĪŲ
IN BRIEF: ®ÿƣÿŊ ǝżƣŤĪģ ŏŲ ĜŊŏŧģƣĪŲᡉƫ ƫżĜŏÿŧ ĜÿƣĪ łżƣ
decades until she set up a charity, Children Heard and
®ĪĪŲ᠁ Ƹż ƫǀƠƠżƣƸ ƠĪżƠŧĪ ǝŊż ŊÿǜĪ ƠÿƣĪŲƸƫ żƣ ƠÿƣƸŲĪƣƫ
ŏŲ ƠƣŏƫżŲ᠇ Ų ƫĪĪŏŲŃ Ŋżǝ ƫƸŏŃŰÿƸŏƫĪģ ƸŊĪƫĪ ƠĪżƠŧĪ
ǝĪƣĪ᠁ ƫŊĪ ƫÿŏģ᠀ ᡆ¼ŊĪǣ ģŏģŲᡉƸ ŊÿǜĪ ÿŲǣǝŊĪƣĪ Ƹż Ńż ƸŊÿƸ
was free from judgement, they couldn’t build any
ƣĪŧÿƸŏżŲƫŊŏƠƫ ŏŲ ƸŊĪŏƣ żǝŲ ĜżŰŰǀŲŏƸŏĪƫ᠇SƸĜÿŲěĪÿ
ŧżŲĪŧŏŲĪƫƫƫżŏŲƸĪŲƫĪŏƸƣǀŏŲƫŧŏǜĪƫ᠇ᡇ

14 | BIGISSUE.COM

Illustration: Lyndon Hayes

ĪģǀĜÿƸŏżŲ żƠƠżƣƸǀŲŏƸŏĪƫ᠇ ¼ŊĪǣᡉƣĪ żǀƸ żł ŊĪƣ
ƠżǝĪƣ᠁ Ųż ŰÿƸƸĪƣ Ŋżǝ Ńżżģ ŊĪƣ ŏŲƸĪŲƸŏżŲƫ᠇
But as she spent more time working with
local families with relatives in prison, she
ǝŏƸŲĪƫƫĪģ ƸŊĪ ƫƸŏŃŰÿ ƫǀƣƣżǀŲģŏŲŃ ƸŊĪŰ᠇
“That isolation, the awful treatment
children receive from their classmates
ÿƸ ƫĜŊżżŧ᠇ ¼ŊĪǣ ģŏģŲᡉƸ ŊÿǜĪ ÿŲǣǝŊĪƣĪ Ƹż
go that was free from judgement, they
couldn’t build any relationships in their
żǝŲ ĜżŰŰǀŲŏƸŏĪƫ᠇ SƸ ĜÿŲ ěĪ ÿ ŧżŲĪŧŏŲĪƫƫ ƫż
ŏŲƸĪŲƫĪ ŏƸ ƣǀŏŲƫ ŧŏǜĪƫ᠇
ᡆS Ŋÿģ Ƹż łżĜǀƫ żŲ ƠƣżǜŏģŏŲŃ ĪŰżƸŏżŲÿŧ

ƫǀƠƠżƣƸ᠁ᡇ ǀƣƣżǝƫ ÿģģƫ᠇ ᡆSƸ ŰŏŃŊƸ ƫżǀŲģ
ǜÿŃǀĪ żƣ ƫŏŰƠŧŏƫƸŏĜ Ƹż ƫżŰĪ᠁ ěǀƸ SᡉǜĪ ƫĪĪŲ
ǿƣƫƸᠵŊÿŲģ Ŋżǝ ÿěƫżŧǀƸĪŧǣ ĜƣǀĜŏÿŧ ŏƸ ŏƫ᠇ ¼ŊĪ
families and children of people in prison
are rarely thought of as a vulnerable group;
their emotional wellbeing barely gets a
ŧżżŤ ŏŲ᠇ᡇ
The programme is a mix of mentoring,
peer support groups and activities like
music sessions, art workshops, and cultural
ƸƣŏƠƫ᠇ ŊŏŧģƣĪŲ NĪÿƣģ ÿŲģ ®ĪĪŲ Ŋÿƫ ŊĪŧƠĪģ
ŰżƣĪ ƸŊÿŲ ᙹᙶᙶ łÿŰŏŧŏĪƫ Ƹż ģÿƸĪ᠇ ¦ŏŃŊƸ Ųżǝ᠁
the children involved with the charity have
ƠÿƣĪŲƸƫ ƫƠƣĪÿģ ÿĜƣżƫƫ ᙹᚂ ƠƣŏƫżŲƫ ŏŲ /ŲŃŧÿŲģ᠇
Sł łÿŰŏŧŏĪƫ łƣżŰ żǀƸƫŏģĪ ǢłżƣģƫŊŏƣĪ ŃĪƸ ŏŲ
ƸżǀĜŊ᠁ ǀƣƣżǝƫ ǝŏŧŧ ǿƣƫƸ Ƹƣǣ Ƹż ǿŲģ ƫżŰĪ
support for them in their area, but help
is rare enough that many travel hours to
ÿĜĜĪƫƫ ŊĪƣ ƫĪƣǜŏĜĪ᠇
“There are three of us working for
the charity, including me, plus about 25
ǜżŧǀŲƸĪĪƣƫ᠁ᡇ ǀƣƣżǝƫ ÿģģƫ᠇ ᡆàĪ ǝżƣŤ łƣżŰ
Űǣ ŤŏƸĜŊĪŲ ƸÿěŧĪ᠇ᡇ
That support is powerful enough
that some get involved in campaigning
ƸŊĪŰƫĪŧǜĪƫ᠇ ®żŰĪ łÿŰŏŧŏĪƫ ŏŲǜżŧǜĪģ ŊÿǜĪ
spoken about their experiences to the
parliamentary human rights committee,
while other children are helping shape
upcoming conferences focused on

ƠÿƣĪŲƸÿŧ ŏŰƠƣŏƫżŲŰĪŲƸ᠇
ᡆ¼ŊĪƣĪǝĪƣĪƸŊŏŲŃƫSŊÿģŲᡉƸƸŊżǀŃŊƸżł᠁ᡇ

ƫÿǣƫ ǀƣƣżǝƫ᠇ ᡆ Ŋŏŧģ ŰÿŏŲƸĪŲÿŲĜĪ Ơÿŏģ ěǣ ÿ
łÿƸŊĪƣ ĪǜĪŲ ÿǽƸĪƣ ƸŊĪ ƣĪŧÿƸŏżŲƫŊŏƠ Ŋÿƫ ĪŲģĪģ
ᠲ ƸŊÿƸ ÿŧŧ ŃżĪƫ ǝŊĪŲ ƸŊĪǣ ƫĪƣǜĪ ÿ ƫĪŲƸĪŲĜĪ᠇
You hear of children having to get up at
 ÿŰ Ƹż ƸƣÿǜĪŧ Ƹż ǜŏƫŏƸ ÿ ƠÿƣĪŲƸ ŏŲ ƠƣŏƫżŲ᠇
®żŰĪ ǝÿŲƸ ÿ żŲĪᠵżdzł ǜŏƫŏƸ ěĪĜÿǀƫĪ ÿ ƠÿƣƸŲĪƣ
has been jailed and they don’t know how to
ĪǢƠŧÿŏŲ ŏƸ Ƹż ÿ ĜŊŏŧģ᠇ᡇ
But Burrows and her team make it
ĪÿƫŏĪƣ᠁ ƠŧǀŃŃŏŲŃ ÿ ŃÿƠ ŏŲ ƫĪƣǜŏĜĪƫ ƸŊÿƸ żǽƸĪŲ
ŃżĪƫ ǀŲÿĜŤŲżǝŧĪģŃĪģ᠇ FÿŰŏŧŏĪƫ ěĪĜżŰĪ
ǿĪƣĜĪŧǣ ŧżǣÿŧ Ƹż ƸŊĪ ĜŊÿƣŏƸǣ᠁ ƫƸŏĜŤŏŲŃ ÿƣżǀŲģ
Ƹż ŊĪŧƠ ĪǜĪŲ ÿǽƸĪƣ ƸŊĪŏƣ żǝŲ ŲĪĪģ łżƣ
ƫǀƠƠżƣƸ Ŋÿƫ ƠÿƫƫĪģ᠇
ƫ ƸŊĪ ĜŊÿƣŏƸǣ ŃƣĪǝ᠁ ǀƣƣżǝƫ ƣĪÿŧŏƫĪģ
ƸŊĪƣĪ ǝÿƫ ÿ Ƹżżŧ ŰŏƫƫŏŲŃ᠀ ÿ ģÿƸÿěÿƫĪ żł
children made vulnerable by parental
ŏŰƠƣŏƫżŲŰĪŲƸ᠇ ®ŊĪ Ŋÿģ Ƹż ƣĪŧǣ żŲ ƫĜŊżżŧƫ
referring families in the beginning, until
ǝżƣģᠵżłᠵŰżǀƸŊ ƸżżŤ ĪdzłĪĜƸ ÿŲģ ģĪŰÿŲģ
soared as more people heard about the
ƫĪƣǜŏĜĪ ƫŊĪ żdzłĪƣĪģ᠇
ᡆSƸ ǝżǀŧģ ŰÿŤĪ ƫż ŰǀĜŊ ƠżƫƫŏěŧĪ᠒
ƠǀƠŏŧ ƠƣĪŰŏǀŰ᠁ łżƣ ĪǢÿŰƠŧĪ᠁ S ƸŊŏŲŤ ƸŊĪǣ
ƫŊżǀŧģ ěĪ ĪŧŏŃŏěŧĪ łżƣ ƸŊÿƸ᠇ ǀƸ ŏł Ųż żŲĪ
ever bothered to create a database, there
can’t ever have been any intention of

ƫǀƠƠżƣƸŏŲŃ ƸŊĪŰ᠇ᡇ
SŲ ƸŊĪ ŰżŲƸŊƫ ÿŊĪÿģ᠁ ǀƣƣżǝƫ ǝŏŧŧ
ĜżŲƸŏŲǀĪ Ƹż ǿŃŊƸ ƸŊĪ ǀƠŊŏŧŧ łǀŲģŏŲŃ
battle – and navigate new challenges
ǝżƣƫĪŲĪģ ěǣ ƸŊĪ Ãfᡉƫ ƠżŧŏƸŏĜÿŧ ĜŧŏŰÿƸĪ᠇
One boy she supports has a father in prison
ǝŊż łÿĜĪƫ ģĪƠżƣƸÿƸŏżŲ Ƹż tŏŃĪƣŏÿ ǀƠżŲ
ƣĪŧĪÿƫĪ᠇ ¼Ŋŏƫ ŰĪÿŲƫ ŊĪ ģżĪƫ ŲżƸ šǀƫƸ łÿĜĪ
the uncertainty of a parent rejoining the
home from prison, but the uncertainty of
ÿ ƠÿƣĪŲƸ ŲżƸ ĜżŰŏŲŃ ŊżŰĪ ÿƸ ÿŧŧ᠇ ᡆ£ĪżƠŧĪ
żǽƸĪŲ ģżŲᡉƸ ƸŊŏŲŤ ÿěżǀƸ ƸŊĪ ĜŊŏŧģƣĪŲ᠁ᡇ ƫŊĪ
ƫÿǣƫ᠇ ᡆ¼ŊĪǣᡉƣĪ ÿŲ ÿǽƸĪƣƸŊżǀŃŊƸ᠇ᡇ
Interview: Hannah Westwater
@hannahjtw
FIND OUT MORE
childrenheardandseen.co.uk
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I

letter to my
younger self.

went to a Catholic primary school where we were
beaten by vicious nuns. Then I moved to Sedgehill
High School where the height of aspiration was to
knock a teacher out of a window. I remember this
guy saying, ‘You talk all poncey like, dint ya?’ I had no idea
what he was talking about. I found these South London kids so
intimidating, they way they spoke. Fackin’ this, fackin’ that. The

way they swore, woah, that hurt. I remember an old woman
walking past when I said “You cunt.” And I saw her shrivel away,
like, oh, I didn’t need to hear that. I would dearly like to go back
and apologise to that woman.

Francis
Rossi
Maintaining the Status Quo
Photo: Courtesy of Francis Rossi

ᚇᚕᚑᚆs With his mother Anne
(also known as Nancy), his
maternal grandmother Alice and
his younger brother Dominic

Photo: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

ĜŊÿƣƸ ěƣĪÿŤƸŊƣżǀŃŊ᠇ hĪǽƸ Ƹż
ƣŏŃŊƸ᠀ ¦żƫƫŏ᠁ ¦ŏĜŤ £ÿƣǿƸƸ᠁
John Coghlan, Alan Lancaster,
Roy Lynes

When you’re in a band, there’s so much pressure to behave a
certain way. I was never naturally a big drinker but all around
you it’s ‘Come on, have another drink’. It’s hard to give my
younger self advice about drugs. It’s one of the lies we tell
people, that drugs are horrible and bad. It’s like telling the little
lad who’s tweeking his knob, ‘Don’t do that, it’s dirty.’ And he’s
thinking, you’re wrong, it’s fucking lovely. It’s the same with
ģƣǀŃƫ᠁ ÿƸ ǿƣƫƸ᠇ ǀƸ ƸŊĪŲ ƸŊĪƣĪᡉƫ ÿ ƠÿǣěÿĜŤ᠁ ǝŊĪƸŊĪƣ ŏƸᡉƫ ģƣŏŲŤ᠁

amphetamines, coke or downers. And it’s horrible. I was lucky. I
was able to just give up. I had so many late nights and mornings
feeling shit, I just woke up one day and said, I don’t think I’ll do
that again.
Photo: Dave Hogan/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

16 | BIGISSUE.COM

S ŰŏŃŊƸ ǝÿƣŲ Űǣ ǣżǀŲŃ ƫĪŧł łÿŰĪ ŏƫŲᡉƸ ǝŊÿƸ ŏƸ ŧżżŤƫ ŧŏŤĪ łƣżŰ
the outside. Oh no, goodness me. I thought the moment I had
success everything would suddenly change. I wouldn’t argue
with my wife any more, or my mum and dad. But everything was
exactly the same. Except you’re selling shitloads of records and
ǣżǀᡉƣĪ żŲ ƸŊĪ ƸĪŧŧǣ᠇ Ųģ Ųżǝ ǣżǀ ŊÿǜĪ Ƹż ƣĪÿŧŧǣ ǿŃŊƸ Ƹż ŊÿŲŃ żŲ᠇
ĪłżƣĪ ƸŊĪ ǿŃŊƸ ǝÿƫ ŲżǝŊĪƣĪ ŲĪÿƣ ÿƫ Ŋÿƣģ᠇ Ųģ ĪǜĪƣǣżŲĪ ǝÿƫ
cheering you on. Now you’re just competition and lots of
people want to see you fail.
àŊĪŲ S ŧżżŤ ěÿĜŤ ÿƸ Ŋżǝ S ěĪŊÿǜĪģ ǝŊĪŲ ǝĪ ǝĪƣĪ ǿƣƫƸ
ƫǀĜĜĪƫƫłǀŧ᠇᠇᠇ żŊ ģĪÿƣ᠇ I suppose it’s helped me become more
regimented as I get older, trying hard to do the right thing.
S ǝÿƸĜŊĪģ ¦ŏĜŤ ᠢ£ÿƣǿƸƸ᠁ ¥ǀż ěÿŲģŰÿƸĪ ǝŊż ģŏĪģ ÿŃĪģ ᚂᚄ ŏŲ
'ĪĜĪŰěĪƣ ᙸᙶᙷᚂᠣ᠁ ƫżŰĪěżģǣ S ŧżǜĪģ ģĪÿƣŧǣ᠁ ǝŊż ǝÿƫ ƫǀĜŊ ÿ
great friend, become a caricature of himself. He had this
archetypal hard-rock look that people loved. But he wasn’t
that person inside. Poor Rick, always trying to be the rock star
his fans thought he was. The poor shit was in such a mess.
To me he was soiling the very person I liked. I’d be thinking,
don’t do that Rick. That’s where the problems between
us came from. And he said to me once, “I’m fed up being
number two.” Well that was obviously going to put a

wedge between us.

ᚇᚕᚒᚔ Status Quo make their

ᚇᚕᚔᚑ ¼ŊĪ ěÿŲģ ŤŏĜŤ żdzł
Live Aid at London’s
Wembley Stadium with
Rockin’ All Over The World

rǣ ŰǀŰ ǝÿƫ łÿěǀŧżǀƫ ǀŲƸŏŧ Űǣ ŧÿƸĪ ƸĪĪŲƫ ǝŊĪŲ ƫŊĪ ǝĪŲƸ
ultra-religious. My eldest son thinks it was to do with losing her
ǿƣƫƸ ĜŊŏŧģ᠁ Űǣ ƫŏƫƸĪƣ᠁ ǝŊż ǝÿƫ ÿ ǣĪÿƣ żŧģĪƣ ƸŊÿŲ ŰĪ᠇ ®żŰĪ żł Űǣ
Ťŏģƫ ƸŊŏŲŤ ŏƸ ǝÿƫ ÿǽƸĪƣ ƫŊĪ Ŋÿģ ƸŊÿƸ ŊǣƫƸĪƣŏĜÿŧ ƣĪĜƸǀŰ żƠĪƣÿƸŏżŲ᠁
ÿ ŊǣƫƸĪƣĪĜƸżŰǣ᠇ ¼ŊÿƸ ǝÿƫ ǜĪƣǣ ŰǀĜŊ ƸŊĪ ƸŊŏŲŃ Ƹż ģż ŏŲ ƸŊĪ FŏǽƸŏĪƫ᠇
Lots of women were put through that... ‘Oh, this’ll save you all
those awful monthly problems.’ But I think it had to do with this
deep-seated ‘Catholic girl trying to be good’ thing. Catholic guilt.
It changed her completely.

S ģŏģŲᡉƸ ěĪŊÿǜĪ ěƣŏŧŧŏÿŲƸŧǣ ŏŲ ƸĪƣŰƫ żł ǝżŰĪŲ ÿƸ ǿƣƫƸ᠇ I quickly
realised I wasn’t very comfortable with strangers and the idea
that... how can I put this... people might do things sexually
that weren’t your cup of tea. I remember times in the early
Seventies... as soon as you get to your room and see all your
personal belongings you think, nah, I don’t really want to do this.
So you’d perform some way or another, then you’d go for a leak
or something, and you’d come out and she’d only gone and taken
ŊĪƣ ĜŧżƸŊĪƫ żdzł᠇ Ųģ Sᡉģ ěĪ ŧŏŤĪ᠁ żŊ Ųż᠁ ģżŲᡉƸ ƸÿŤĪ ǣżǀƣ ĜŧżƸŊĪƫ
żdzł᠇ ¼ŊĪ ŏģĪÿ żł ŲǀģŏƸǣ Ƹż ŰĪ ŏƫ ÿěżǀƸ ÿƫ ŏŲƸĪƣĪƫƸŏŲŃ ÿƫ ǝÿƸĜŊŏŲŃ
fucking paint dry. Maybe because in showbiz the stage has to

be dressed. Hah!
ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ


Photo: James Eckersley

I have eight kids. If I’m honest I probably shouldn’t have had. As much as
I love them and it’s great to have them, I’m not one of those people who
say, oh I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have my children. Nah – I’d be a
lot richer and less worried. I think, if we care so much about children in
this world, why do we let people just have kids willy-nilly? I can see it’s a bit
extreme to say people should need a permit to have children but... maybe,
ŏł ǝĪ ƣĪÿŧŧǣ ĜÿƣĪģ᠇ SŰÿŃŏŲĪ Űǣ ǣżǀŲŃĪƣ ƫĪŧł ǿŧŏŲŃ Ŋŏƫ ÿƠƠŧŏĜÿƸŏżŲ Ƹż ŊÿǜĪ
children. ‘What do you do sir?’ ‘I’m in a rock’n’roll band.’ ‘Right. Out you go.’
S ģżŲᡉƸ ŊÿǜĪ ÿŲǣ ƣĪŃƣĪƸƫ ÿěżǀƸ ǿƣƫƸ ĜÿŧŧŏŲŃ ŏƸ ÿ ģÿǣ ŏŲ ᙷᚅᚄ  ᠢÿǽƸĪƣ ƸŊĪ ¥ǀż
End of the Road tour]. By then I just wanted it all to be over. I was coerced
into doing that tour to pay the so-called debt. Which was bullshit – there
was no debt that I would have had to pay. But there were certain other
things were going on in my life, such as a woman, who was costing me.
The powers-that-be knew that. And then came the coke and all the rest of
it. I had realised I was just a product, a bit of meat. I don’t mean poor old
Frannie, it’s just how it is. So they got me to go out on tour again but it was
a relief to call it a day as soon as it ended.
Sł S Ĝżǀŧģ Ńż ěÿĜŤ ŏŲ ƸŏŰĪ Sᡉģ ŧŏŤĪ Ƹż ěĪ ƸŊĪƣĪ ŰżƣĪ łżƣ ¦ŏĜŤ ǝŊĪŲ Ŋŏƫ
daughter died. [Heidi drowned in the family swimming pool aged two in
ᙷᚅᚄᙶᠣ᠇ NĪ ěĪÿƸ ŊŏŰƫĪŧł ǀƠ ÿěżǀƸ ƸŊÿƸ᠁ ÿŲģ Ơƣżěÿěŧǣ šǀƫƸŏǿÿěŧǣ ƫż᠁ ěĪĜÿǀƫĪ
it needn’t have happened. But I’d like to have helped him. And he was my
ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ

friend to the end. Right up until he was dying.

The medical profession do some terrible things
to us to keep us alive. When I got to his hospital
room in Turkey I saw they’d crossed his feet like
ŊƣŏƫƸ żŲ ƸŊĪ Ĝƣżƫƫ᠇ ®ż ƸŊĪ ǿƣƫƸ ƸŊŏŲŃ S ģŏģ ǝÿƫ
ǀŲĜƣżƫƫ Ŋŏƫ łĪĪƸ᠇ ǽƸĪƣ ƸŊÿƸ S ģŏģŲᡉƸ ŃĪƸ Ƹż ƸÿŧŤ Ƹż
him again because he wasn’t really there, the
guy I knew. But we’d been such great friends
when we were young, we’d had such great times
together. It had been us and them, us against
the rest of the world.

ᚇᚕᚒᚑ
THE YEAR
FRANCIS
TURNS 16
• Bob Dylan
‘goes electric’
at Newport
Folk Festival
• Winston Churchill
dies aged 90
• The Magic
Roundabout
premieres on BBC1

I like being old. There is something great about
having experience, knowing what you’re talking
about. But then I look in the mirror and I think,
oh god, I’ve got turkey neck. When the fuck did that happen? But I still
enjoy the creativity. My 16-year-old self would be so happy to know that

he’d still be doing music at this old age. And that I wrote some songs
that were... loved.

Francis Rossi’s autobiography I Talk Too Much is out now
(Little, Brown, £20) Interview: Jane Graham @janeannie
For more interviews see bigissue.com/letter-to-my-younger-self
.&.]]gɋJC ʸ 17


the big
picture.

THE BED
OF JOHN
AND YOKO
On March 20 1969, John Lennon married Yoko Ono
in Gibraltar near Spain. They honeymooned in the
Amsterdam Hilton, opening up their room to the
press in a publicity stunt asking the world to give
peace a chance.
The events were chronicled in the song The
Ballad of John and Yoko, which became The Beatles’
last UK Number One single in June that year:
“Talking in our beds for a week, the newspapers said
say what you doing in bed, I said we’re only trying to
get us some peace.”
Christ you know it ain’t easy to make a reservation
in what’s now known as the John and Yoko Suite at
the Amsterdam Hilton. It’s fully booked next week,
50 years on from the famous bed-in and a night

next month costs between 1,898 and 2,160 euros,
depending on whether you want breakfast, dinner,
ƠÿƣŤŏŲŃÿŲģǝŏǿŏŲĜŧǀģĪģ᠇¦żżŰłÿĜŏŧŏƸŏĪƫŏŲĜŧǀģĪ
“one king-sized Hilton Serenity bed” and “a luxurious
bathroom with large oval bathtub and separate
walk-in shower”. The room is decorated with “unique
John and Yoko memorabilia” and “sleeps up to two
guests”, so you can follow in their footsteps and slip
between the sheets. Have a sleepover, if you want it.

18 | BIGISSUE.COM

ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ


Photos: © KEYSTONE Pictures/ZUMAPRESS.com/Alamy Live News

.&.]]gɋJCʸ19

ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ


TARGETED
IMPRISONE
modern slavery.

ENSL
20 | BIGISSUE.COM

ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ

D

Slave masters operating
in the UK are all around
us: they actively prey
on the homeless and
vulnerable targeting
âậịổẵịậơÔ
hope of a ob and shelter.
rơổơịờìổơ 
mentally scarred and
forced into sometimes
decades of hard labour.
Liam Geraghty shines
light on the dark
underside of cheap
labour in Britain toda
and reveals how The Big
Issue is helping tackle it

W


and accommodation can seem almost
too good to be true.


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.&.]]gJC21


Day on October 18, including hard-hitting drama Doing Money. But
research from the Co-op Group earlier this month found that 18 per
cent of Brits are still unaware of modern slavery.
National Crime Agency Tactical Advisor Sian Turner insists it is
crucial to communicate the tactics and strategies used to spread the
word, particularly when it comes to homeless people.
“What happens is that the men in the family go to places where
vulnerable people gather, such as a homeless shelter or hostel, and
ƸŊĪǣ ǝŏŧŧ ƸǀƣŲ ǀƠ ŏŲ ƸŊĪŏƣ ǝŊŏƸĪ ǜÿŲƫ ÿŲģ żdzłĪƣ ĪŰƠŧżǣŰĪŲƸ᠁ ƸǣƠŏĜÿŧŧǣ
£50 a day, as well as accommodation,” says Turner.
“It is as simple as that. From there, they are driven in the back
of the van to a site and it is
from there that the grooming
progress begins.
“They will be given a static
caravan to live in and their
ƠĪƣƫżŲÿŧ ĪdzłĪĜƸƫ ǝŏŧŧ ěĪ ƸÿŤĪŲ
away, their head will be shaved
Sextrafficking
and they will be given a boiler
was laid bare
suit-like uniform. They will be
in BBC's
introduced to the family and

DoingMoney
then they will be put to work.
“That can be anything from
Photo:BBC
block paving driveways to
ĜǀƸƸŏŲŃ ƸƣĪĪƫ ÿŲģ łżƣ ƸŊĪ ǿƣƫƸ
few days they will be paid for their work and then there will be a
period of time when they will not be paid. When they ask to be paid
that is when the assaults will start.
“This type of grooming is called traumatic bonding. People
łĪĪŧ ƸŊÿƸ ƸŊĪǣ ÿƣĪ ƸƣÿƠƠĪģ ŏŲ ƸŊĪƫĪ ĜŏƣĜǀŰƫƸÿŲĜĪƫ ÿŲģ ǿŲģ ŏƸ ǜĪƣǣ
ģŏdzǿĜǀŧƸ Ƹż ŧĪÿǜĪ ěĪĜÿǀƫĪ Ơÿǣ ģÿǣ ěĪĜżŰĪƫ ÿěżǀƸ ŊżƠĪ᠇ ¼ŊĪǣ ÿƣĪ
living in hope of that.”
¼ǀƣŲĪƣ Ŋÿƫ ƫĪĪŲ ƸŊĪ ģĪǜÿƫƸÿƸŏŲŃ ĪdzłĪĜƸƫ żł ƸŊĪƫĪ ƸÿĜƸŏĜƫ ŏŲ Ƹǝż żł
the National Crime Agency’s biggest stings.
Operation Netwing in Bedfordshire was a four-month operation
ƸŊÿƸ ƣĪŧĪÿƫĪģ ᙸ  ƠĪżƠŧĪ ƸƣÿƠƠĪģ ÿǽƸĪƣ ěĪŏŲŃ ƣĪĜƣǀŏƸĪģ łƣżŰ ƫŊĪŧƸĪƣƫ
ÿŲģ żdzł ƸŊĪ ƫƸƣĪĪƸƫ Ƹż ǝżƣŤ łżƣ ƸŊĪ żŲŲżƣƫ łÿŰŏŧǣ᠁ ǝŊżƫĪ ƠÿƸƣŏÿƣĜŊ
¼żŰŰǣ żŲŲżƣƫ ®ĪŲŏżƣ ǝÿƫ šÿŏŧĪģ łżƣ ĪŏŃŊƸ ǣĪÿƣƫ ÿǽƸĪƣ ÿ ƠżŧŏĜĪ ƣÿŏģ᠇
Three years later, Operation Pottery began, a similar case
resulting in nine members of the Rooney family being jailed for
keeping victims against their will in Lincolnshire and forcing them
to resurface driveways. The sister of one victim, who was held by

12%

the increase in the number of
NRM referrals at the end of 2018

22 | BIGISSUE.COM

40.3

million
people are trapped in modern slavery
lobally ILO & Walkfree Foundation

the family for over quarter of a century, later revealed that on one
occasion he was made to dig his own grave when he tried to leave.
As homelessness charity Passage’s chief executive Mick Clarke
ƣĪǜĪÿŧƫ᠁ ƸŊĪ ŧĪŲŃƸŊƫ ƸŊÿƸ ƫżŰĪ ƸƣÿdzǿĜŤĪƣƫ ǝŏŧŧ Ńż Ƹż ŏŲ żƣģĪƣ Ƹż ƣĪĜƣǀŏƸ
homeless people are shocking.
“We’ve absolutely seen evidence of people being targeted – we
have had day services where people are approaching our clients as
they are leaving the building or even on a couple of occasions we
even have had people pretending to be homeless to get into our
buildings but luckily they were rumbled on those attempts,” he says.
ᡆSƸᡉƫ żŲĪ żł ƸŊżƫĪ ƸŊŏŲŃƫ ǝŊĪƣĪǜĪƣ ƸŊĪƣĪ ŏƫ ƠżǜĪƣƸǣ᠁ ƸŊĪƣĪ ŏƫ żǽƸĪŲ
great compassion in terms of people wanting to help but also it
can bring people out who want to exploit it – and modern slavery is
exactly the same. And with the rise in rough sleeping in recent years
it means that there are more people to prey on.”
Key to tackling the issue at the source is ensuring frontline
workers and the homeless people they work with can spot the
signs of modern slavery.
This can be crucial to prevent
ƣĪĜƣǀŏƸŰĪŲƸ ŏŲ ƸŊĪ ǿƣƫƸ ƠŧÿĜĪ ÿŲģ ÿŧƫż
break down barriers with the police.
When people like John are arrested
for petty crimes they are forced into

committing, the intimidation from
their captors can stop them telling the
police while the mental toll of modern
slavery cannot be underestimated,
building a wall of silence that can
żǽƸĪŲ żǀƸŧÿƫƸ ƸŊĪ ǀƠƫĪƸƸŏŲŃ żƣģĪÿŧ ƸŊÿƸ
Darrell
people are subjected to.
Simester
One notable victim, Darrell
spent 13 years
Simester, was so mentally broken
as a slave
during his 13-year spell in modern
Photo:Shutterstock
slavery that when two undercover
ƠżŧŏĜĪ żdzǿĜĪƣƫ ÿƫŤĪģ ŊŏŰ ŏł ŊĪ ǝÿƫ żŤÿǣ
ǝŊŏŧĪ ŊĪ ǝżƣŤŏŲŃ żŲ ƸŊĪ àĪŧƫŊ łÿƣŰ ƸŊÿƸ ŊĪ ƣĪƠŧŏĪģ ŊĪ ǝÿƫ ᡆǿŲĪᡇ᠇
Breaking down this wall of silence is crucial. If they report their
experiences to the authorities once referred to the NRM then they

ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ


136,000
橙 ™Þæ¬Ã‚晕 ÄêÎ™Ú Ë£ יË×½™ ‚ą™æ™• Žü
Ã˕™ÚÄ Þ½‚õ™Úü ¬Ä 橙 g; +ËÙ JƏ™

can access support and even accommodation during a 45-day
ƣĪǵŧĪĜƸŏżŲ ÿŲģ ƣĪĜżǜĪƣǣ ƠĪƣŏżģ ÿǽƸĪƣ ěĪŏŲŃ łƣĪĪģ᠁ ĪŲƫǀƣŏŲŃ ƸŊĪǣ ÿƣĪ

ŲżƸ żŲ ƸŊĪ ƫƸƣĪĪƸ ÿŲģ ǜǀŧŲĪƣÿěŧĪ Ƹż ěĪ ƸÿƣŃĪƸĪģ ÿŃÿŏŲ᠇
¼ŊÿƸ ŏƫ ŏł ƸŊĪ ƫǣƫƸĪŰ ǝżƣŤƫ ᠲ ÿ  ŏŲǜĪƫƸŏŃÿƸŏżŲ ŧÿƫƸ ǣĪÿƣ łżǀŲģ
ƸŊÿƸ ŰżƣĪ ƸŊÿŲ ᙸ᠁ᙸᙶᙶ ƠĪżƠŧĪ ŏŲ ƸŊĪ ƫǣƫƸĪŰ ŊÿǜĪ ěĪĪŲ ÿǝÿŏƸŏŲŃ ÿ
ģĪĜŏƫŏżŲ żŲ ǝŊĪƸŊĪƣ ƸŊĪŏƣ ĜŧÿŏŰ ŏƫ ŃĪŲǀŏŲĪ łżƣ ÿƸ ŧĪÿƫƸ ᙷᙸ ŰżŲƸŊƫ᠁
ǝŏƸŊ ᙷᙶᙶ ǝÿŏƸŏŲŃ ƫŏŲĜĪ ᙸᙶᙷ‫᠇ڑ‬
£ÿƫƫÿŃĪ ĜƣĪÿƸĪģ ƸŊĪ ŲƸŏᠵ®ŧÿǜĪƣǣ NÿŲģěżżŤ ŏŲ ᙸᙶᙷᚃ Ƹż ŊĪŧƠ ƣÿŏƫĪ
ÿǝÿƣĪŲĪƫƫ ŏŲ ƫŊĪŧƸĪƣƫ łżƣ ƸŊŏƫ ƣĪÿƫżŲ᠇
ŧÿƣŤĪ ƫÿǣƫ᠀ ᡆ¼ŊĪ ƸŊŏŲŃ ƸŊÿƸ ƣĪÿŧŧǣ ƫƸƣŏŤĪƫ ǀƫ ŏƫ ƸŊÿƸ ŊżŰĪŧĪƫƫŲĪƫƫ
ƣǀŲƫ ƸŊƣżǀŃŊ ĪǜĪƣǣ ÿƫƠĪĜƸ żł ŰżģĪƣŲ ƫŧÿǜĪƣǣ ƫż ŏł ǣżǀᡉƣĪ żŲ ƸŊĪ
ƫƸƣĪĪƸƫ ǣżǀᡉƣĪ ÿƸ ƣŏƫŤ żł ěĪŏŲŃ ƸÿƣŃĪƸĪģ᠇ Sł ǣżǀᡉǜĪ ěƣżŤĪŲ żǀƸ żł
ŰżģĪƣŲ ƫŧÿǜĪƣǣ ƸŊĪŲ ǣżǀ żǽƸĪŲ ĪŲģ ǀƠ żŲ ƸŊĪ ƫƸƣĪĪƸƫ ěǀƸ ǝŊĪŲ
ǣżǀᡉƣĪ ŏŲ ŰżģĪƣŲ ƫŧÿǜĪƣǣ᠁ ǣżǀ Űÿǣ ěĪ ŏŲ ÿĜĜżŰŰżģÿƸŏżŲ ěǀƸ
ĜĪƣƸÿŏŲŧǣ ŲżƸ ÿ ŊżŰĪ᠇
ᡆSƸᡉƫ ÿŲ ŏŲƸĪƣĪƫƸŏŲŃ ƸŊŏŲŃ ƸŊÿƸ ƣǀŲƫ ƸŊƣżǀŃŊ ƸŊĪƣĪ ᠲ ƸŊĪ ǝŊżŧĪ
ƠǀƣƠżƫĪ żł ǝŊÿƸ ǝĪᡉƣĪ ģżŏŲŃ ŏƫ Ŋżǝ ǝĪ ĜÿŲ ƣÿŏƫĪ ÿǝÿƣĪŲĪƫƫ ÿŲģ Ƹƣǣ
ÿŲģ ĪŲƫǀƣĪ ƸŊÿƸ ƠĪżƠŧĪ ǝżƣŤŏŲŃ żŲ ƸŊĪ łƣżŲƸŧŏŲĪ ÿƣĪ ÿǝÿƣĪżłƸŊĪ
ƫŏŃŲƫ ÿŲģ ěǀŏŧģŏŲŃ ŧŏŲŤƫ ǝŏƸŊ ĜŊÿƣŏƸŏĪƫ ÿŲģ ƸŊĪ ƠżŧŏĜĪ᠇ᡇ
®ż Ŋżǝ ǝŏŧŧ ƸŊĪ ŏƫƫǀĪ ěĪ ƸÿĜŤŧĪģ ŃżŏŲŃ łżƣǝÿƣģ᠈
¼ŊĪ NżŰĪ dzǿĜĪ ÿƠƠĪÿƣƫ Ƹż ŊÿǜĪ ƸÿŤĪŲ ÿ ěŏŃŃĪƣ ƣżŧĪ ŏŲ
ƸÿĜŤŧŏŲŃ ƸŊĪ ŏƫƫǀĪ ŏŲ ƣĪĜĪŲƸ ŰżŲƸŊƫ᠒ ƸŊĪ Ãf ŃżǜĪƣŲŰĪŲƸ ǝÿƫ
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ěǣ ƸŊĪ Gŧżěÿŧ ®ŧÿǜĪƣǣ SŲģĪǢ᠇ ǀƸ ģżĪƫ ƸŊÿƸ ƫÿǣ ŰżƣĪ ÿěżǀƸ ƸŊĪ Ãf
ŃżǜĪƣŲŰĪŲƸᡉƫ ĪdzłĪĜƸŏǜĪŲĪƫƫ᠁ żƣ żƸŊĪƣ ŃżǜĪƣŲŰĪŲƸƫᡉ ŧÿĜŤ żł ÿĜƸŏżŲ᠈
 ƣĪƠżƣƸ ěǣ ƸŊĪ £ǀěŧŏĜ ĜĜżǀŲƸƫ żŰŰŏƸƸĪĪŏŲrÿǣᙸᙶᙷᚄƫƸÿƸĪģƸŊÿƸ
ƸŊĪ ŃżǜĪƣŲŰĪŲƸᡉƫ ᡆŃżżģ
ŏŲƸĪŲƸŏżŲƫ ŊÿǜĪ ǣĪƸ Ƹż ƣĪƫǀŧƸ
ŏŲ ĜżŊĪƣĪŲƸ ÿĜƸŏżŲ Ƹż
ŊĪŧƠ ᠢǜŏĜƸŏŰƫᠣ᠇ᡇ
NżŰĪ dzǿĜĪ ÃŲģĪƣ
The Anti-Slavery

®ĪĜƣĪƸÿƣǣ łżƣ ƣŏŰĪ᠁
Handbook is
®ÿłĪŃǀÿƣģŏŲŃ ÿŲģ
distributed in
ßǀŧŲĪƣÿěŏŧŏƸǣ᠁ ßŏĜƸżƣŏÿ ƸŤŏŲƫ
shelters
r£᠁ łƣżŲƸĪģ ÿ ŰŏŲŏƫƸĪƣŏÿŧ
ƣżǀŲģƸÿěŧĪ ƸŊÿƸ ěƣżǀŃŊƸ
ƸżŃĪƸŊĪƣ ĜŊÿƣŏƸŏĪƫ᠁ ěǀƫŏŲĪƫƫĪƫ
£ŊżƸż᠀®ŊǀƸƸĪƣƫƸżĜŤ
ÿŲģ żƸŊĪƣ ŃżǜĪƣŲŰĪŲƸ
departments to create a more
šżŏŲĪģᠵǀƠ ƫǣƫƸĪŰ᠇ ǀƸ ŧÿƫƸ rÿǣ ƸŊĪ Ãfᡉƫ ǿƣƫƸ ŏŲģĪƠĪŲģĪŲƸ
ŲƸŏᠵ®ŧÿǜĪƣǣ żŰŰŏƫƫŏżŲĪƣ᠁ fĪǜŏŲ NǣŧÿŲģ᠁ ƣĪƫŏŃŲĪģ łƣżŰ Ŋŏƫ ƣżŧĪ
ĜŏƸŏŲŃ ᡆŃżǜĪƣŲŰĪŲƸ ŏŲƸĪƣłĪƣĪŲĜĪᡇ᠇
ŧĪÿƣŧǣ᠁ ƸŊĪƣĪ ŏƫ ƫƸŏŧŧ ŰǀĜŊ ǝżƣŤ Ƹż ěĪ ģżŲĪ łżǀƣ ǣĪÿƣƫ ÿǽƸĪƣ ƸŊĪ
rżģĪƣŲ ®ŧÿǜĪƣǣ ĜƸ ᙸᙶᙷ‫ ڑ‬ĜÿŰĪ ŏŲƸż łżƣĜĪ᠁ ǝŏƸŊ ƸŊĪ ŲǀŰěĪƣ żł ƠżŧŏĜĪ
ŏŲǜĪƫƸŏŃÿƸŏżŲƫ ƫŏŲĜĪ ƸŊĪŲ ƸƣŏƠŧŏŲŃ Ƹż ᚂᙶᙶ ƠĪƣ ǣĪÿƣ᠁ ŏŲ ÿ ƸŏŰĪ ǝŊĪŲ
żdzǿĜĪƣƫ ŊÿǜĪ ěĪĪŲ ƫǀěšĪĜƸĪģ Ƹż ģĪěŏŧŏƸÿƸŏŲŃ ĜǀƸƫ᠇
 àżƣŤ ÿŲģ £ĪŲƫŏżŲƫ żŰŰŏƸƸĪĪ ƣĪƠżƣƸ ƠǀěŧŏƫŊĪģ ŧÿƫƸ ŰżŲƸŊ
ƫÿǝ ĜŊÿŏƣ FƣÿŲŤ FŏĪŧģ ǝÿƣŲ ƸŊÿƸ ƫŧÿǜĪƣǣ ǜŏĜƸŏŰƫ ÿƣĪ ěĪŏŲŃ ᡆłÿŏŧĪģ
ƸǝŏĜĪᡇ ěǣ ᡆǝĪÿŤ ÿŲģ ǀŲĜżżƣģŏŲÿƸĪģᡇ łƣżŲƸŧŏŲĪ ǝżƣŤ᠇
Fżƣ ƠĪżƠŧĪ ŧŏŤĪ dżŊŲ᠁ ƸŊÿƸƫŏƸǀÿƸŏżŲŲĪĪģƫƸżĜŊÿŲŃĪ᠇
@Lazergun_Nun

ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ 

How The Big
Issue is tackling
modern slavery

A

ny vulnerable person on the street is a
ƠżƸĪŲƸŏÿŧ ƸÿƣŃĪƸ łżƣ ƸƣÿdzǿĜŤĪƣƫ ŧżżŤŏŲŃ łżƣ
an opportunity to drag people into modern
slavery and Big Issue vendors remain a target.
That’s why our Sales and Operation teams
ŏŲ ƸŊĪ àĪƫƸ rŏģŧÿŲģƫ Ŋÿƫ ǝżƣŤĪģ ǝŏƸŊ ĜŊÿƣŏƸǣ
¼ƣÿŲƫłżƣŰŏŲŃ żŰŰǀŲŏƸŏĪƫ ¼żŃĪƸŊĪƣ Ƹż ƠƣżģǀĜĪ ÿ
ƸƣÿŏŲŏŲŃ ƠƣżŃƣÿŰŰĪ Ƹż ƠƣżƸĪĜƸ żǀƣ ǜĪŲģżƣƫ ᠲ ÿŲģ ŊĪŧƠ
ƸŊĪŰ ƠƣżƸĪĜƸ żƸŊĪƣ ŊżŰĪŧĪƫƫ ƠĪżƠŧĪ᠇
/ŏŃŊƸ ǜĪŲģżƣƫ ÿƸƸĪŲģĪģ ƸŊĪ ǿƣƫƸ Ĝŧÿƫƫ šǀƫƸ ěĪłżƣĪ
ŊƣŏƫƸŰÿƫ Ƹż ŏŧŧǀƫƸƣÿƸĪ ƸŊĪ ƫĜĪŲÿƣŏżƫ ƸŊÿƸ ĜÿŲ ŧĪÿģ
to modern slavery, with the hour-long session also
ƸƣÿŲƫŧÿƸĪģ Ƹż ŊĪŧƠ ěƣĪÿŤģżǝŲ ŧÿŲŃǀÿŃĪ ěÿƣƣŏĪƣƫ ǝŏƸŊ
vendors from overseas.
“I thought that it would be a really good thing to
do with Big Issue vendors from the point of view that
it would be very empowering,” says James Henderson,
ŧĪÿģ ģĪǜĪŧżƠŰĪŲƸ ǝżƣŤĪƣ ÿƸ ¼ƣÿŲƫłżƣŰŏŲŃ żŰŰǀŲŏƸŏĪƫ
Together. “They are in a unique situation where they are
out and about and the eyes and ears on the street and
they will see a lot of things and, sadly, they are also quite
ǜǀŧŲĪƣÿěŧĪ ěĪĜÿǀƫĪ ƸƣÿdzǿĜŤĪƣƫ ÿƣĪ żŲ ƸŊĪ ŧżżŤżǀƸ łżƣ
any vulnerability.”
ƫ ǝĪŧŧ ÿƫ ƠƣżƸĪĜƸŏŲŃ ǜĪŲģżƣƫ᠁ ÿģǜŏƫŏŲŃ ƸŊĪŰ
Ŋżǝ ƸŊĪǣ ĜÿŲ ƫŊÿƣĪ ƸŊĪ ŏŲłżƣŰÿƸŏżŲ ƠżŧŏĜĪ ŲĪĪģĪģ Ƹż
ŏŲǜĪƫƸŏŃÿƸĪ ŰżģĪƣŲ ƫŧÿǜĪƣǣ ǝÿƫ ÿŧƫż ÿ ĜƣǀĜŏÿŧ ƠÿƣƸ żł
the programme.

¼ŊĪǣ ǝĪƣĪ ƸƣÿŏŲĪģ żŲ ǀƫŏŲŃ ÿ ƫƠĪĜŏÿŧ ŏŲƸĪŧŧŏŃĪŲĜĪ
łżƣŰ Ƹż łĪĪģ ŏŲłżƣŰÿƸŏżŲ ģŏƣĪĜƸŧǣƸżàĪƫƸrŏģŧÿŲģƫ
£żŧŏĜĪ ŏŲ ÿ ěŏģ Ƹż ěǀŏŧģ ǀƠ
ƣĪŧÿƸŏżŲƫ ᠲ ÿ ŤĪǣ ŰżǜĪ ŏŲ
preventing people from
łÿŧŧŏŲŃ ěĪƸǝĪĪŲ ƸŊĪ ĜƣÿĜŤƫ᠇
“We managed to get
ƫżŰĪ Ńżżģ łĪĪģěÿĜŤ łƣżŰ
the vendors and they
seemed really pleased. One
of them is a member of a
Big Issue
ŧżĜÿŧ ĜŊǀƣĜŊ ŃƣżǀƠ ÿŲģ ǝÿƫ vendors are
ƣĪÿŧŧǣ ŤĪĪŲ łżƣ ƸŊĪŏƣ ĜŊǀƣĜŊ trained to spot
Ƹż ƣǀŲ ƸŊŏƫ ŤŏŲģ żł ƸƣÿŏŲŏŲŃ᠁ᡇ signs of slavery
ƫÿǣƫ dÿŰĪƫ᠇ ᡆàĪᡉǜĪ ƫŏŲĜĪ
had enquiries from
ĜżŧŧĪÿŃǀĪƫ ŏŲ hżŲģżŲ ÿŲģ
£ŊżƸż᠀fǀŰÿƣ®ƣŏƫŤÿŲģÿŲ᠓ŧÿŰǣ®ƸżĜŤ£ŊżƸż
through our partnership
with The Clewer Initiative we’ll hopefully be able to
spread that far and wide.”
ŏŃ SƫƫǀĪ rŏģŧÿŲģƫ ƫĪƣǜŏĜĪ ěƣżŤĪƣ Gÿěŏ ®ŏŰÿ ÿģģĪģ᠀
ᡆ®ŧÿǜĪƣǣ ƸŊĪƫĪ ģÿǣƫ Ŋÿƫ šǀƫƸ ĜŊÿŲŃĪģ ŏƸƫ łżƣŰ ěǀƸ ƫƸŏŧŧ
ĪǢŏƫƸƫ ÿŲģ ƠĪżƠŧĪ ĜÿŲ ěĪ Īÿƫŏŧǣ ƸƣÿƠƠĪģ ŏŲ ŏƸ᠇
“The session that we delivered was valuable for our
ǜĪŲģżƣƫ ŲżƸ żŲŧǣ ěĪĜÿǀƫĪ ŏƸ ǝÿƫ ÿĜĜĪƫƫŏěŧĪ ÿŲģ Īÿƫǣ Ƹż
ǀŲģĪƣƫƸÿŲģ᠁ ŏŲ ÿ ŧÿŲŃǀÿŃĪ ƸŊÿƸ ƸŊĪǣ ƫƠĪÿŤ ěǀƸ
ÿŧƫż ěĪĜÿǀƫĪ ƸŊĪǣ Ųżǝ ŤŲżǝ ƸŊĪŏƣ ƣŏŃŊƸƫ ÿŲģ ǝŊÿƸ
ƫǀƠƠżƣƸ ŏƫ ÿǜÿŏŧÿěŧĪ ŏł ƸŊĪǣ ÿƣĪ ĪǢƠĪƣŏĪŲĜŏŲŃ

modern slavery.
ᡆ¼ŊĪ ƫĪƫƫŏżŲ ǝÿƫ ÿ šżŏŲƸ ĪdzłżƣƸ ÿŲģ S ÿŰ ƫǀƣĪ ƸŊĪ
message was there not only for the Big Issue vendors
ěǀƸ ƣĪÿĜŊĪģ ÿ ǝŊżŧĪ ĜżŰŰǀŲŏƸǣǝŊżÿƣĪÿƸƣŏƫŤ żł
being exploited.”
.&.]]gɋJC ʸ 23


interview.

"Who
knows the
supergroup
that may yet
emerge from
Brexit...
With
Nigel
Farage
on
maracas."
Words: Steven MacKenzie

24 | BIGISSUE.COM

ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ