A Big Issue reminder

I occassionally buy the Big Issue and think it's a wonderful project. But Tony, I always feel a little ripped-off because the sellers in Bracknell always look so well-fed and well-dressed. My problem I suppose, why shouldn't they.

Well, it depends what you mean by well fed and well dressed but there's no reason why Big Issue sellers should look significantly more disheveled and malnourished than the rest of the population. Very few Big Issue sellers are people who are literally living on the streets. There aren't very many people who literally live on the streets in the UK and the vast majority of those that do would either not want to sell the Big Issue or aren't yet in circumstances where they'd be able to do so in a way that's useful to either them or The Big Issue. Selling the Big Issue is usually part of the process of someone moving from living in hostels, to living in some form of supported accommodation to living in permanent accommodation.

C A Jones I find it peculiar that British people are happy to give to disadvantaged peoples in the developing world yet not the social victims in our own country. Its an inverse form of racism to think "We must help the poor foreigner." yet the British homeless? "Well, its their own fault, really."

Well, it would be peculiar. I'm not sure if it's true. Shelter seem to get quite lot of donations. Crisis don't do too bad for themselves. There's a good argument that homeless people in the UK shouldn't need charitable donations. Not least, the fact that local authorities have a legal responsibility to house them.

C A Jones But the authorities don't house them. I was homeless for nine months and it was awful. One becomes a non-person. The laws of the land suddenly don't apply to you. No-one cares how you got in this position. I was lucky because I'm clever, otherwise I might still be on the streets. As it is I had to give up both my wonderful dogs. I'm an ex-civil servant who went to grammar school. It cam happen to anyone.