An inspiring clip.

Very often practical help comes from those who have experienced the depths of despair. May I mention John Bird (b.1948), who suffered greatly in his early years.

John Bird was born into a poor London Irish family, became homeless at the age of five, resided in an orphanage between the ages of seven and ten, and went into prison in his teenage years. He slept rough on the streets of London and ha[d] several prison sentences in his late twenties.

He got involved in Marxism, where his chauvinism was educated out of him. The revolution did not arrive and he became a printer. He was incapable of working for anyone and started his own successful printin...

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An inspiring clip.

Very often practical help comes from those who have experienced the depths of despair. May I mention John Bird (b.1948), who suffered greatly in his early years.

John Bird was born into a poor London Irish family, became homeless at the age of five, resided in an orphanage between the ages of seven and ten, and went into prison in his teenage years. He slept rough on the streets of London and ha[d] several prison sentences in his late twenties.

He got involved in Marxism, where his chauvinism was educated out of him. The revolution did not arrive and he became a printer. He was incapable of working for anyone and started his own successful printing and publishing business. In the 80s, he became a successful small businessman. Later, The Big Issue was introduced.

As a result of the success of The Big Issue, The Big Issue Foundation was established in November 1995 to address the wider needs of homeless people. It initiated fundraising to address homelessness and introduced services such as medical support for mental health issues and resources to deal with drug and alcohol abuse.

(The above quotes taken from an article in Equal Works.)

The Big Issue is sold by licensed vendors who retain half the cover price (£1.50). Many of them are homeless or recovering addicts. The work may be modest, but self-esteem and standing in the community increases for the benefit of all. They often maintain a regular spot and build up relationships with their customers and others. Their slogan is Street Trade – Not Street Aid. Very apt.