The Big Issue - Simon

"Simon Says" sign the petition to reopen Bournemouth's Homeless Night Shelter 

You can sign the petition by clicking here.

Simon is a Big Issue vendor and has been for many years, he remembers when they could be bought for 40p and sold for £1. Now of course he spends £1.25 each copy and sells them for £2.50. He reckons that the content of the paper has also slipped a little since its founder John Bird used to own it. We both felt that surely they could sell it to the homeless cheaper to allow them a bigger mark-up and profit.

Simon proudly sells the Big Issue as an alternative to anything that resembles begging and that is a common feeling among many of the street traders; some even refuse to sell any newspaper that they can obtain for free, and this option is available to the homeless here in Bournemouth. A local publisher gives his magazine to the homeless for free in order for them to keep the distributions proceeds. He recommends the sale price at £3.00 and allows the homeless vendors to keep 100% of the proceeds. It is simple ideas like this, born out of creativity and concern that go a long way to helping the local homeless community.

I reasoned with Simon and Hayden who sell the Big Issue that selling a magazine that they can obtain isn't really begging because they spend their labour hours distributing the material on behalf of the publisher. Regardless they feel that the Big Issue formula is best for them.

Simon did express a concern with visitors to the UK from other parts of Europe who adopt the Big Issue distribution option at key times of the year like during Christmas. They are seasonal traders and not technically part of the British homeless community. Whilst he believes in free-trade, it does cut into his earnings potential quite substantially during these key times of the year.

I asked Simon about the homeless night shelter, now closed to ad-hoc homeless rough sleepers. He said that the shelter should be re-opened and had helped him in the past. Though it is now one of many hostel facilities in Bournemouth - it doesn't cater for emergency shelter needs because you have to go on a waiting list to qualify and of course if you are deemed to 'have no local ties' that will never happen.

The old night shelter used to provide a nights shelter at £3 per night - for the maximum period of 2 weeks. Combined with that was some support with 'next steps' to more permanent accommodation and within that provision you were offered breakfast for free, could use it as a day facility between 7:30 and 1pm and during that time purchase a meal for under £1.

The situation now is that if you aren't on that hostel list of residents who have lined up for some time to qualify, there is no facility for you to obtain ad-hoc night or day shelter, no wash rooms, meals or heating.

Simon is no longer homeless - these types of supports have assisted him along the way to now being able to privately rent a room in a shared home. It is a place that accepts his dog Beano and can become a springboard to his independence. 

"Simon says" support the petition to re-open the night shelter.
You can sign my petition by clicking here.