The big issue TruePDF 18 march 2019

The ŃǀŏģĪŧŏŲĪƫ Ńż łǀưƸŊĪư ưĪƯǀĪƫƸŏŲŃ ƸŊÿƸ ƸŊĪ ŰżƫƸ ƫĪŧĪĜƸŏǜĪ ǀŲŏǜĪưƫŏƸŏĪƫƠưżǜŏģĪłưĪĪ ÿĜĜżŰŰżģÿƸŏżŲ ÿŲģ ěǀưƫÿưŏĪƫ Ƹż ĜżǜĪư ƫƸǀģǣ᠇ Ƹ ƠưĪƫĪŲƸ żŲŧǣ ƫŏǢ ƠĪư ĜĪŲƸ ᠲ ®Så᠃ ᠲ żł ĜÿưĪ ŧĪÿǜĪưƫ Ńż Ƹ

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P16

LETTER TO MY YOUNGER SELF

P24

AL MURRAY

NżǝƣĪǢŏƸŊĪŧƠĪģƸŊĪƠǀěŧÿŲģŧżƣģᡉƫƠÿƸƸĪƣěĪĜÿŰĪÿƫĪŧłᠵłǀŧǿŧŧŏŲŃƠƣżƠŊĪĜǣ

P28

BOOKS

ĪÿǀƸŏłǀŧ ƣŏƸÿŏŲ ŏƫ ěĪŏŲŃ ƫżŧģ żdzł ᠲÿŲģǝĪƫŊżǀŧģěĪÿŲŃƣǣÿěżǀƸŏƸ

P39

DEMENTIA

NżǝżŲĪǝżŰÿŲƸǀƣŲĪģÿģÿƣŤģŏÿŃŲżƫŏƫŏŲƸżÿŧŏłĪᠵÿdzǿƣŰŏŲŃŧĪŃÿĜǣ

BOOKS P28

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

the big list.

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

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᠁ÿŲopen mic, readings, performances, a walking tour and much more

Various venues, Bristol, March 20-24; lyrafest.com

SEE

Childish Gambino

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

This

week on… Why Fiona Shaw jealously guards

her creative friendship with

Phoebe Waller-Bridge

The true story behind explorer Ed

®Ƹÿdzłżƣģᡉƫ60 days sleeping rough

of his new album re:member Self-playing pianos

żŲǀŲģĪƣᠵŧŏƸƣŏƫĪƣƫƣĪÿĜƸÿŲģƣĪƫƠżŲģƸżƣŲÿŧģƫᡉƠŏÿŲżǜŏÿƠŏżŲĪĪƣŏŲŃŲĪǝƫĪŧłᠵģĪǜĪŧżƠĪģƫżǽƸǝÿƣĪ᠁illuminating and glowing in the process

®Ƹ'ÿǜŏģᡉƫNÿŧŧ᠁ ÿƣģŏdzł᠁rÿƣĜŊᙷᚅᠤƸŊĪŲƸżǀƣŏŲŃᠥ᠒ żŧÿłǀƣÿƣŲÿŧģƫ᠇ĜżŰ

c©&Úêą½ËɸÞ

20th birthday

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

The Big Issue has long been a champion żłěżżŤƫÿŲģƣĪÿģŏŲŃÿŲģŊÿƫĜÿŰƠÿŏŃŲĪģƸż

protect libraries around the country from closure and ĜǀƸƫ᠇¼ŊÿƸᡉƫǝŊǣǝĪᡉƣĪŊĪŧƠŏŲŃƸżŃŏǜĪÿŧÿƫƸƠǀƫŊƸżÿpetition to ring-fence government funding for libraries Add your signature before the March 24 deadline to ŊĪŧƠģĪłĪŲģÿǜŏƸÿŧƣĪƫżǀƣĜĪ᠁ŲżƸšǀƫƸłżƣƸŊĪƠƣżŰżƸŏżŲżłŧŏƸĪƣÿƸǀƣĪÿŲģĜǀŧƸǀƣĪ᠁ěǀƸÿŧƫżłżƣƸŊĪģŏŃŏƸÿŧŧǣĪǢĜŧǀģĪģ᠁ǝŊżŲĪĪģŧŏěƣÿƣǣĜżŰƠǀƸĪƣƫƸżŃĪƸżŲŧŏŲĪÿŲģÿĜĜĪƫƫŤĪǣƫĪƣǜŏĜĪƫ᠇

ƠĪƸŏƸŏżŲ᠇ƠÿƣŧŏÿŰĪŲƸ᠇ǀŤ᠓ƠĪƸŏƸŏżŲƫ᠓ᙸᙸᚄᚃ ᙸ

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

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

Your views on the big issues

platform.

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

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?

Home reportThe 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

Tree cheers for Japan’s eco- friendly timber- frame towers

@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?

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

Brexit isn’t the only thing to care about

EDITOR’S LETTER

hey got something right, last week They did, those in

parliament Between the new nightly prime time evening vote ƫŊżǝ ᠲ ŏŲ ǝŊŏĜŊ ƸŊĪưĪ ǝÿƫ ÿ ᠤģưżƠ żdzł ƸŊĪ ǿŲÿŲĜŏÿŧᠥĜŧŏdzǵŊÿŲŃĪưevery night – senior politicians made a positive impact

In a joint push, Universities Minister Chris Skidmore and Children and FÿŰŏŧŏĪƫ rŏŲŏƫƸĪư tÿģŊŏŰ ðÿŊÿǝŏ ĜÿŧŧĪģ łżư ěĪƸƸĪư ÿĜĜĪƫƫ ÿŲģŊĪŧƠƸżÿ

ǀŲŏǜĪưƫŏƸǣ ĪģǀĜÿƸŏżŲ łżư ĜÿưĪ ŧĪÿǜĪưƫ᠇

In new guidelines, the ministers called on universities to do more – ŏŲĜŧǀģŏŲŃ ƠĪưƫżŲÿŧ ƫǀƠƠżưƸ ƸŊưżǀŃŊ ěǀģģǣ ƫǣƫƸĪŰƫ ÿƫ ǝĪŧŧ ÿƫŃŏǜŏŲŃĜÿưĪŧĪÿǜĪưƫ ŰżŲĪǣ łżư ĜżǀưƫĪ ŰÿƸĪưŏÿŧƫ ÿŲģ Ƹż ÿŧŧżǝ ƸŊĪŰ Ƹż łǀŧŧǣĪǢƠĪưŏĪŲĜĪƫƸǀģĪŲƸ ŧŏłĪ᠇ ¼Ŋŏƫ ƫżǀŲģƫ ǝżżŧŧǣ᠇ ǀƸ ŏƸᡉƫ ƠưÿĜƸŏĜÿŧ᠇ ¼ŊĪǣᡉưĪ ƸÿŧŤŏŲŃÿěżǀƸƸĪǢƸěżżŤƫ ÿŲģ ƫŏŰƠŧĪ ƸŊŏŲŃƫ ƸŊÿƸ ÿưĪ ŲĪĪģĪģ Ƹż ŧĪÿưŲ᠇

This came through the newly minted Higher Education Principles The ŃǀŏģĪŧŏŲĪƫ Ńż łǀưƸŊĪư ưĪƯǀĪƫƸŏŲŃ ƸŊÿƸ ƸŊĪ ŰżƫƸ ƫĪŧĪĜƸŏǜĪ ǀŲŏǜĪưƫŏƸŏĪƫƠưżǜŏģĪłưĪĪ ÿĜĜżŰŰżģÿƸŏżŲ ÿŲģ ěǀưƫÿưŏĪƫ Ƹż ĜżǜĪư ƫƸǀģǣ᠇

Ƹ ƠưĪƫĪŲƸ żŲŧǣ ƫŏǢ ƠĪư ĜĪŲƸ ᠲ ®Så᠃ ᠲ żł ĜÿưĪ ŧĪÿǜĪưƫ Ńż Ƹż ǀŲŏǜĪưƫŏƸǣ᠇

Ųģ ƸŊĪǣ ÿưĪ ƸǝŏĜĪ ÿƫ ŧŏŤĪŧǣ Ƹż ģưżƠ żǀƸ᠇ ¼ŊÿƸᡉƫ ÿ ƫŊżĜŤŏŲŃ ÿŲģ

ǀŲÿĜĜĪƠƸÿěŧĪ ƫƸÿƸŏƫƸŏĜ᠇

ǀưưĪŲƸŧǣ᠁ ÿŧŧ ĜÿưĪ ŧĪÿǜĪưƫ ᠤŏŲ /ŲŃŧÿŲģ ÿŲģ àÿŧĪƫᠥ ǝŊż ŃżƸżǀŲŏǜĪưƫŏƸǣĜÿŲ ĜŧÿŏŰ ÿ ᢓᙸ᠁ᙶᙶᙶ ěǀưƫÿưǣ łưżŰ ƸŊĪŏư ŧżĜÿŧ ĜżǀŲĜŏŧ᠁ ᢓᙷ᠁ᙸᙶᙶ łưżŰƸŊĪ

ĜżŧŧĪŃĪ ŏł ƸŊĪǣ Ńż ŏŲƸż łǀưƸŊĪư ĪģǀĜÿƸŏżŲ ÿŲģ ᢓᙷ᠁ᙶᙶᙶ łżư ƸŊĪ ǿưƫƸǣĪÿưżłÿŲapprenticeship

The ministers are also calling on universities to proactively go out

Ƹż ƸŊĪ ĜżŰŰǀŲŏƸŏĪƫ Ƹż ᡆĪŲĜżǀưÿŃĪ ŧżżŤĪģ ÿǽƸĪư ĜŊŏŧģưĪŲ Ƹż ÿƠƠŧǣłżư

higher education.”

SƸᡉƫ ƠÿưƸ żł ƸŊĪ ÿưĪ hĪÿǜĪư żǜĪŲÿŲƸ ǝŊŏĜŊ Ŋÿƫ ƫĪĪŲ ƠŧĪģŃĪƫŰÿģĪěǣƸŊĪGżǜĪưŲŰĪŲƸ᠁ ěǀƫŏŲĪƫƫĪƫ᠁ ĜŊÿưŏƸŏĪƫ᠁ ÿŲģ ǜżŧǀŲƸÿưǣ ƫĪĜƸżư ŃưżǀƠƫƸżƠưżǜŏģĪǝżưŤÿŲģ ĪģǀĜÿƸŏżŲᠵěÿƫĪģ żƠƠżưƸǀŲŏƸŏĪƫ Ƹż ǣżǀŲŃ ƠĪżƠŧĪ ŧĪÿǜŏŲŃƸŊĪĜÿưĪƫǣƫƸĪŰ᠇ ®ż łÿư᠁ ᚃᙹ żưŃÿŲŏƫÿƸŏżŲƫ

ŊÿǜĪ ƫŏŃŲĪģ ǀƠ᠁ ÿƫ ŊÿǜĪ ᙷᙹuniversities

tżƸŊŏŲŃ ÿěżǀƸ ƸŊŏƫ ŏƫ ěÿģ᠇

SƸᡉƫ ǜŏƸÿŧ ƸŊÿƸ ƸŊżƫĪ ǝŊż ŧĪÿǜĪĜÿưĪ ŊÿǜĪ żƠƠżưƸǀŲŏƸŏĪƫ ĪƯǀÿŧ

Ƹż ƸŊżƫĪ ǝŊż ĜżŰĪ łưżŰ ƫĪƸƸŧĪģłÿŰŏŧǣ ěÿĜŤŃưżǀŲģƫ᠇ Ųģ ÿgenuine attempt to speak upłżư ƸŊÿƸ ŏƫ ŲżƸ šǀƫƸ ŧÿǀģÿěŧĪ᠁

ŏƸᡉƫ ĪƫƫĪŲƸŏÿŧ᠇

But one thing is missing– money The groups the government is calling on, in particular councilsÿŲģ ǀŲŏǜĪưƫŏƸŏĪƫ᠁ ÿưĪ ŃżŏŲŃ ƸŊưżǀŃŊ ŏŲĜưĪģŏěŧĪ ǿŲÿŲĜŏÿŧ ƫƯǀĪĪǭĪƫ᠇¼ŊĪǣÿưĪŊÿǜŏŲŃ Ƹż ưĪƫƸưǀĜƸǀưĪ ÿƸ łǀŲģÿŰĪŲƸÿŧ ŧĪǜĪŧƫ᠇

®ż ŏŲ ƸŊŏƫ ƠżƫƸᠵÿǀƫƸĪưŏƸǣ ƠĪưŏżģ ƸŊĪ ŃżǜĪưŲŰĪŲƸ ŲĪĪģƫ ƸżěÿĜŤǀƠƸŊĪgood words with cold hard cash Otherwise, it looks like they are having ƸŊĪ ěĪŲĪǿƸ żł ƫÿǣŏŲŃ ǝŊÿƸ ®NÃh' ŊÿƠƠĪŲ ǝŏƸŊżǀƸ ÿĜƸǀÿŧŧǣŊÿǜŏŲŃƸżģżÿŲǣƸŊŏŲŃ ÿěżǀƸ ŏƸ᠇

S ŤŲżǝ ƸŊÿƸ ǝĪ ƫĪĪ ưĪǢŏƸ ÿƫ ƸŊĪ ŃưĪÿƸ ěŏŃ ģưĪÿŰᠵĪÿƸĪư ƸŊÿƸƫŏƸƫżŲƸżƠ

żł ƸŊĪ Ŋŏŧŧ ÿŲģ ŃżěěŧĪƫ ĪǜĪưǣƸŊŏŲŃ᠁ ǝŏƸŊ ƠżŧŏĜǣ ÿŲģ ƠưżŃưĪƫƫ ěĪŏŲŃƫƸǣŰŏĪģǀŲƸŏŧ ưĪƫżŧǀƸŏżŲ ŏƫ łżǀŲģ᠇ ǀƸ S ģżŲᡉƸ ÿĜĜĪƠƸ ƸŊÿƸ᠇ ĪĜÿǀƫĪ ŧŏłĪ ŰżǜĪƫ᠇£ĪżƠŧĪŰÿŤĪ ģĪĜŏƫŏżŲƫ ÿŲģ ģĪĜŏƫŏżŲƫ ĜżŲƸŏŲǀĪ ŏŲ ưĪÿŧ ŧŏłĪ᠇ ®ż᠁ ưÿƸŊĪưƸŊÿŲǀƫŏŲŃÿᡈěǀƸ ưĪǢŏƸᡉ ǵŧÿŃ żł ĜżŲǜĪŲŏĪŲĜĪ Ƹż ƠưĪǜĪŲƸ ŰżǜĪŰĪŲƸ ᠤěĪĜÿǀƫĪưĪÿŧŧǣƸŊÿƸĜżǀŧģ ěĪ ǵŧżǝŲ łżư ƯǀŏƸĪ ƫżŰĪ ƸŏŰĪᠥ᠁ ƫŊÿŤĪ ƸŊĪ ƸŏŲ ÿƸ ƸŊĪ ¼ưĪÿƫǀưǣÿŲģŰÿŤĪģĪŰÿŲģƫ᠇ ¼ŊĪŲ Ńżżģ ǝżưģƫ Ĝżǀŧģ ěĪ ěÿĜŤĪģ ǝŏƸŊ ƸŊĪ ŲĪĜĪƫƫÿưǣĜÿƫŊ᠇

¼ŊĪ ŧĪÿģĪưƫ ǝŊż Ĝżǀŧģ ŃǀŏģĪ ǀƫ żǀƸ żł ƸŊĪ ŏŰƠÿƫƫĪ Űÿǣ ǜĪưǣ ǝĪŧŧ ĜżŰĪƸŊưżǀŃŊ ĜÿưĪ᠇ ¼ŊĪ ƫżżŲĪư ǝĪ ŃŏǜĪ ƸŊĪŰ ÿ ŃĪŲǀŏŲĪ żƠƠżưƸǀŲŏƸǣ᠁ ƸŊĪ ěĪƸƸĪư

NÿưƠĪưhĪĪᡉƫTo Kill a Mockingbird is the greatest American

novel The overwhelming consensus in American academia

ÿŲģěǣƸŊĪƠĪżƠŧĪŏƫŊżǝĪǜĪưżłƸŊĪżƠŏŲŏżŲƸŊÿƸNĪưŰÿŲ

rĪŧǜŏŧŧĪᡉƫMoby DickŏƫŰĪưŏĜÿᡉƫŃưĪÿƸĪƫƸŲżǜĪŧ᠇àưŏƸƸĪŲěǣ

ÿŰÿŲ᠁ÿŲģǝŏƸŊżǀƸÿƫŏŲŃŧĪłĪŰÿŧĪĜŊÿưÿĜƸĪưŏŲƸŊĪěżżŤ᠇

rĪŧǜŏŧŧĪŏƫĜżŲƫŏģĪưĪģƸżěĪŰĪưŏĜÿᡉƫ®ŊÿŤĪƫƠĪÿưĪ᠇ưƸÿŲģ

literature have nothing to do with political correctness and

nor should they

James Allenby, email

Martha, my dear

SÿŃưĪĪǝŏƸŊżěěǣ ŊŏŧģǝŊĪŲŊĪĜÿŧŧƫdżŊŲNǀŰƠŊưǣƫÿ

ěǀŧŧǣᠢrÿưĜŊ ᠵᙷᙶᠣ᠇SᡉŧŧƸÿŤĪŊŏƫÿģǜŏĜĪÿŲģŧŏƫƸĪŲƸż¦ÿģŏżᚂ

łżưÿĜŊÿŲŃĪ᠇NżǝĪǜĪư᠁SŧŏŤĪƸŊĪToday programme when

Martha Kearney is a presenter she always thanks the person

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

ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ  .&.]]gJC ʸ 09

news.

Are you Britain’s

next great crime

writer?

Earlier this month we unveiled a

captivating ‘whodunnit?’, launching

żǀƣĜżŰƠĪƸŏƸŏżŲƸżǿŲģƸŊĪŲĪǢƸ

Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle

or Ian Rankin.

Now it is down to you to crack the

case by sending in your very best crime

writing novels, The winner will get

an incredible two-book deal with

Avon, part of the HarperCollins

publishing house

Just send your submission to

avonsubmissions@harpercollins.co.uk

before May 31 to get your work in front

of our crack team of judges Please

read all the terms and conditions on

bigissue.com before entering

It would be a crime to miss out!

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

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 andmaintain relationships, which areall very important factors for ourmental health Being homeless canmake it even harder to recover.”

àŊĪŲ ¼ŊĪ ŏŃ SƫƫǀĪ ÿƠƠƣżÿĜŊĪģthe council it said in a statementthat the full content of the letterhad not been published on socialmedia and did not show the criteriaused by the assessor But it did

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 ŰŏŧĪƫƸżŲĪŏŲƸŊĪŰżǜĪŰĪŲƸƸżÿěżŧŏƫŊ period poverty.

The changes will come into force in the next academic year to prevent girls from beingłżƣĜĪģ Ƹż ƸÿŤĪ ƸŏŰĪ żdzł ƫĜŊżżŧ ěĪĜÿǀƫĪ ƸŊĪǣĜÿŲŲżƸ ÿdzłżƣģ ƸŊĪ ěÿƫŏĜ ĪƫƫĪŲƸŏÿŧƫ ƸŊĪǣ ŲĪĪģevery month

The Big Issue has played an integral role inƸŊĪ ǿŃŊƸ ÿŃÿŏŲƫƸ ƠĪƣŏżģ ƠżǜĪƣƸǣ ǝŏƸŊ żǀƣ ƫǀƠƠżƣƸ

of Hey Girls who, alongside other campaignerslike The Red Box Project, Bloody Big Brunch andAmika George, shone a light on the problem

Since Celia Hodson founded Hey Girls withdaughters Becky and Kate at the beginning of

2018, the Scottish social enterprise has grown

ƫż ƣÿƠŏģŧǣ ƸŊÿƸ ƸŊĪǣ ÿƣĪ Ųżǝ ƫƸżĜŤŏŲŃ àÿŏƸƣżƫĪand Asda shelves, in part thanks to a £50,000ŏŲǜĪƫƸŰĪŲƸ łƣżŰ ŏŃ SƫƫǀĪ SŲǜĪƫƸᡉƫ £żǝĪƣ ÃƠScotland social investment programme

They unveiled their #Pads4Dads campaignlast week, enlisting the help of social enterpriseadvocate Michael Sheen to smash the stigmaaround periods with resources and products to help dads

ᡆSƸᡉƫ ÿǝŤǝÿƣģ łżƣ ģÿģƫ Ƹż ŊÿǜĪ ƸŊŏƫ ĜŊÿƸěĪĜÿǀƫĪ ĜŊÿŲĜĪƫ ÿƣĪ ƸŊĪǣ ģŏģŲᡉƸ ŧĪÿƣŲ ÿěżǀƸƠĪƣŏżģƫ ŏŲ ƫĜŊżżŧ᠁ᡇ ƫÿŏģ ®ŊĪĪŲ᠇ ᡆàĪ ǝÿŲƸ Ƹż ěĪƫǀƠƠżƣƸŏǜĪ᠁ ěǀƸ ƸŊĪƣĪᡉƫ ÿŧŰżƫƸ Ųż ŏŲłżƣŰÿƸŏżŲżǀƸ ƸŊĪƣĪ ÿŏŰĪģ ÿƸ ģÿģƫ᠇ hĪƸᡉƫ ŲżƸ ŧĪÿǜĪ ģÿģƫ żǀƸ

of the bloody conversation!”

Hammond also announced £3bn to buildᙹᙶ᠁ᙶᙶᙶ ÿdzłżƣģÿěŧĪ ŊżŰĪƫ ᠁ěǀƸ ǝÿƫ ĜƣŏƸŏĜŏƫĪģ łżƣŲżƸ ƫĜƣÿƠƠŏŲŃ ƸŊĪ ěĪŲĪǿƸ ĜÿƠ ǝŏƸŊ ĜÿŰƠÿŏŃŲĪƣƫǝÿƣŲŏŲŃƸŊÿƸᡆłÿŰŏŧŏĪƫǝżǀŧģěĪĜǀƸÿģƣŏǽƸᡇ᠇

Free period poverty products

in schools are top class

not deny that it told the woman she was not atincreased risk while sleeping rough, despite herdiagnosed mental health problems

The council spokesperson told The Big Issue:ᡆàŊĪŲ ÿŲǣżŲĪ ĜżŰĪƫ Ƹż ǀƫ ƫƸÿƸŏŲŃ ƸŊĪǣ ÿƣĪhomeless we try to help them as much as we can

Groups of potentially vulnerable people classed

ÿƫ ƠƣŏżƣŏƸǣ ŲĪĪģ ǀŲģĪƣ ƸŊĪ ĜżǀŲĜŏŧᡉƫ ĜƣŏƸĪƣŏÿ ŏŲĜŧǀģĪpregnant women, people with dependents, theelderly, and people with disabilities and mentalillness But Humanity Torbay points out that thewoman at the centre of the row does fall underpriority 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 wouldstruggle to cope with even in full health – as

/ģ ®Ƹÿdzłżƣģᡉƫ 60 Days On The Streets Channel 4

documentaries are showing

The letter said she could sleep rough

Photo:/ģǀĜÿƸŏżŲSŰÿŃĪƫ᠓ÃSGǜŏÿGĪƸƸǣSŰÿŃĪƫ

10 | BIGISSUE.COM ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ

fact/fiction. Old news, truthfully retold

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

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 fromthe fathers’ side with 80 per cent working full-timehours consistently throughout the kids’ childhood

The study itself also warns that there are limitationsƸżŏƸƫǿŲģŏŲŃƫ ᠲ ŲżŲᠵƫƸÿŲģÿƣģ ƫŊŏǽƸ ƠÿƸƸĪƣŲƫ ÿŲģ żƸŊĪƣtime-varying factors were not taken into account, soŲŏŃŊƸƫŊŏǽƸƫ ÿŲģ ǭĪƣżᠵŊżǀƣ ĜżŲƸƣÿĜƸƫ ǝĪƣĪ ŲżƸ ÿƫƫĪƫƫĪģ᠇

However, the takeaway from this research was not ademonising attack on working single mothers who arestruggling to keep the plates spinning between theircareer and kids

In fact, it concludes that the solution must includefathers, for example by designing healthy eatingprogrammes that better bring both parents on board

It also concludes that more prevention work at schoolscould be key in promoting healthy behaviour

Instead the narrative that mothers are somehow toblame has been propagated by the round of reporting

on the study which has then fed fury on social media

Illustration: Miles Cole

REPEATING WORTH

Are working mums to blame for

Britain’s childhood obesity crisis?

HOW IT WAS TOLD

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 knock-żŲĪdzłĪĜƸżłżěĪƫŏƸǣżŲƸŊĪtN®᠇

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®ĜŏĪŲƸŏƫƸƫěŧÿŰĪǝżƣŤŏŲŃŰżƸŊĪƣƫłżƣƣŏƸÿŏŲ᠑ƫĜŊŏŧģŊżżģżěĪƫŏƸǣĪƠŏģĪŰŏĜÿǽƸĪƣƫƸǀģǣżłᙸᙶ᠁ᙶᙶᙶłÿŰŏŧŏĪƫᡇ᠇

®ŏƫƸĪƣƸŏƸŧĪƫThe Times and The Sunday TimesżƠƸĪģłżƣģŏdzłĪƣŏŲŃŊĪÿģŧŏŲĪƫ᠁

ranging from brief and to the point with: “Working mums have heavier ĜŊŏŧģƣĪŲᡇƸżƸŊĪƫŧŏŃŊƸŧǣżģģ᠀ᡆtŏĜĪǝżƣŤ᠁rǀŰ᠀ǣżǀᡉǜĪƸǀƣŲĪģŰĪŏŲƸżÿŧÿǭǣlardy”

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?

9.6%

of reception age ᠤłżǀƣᠵƸżǿǜĪᠵǣĪÿƣᠵżŧģᠥ ĜŊŏŧģƣĪŲÿƣĪżěĪƫĪ

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ŊżƫƠŏƸÿŧÿģŰŏƫƫŏżŲƫŏŲ 2016/17 – up 18 per cent żŲƸŊĪƠƣĪǜŏżǀƫǣĪÿƣ

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F O L L O W Y O U R H E A R T - U S E Y O U R H E A D

HM Prison Erlestokefor its annualliteracy festivalPenned Up

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

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 weneed to prepare for the worst andhope for the best All delivered down the wireless in a measured and reassuring manner, imitatingthe great measured manner

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?

dżŊŲŏƣģŏƫƸŊĪłżǀŲģĪƣÿŲģ

/ģŏƸżƣŏŲ ŊŏĪłżł¼ŊĪŏŃSƫƫǀĪ᠇ ᥑšżŊŲěŏƣģƫǝżƣģƫ

ŧŏŲŤĪģŏŲ᠇ĜżŰ᠓ŏŲ᠓šżŊŲěŏƣģƫǝżƣģƫ šżŊŲ᠇ěŏƣģᥑěŏŃŏƫƫǀĪ᠇ĜżŰ

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 ÿŰĪƣżŲᡉƫżdzłĪƣżłbeing 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᠁ƠĪƣŊÿƠƫǝĪÿŧŧŲĪĪģÿlittle bit of good Churchill in us at this precise moment

I’m preparing the voice

opinion.

Winston Churchill had the ability

to unite Parliament – somebody

we are lacking at the moment

JOHN BIRD

Like Churchill, we need to make the right impression

14 | BIGISSUE.COM ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ

“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

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

But as she spent more time working withlocal families with relatives in prison, sheǝŏƸŲĪƫƫĪģ ƸŊĪ ƫƸŏŃŰÿ ƫǀƣƣżǀŲģŏŲŃ ƸŊĪŰ᠇

“That isolation, the awful treatmentchildren receive from their classmates

ÿƸ ƫĜŊżżŧ᠇ ¼ŊĪǣ ģŏģŲᡉƸ ŊÿǜĪ ÿŲǣǝŊĪƣĪ Ƹż

go that was free from judgement, theycouldn’t build any relationships in theirżǝŲ ĜżŰŰǀŲŏƸŏĪƫ᠇ SƸ ĜÿŲ ěĪ ÿ ŧżŲĪŧŏŲĪƫƫ ƫżŏŲƸĪŲƫĪ ŏƸ ƣǀŏŲƫ ŧŏǜĪƫ᠇

ᡆS Ŋÿģ Ƹż łżĜǀƫ żŲ ƠƣżǜŏģŏŲŃ ĪŰżƸŏżŲÿŧƫǀƠƠżƣƸ᠁ᡇ ǀƣƣżǝƫ ÿģģƫ᠇ ᡆSƸ ŰŏŃŊƸ ƫżǀŲģǜÿŃǀĪ żƣ ƫŏŰƠŧŏƫƸŏĜ Ƹż ƫżŰĪ᠁ ěǀƸ SᡉǜĪ ƫĪĪŲǿƣƫƸᠵŊÿŲģ Ŋżǝ ÿěƫżŧǀƸĪŧǣ ĜƣǀĜŏÿŧ ŏƸ ŏƫ᠇ ¼ŊĪfamilies and children of people in prisonare rarely thought of as a vulnerable group;

their emotional wellbeing barely gets aŧżżŤ ŏŲ᠇ᡇ

The programme is a mix of mentoring,peer support groups and activities likemusic sessions, art workshops, and culturalƸƣŏƠƫ᠇ ŊŏŧģƣĪŲ NĪÿƣģ ÿŲģ ®ĪĪŲ Ŋÿƫ ŊĪŧƠĪģŰżƣĪ ƸŊÿŲ ᙹᙶᙶ łÿŰŏŧŏĪƫ Ƹż ģÿƸĪ᠇ ¦ŏŃŊƸ Ųżǝ᠁

the children involved with the charity haveƠÿƣĪŲƸƫ ƫƠƣĪÿģ ÿĜƣżƫƫ ᙹᚂ ƠƣŏƫżŲƫ ŏŲ /ŲŃŧÿŲģ᠇

Sł łÿŰŏŧŏĪƫ łƣżŰ żǀƸƫŏģĪ ǢłżƣģƫŊŏƣĪ ŃĪƸ ŏŲƸżǀĜŊ᠁ ǀƣƣżǝƫ ǝŏŧŧ ǿƣƫƸ Ƹƣǣ Ƹż ǿŲģ ƫżŰĪsupport for them in their area, but help

is rare enough that many travel hours toÿĜĜĪƫƫ ŊĪƣ ƫĪƣǜŏĜĪ᠇

“There are three of us working forthe charity, including me, plus about 25ǜżŧǀŲƸĪĪƣƫ᠁ᡇ ǀƣƣżǝƫ ÿģģƫ᠇ ᡆàĪ ǝżƣŤ łƣżŰ

Űǣ ŤŏƸĜŊĪŲ ƸÿěŧĪ᠇ᡇThat support is powerful enoughthat some get involved in campaigningƸŊĪŰƫĪŧǜĪƫ᠇ ®żŰĪ łÿŰŏŧŏĪƫ ŏŲǜżŧǜĪģ ŊÿǜĪspoken about their experiences to theparliamentary human rights committee,while other children are helping shapeupcoming conferences focused onƠÿƣĪŲƸÿŧ ŏŰƠƣŏƫżŲŰĪŲƸ᠇

ᡆ¼ŊĪƣĪǝĪƣĪƸŊŏŲŃƫSŊÿģŲᡉƸƸŊżǀŃŊƸżł᠁ᡇ

ƫÿǣƫ ǀƣƣżǝƫ᠇ ᡆ Ŋŏŧģ ŰÿŏŲƸĪŲÿŲĜĪ Ơÿŏģ ěǣ ÿłÿƸŊĪƣ 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 ƠÿƣƸŲĪƣhas been jailed and they don’t know how to ĪǢƠŧÿŏŲ ŏƸ Ƹż ÿ ĜŊŏŧģ᠇ᡇ

But Burrows and her team make itĪÿƫŏĪƣ᠁ ƠŧǀŃŃŏŲŃ ÿ ŃÿƠ ŏŲ ƫĪƣǜŏĜĪƫ ƸŊÿƸ żǽƸĪŲŃżĪƫ ǀŲÿĜŤŲżǝŧĪģŃĪģ᠇ FÿŰŏŧŏĪƫ ěĪĜżŰĪǿĪƣĜĪŧǣ ŧżǣÿŧ Ƹż ƸŊĪ ĜŊÿƣŏƸǣ᠁ ƫƸŏĜŤŏŲŃ ÿƣżǀŲģ

Ƹż ŊĪŧƠ ĪǜĪŲ ÿǽƸĪƣ ƸŊĪŏƣ żǝŲ ŲĪĪģ łżƣƫǀƠƠżƣƸ Ŋÿƫ ƠÿƫƫĪģ᠇

ƫ ƸŊĪ ĜŊÿƣŏƸǣ ŃƣĪǝ᠁ ǀƣƣżǝƫ ƣĪÿŧŏƫĪģƸŊĪƣĪ ǝÿƫ ÿ Ƹżżŧ ŰŏƫƫŏŲŃ᠀ ÿ ģÿƸÿěÿƫĪ żłchildren made vulnerable by parentalŏŰƠƣŏƫżŲŰĪŲƸ᠇ ®ŊĪ Ŋÿģ Ƹż ƣĪŧǣ żŲ ƫĜŊżżŧƫreferring families in the beginning, untilǝżƣģᠵżłᠵŰżǀƸŊ ƸżżŤ ĪdzłĪĜƸ ÿŲģ ģĪŰÿŲģsoared as more people heard about theƫĪƣǜŏĜĪ ƫŊĪ żdzłĪƣĪģ᠇

ᡆSƸ ǝżǀŧģ ŰÿŤĪ ƫż ŰǀĜŊ ƠżƫƫŏěŧĪ᠒ƠǀƠŏŧ ƠƣĪŰŏǀŰ᠁ łżƣ ĪǢÿŰƠŧĪ᠁ S ƸŊŏŲŤ ƸŊĪǣƫŊżǀŧģ ěĪ ĪŧŏŃŏěŧĪ łżƣ ƸŊÿƸ᠇ ǀƸ ŏł Ųż żŲĪever bothered to create a database, there can’t ever have been any intention ofƫǀƠƠżƣƸŏŲŃ ƸŊĪŰ᠇ᡇ

SŲ ƸŊĪ ŰżŲƸŊƫ ÿŊĪÿģ᠁ ǀƣƣżǝƫ ǝŏŧŧĜżŲƸŏŲǀĪ Ƹż ǿŃŊƸ ƸŊĪ ǀƠŊŏŧŧ łǀŲģŏŲŃbattle – and navigate new challengesǝżƣƫĪŲĪģ ěǣ ƸŊĪ Ãfᡉƫ ƠżŧŏƸŏĜÿŧ ĜŧŏŰÿƸĪ᠇One boy she supports has a father in prisonǝŊż łÿĜĪƫ ģĪƠżƣƸÿƸŏżŲ Ƹż tŏŃĪƣŏÿ ǀƠżŲƣĪŧĪÿƫĪ᠇ ¼Ŋŏƫ ŰĪÿŲƫ ŊĪ ģżĪƫ ŲżƸ šǀƫƸ łÿĜĪthe uncertainty of a parent rejoining thehome from prison, but the uncertainty of

ÿ ƠÿƣĪŲƸ ŲżƸ ĜżŰŏŲŃ ŊżŰĪ ÿƸ ÿŧŧ᠇ ᡆ£ĪżƠŧĪżǽƸĪŲ ģżŲᡉƸ ƸŊŏŲŤ ÿěżǀƸ ƸŊĪ ĜŊŏŧģƣĪŲ᠁ᡇ ƫŊĪƫÿǣƫ᠇ ᡆ¼ŊĪǣᡉƣĪ ÿŲ ÿǽƸĪƣƸŊżǀŃŊƸ᠇ᡇ

Interview: Hannah Westwater

decades until she set up a charity, Children Heard and

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ᚇᚕᚑᚆsWith his mother Anne

(also known as Nancy), his

maternal grandmother Alice and

his younger brother Dominic

ᚇᚕᚒᚔStatus Quo make their ĜŊÿƣƸěƣĪÿŤƸŊƣżǀŃŊ᠇hĪǽƸƸż ƣŏŃŊƸ᠀¦żƫƫŏ᠁¦ŏĜŤ£ÿƣǿƸƸ᠁

John Coghlan, Alan Lancaster, Roy Lynes

ᚇᚕᚔᚑ¼ŊĪěÿŲģŤŏĜŤżdzł

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 ŰǣŤŏģƫ 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 allthose awful monthly problems.’ But I think it had to do with thisdeep-seated ‘Catholic girl trying to be good’ thing Catholic guilt

It changed her completely

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 arguewith my wife any more, or my mum and dad But everything wasexactly the same Except you’re selling shitloads of records andǣżǀᡉƣĪ żŲ ƸŊĪ ƸĪŧŧǣ᠇ Ųģ Ųżǝ ǣżǀ ŊÿǜĪ Ƹż ƣĪÿŧŧǣ ǿŃŊƸ Ƹż ŊÿŲŃ żŲ᠇

ĪłżƣĪ ƸŊĪ ǿŃŊƸ ǝÿƫ ŲżǝŊĪƣĪ ŲĪÿƣ ÿƫ Ŋÿƣģ᠇ Ųģ ĪǜĪƣǣżŲĪ ǝÿƫcheering 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 ᚂᚄŏŲ'ĪĜĪŰěĪƣ ᙸᙶᙷᚂᠣ᠁ ƫżŰĪěżģǣ S ŧżǜĪģ ģĪÿƣŧǣ᠁ ǝŊż ǝÿƫ ƫǀĜŊ ÿgreat friend, become a caricature of himself He had thisarchetypal hard-rock look that people loved But he wasn’tthat person inside Poor Rick, always trying to be the rock starhis 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 beingnumber two.” Well that was obviously going to put a wedge between us

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 myyounger self advice about drugs It’s one of the lies we tellpeople, that drugs are horrible and bad It’s like telling the littlelad who’s tweeking his knob, ‘Don’t do that, it’s dirty.’ And he’sthinking, you’re wrong, it’s fucking lovely It’s the same withģƣǀŃƫ᠁ ÿƸ ǿƣƫƸ᠇ ǀƸ ƸŊĪŲ ƸŊĪƣĪᡉƫ ÿ ƠÿǣěÿĜŤ᠁ ǝŊĪƸŊĪƣ ŏƸᡉƫ ģƣŏŲŤ᠁amphetamines, coke or downers And it’s horrible I was lucky Iwas able to just give up I had so many late nights and morningsfeeling shit, I just woke up one day and said, I don’t think I’ll do that again

S ģŏģŲᡉƸ ěĪŊÿǜĪ ěƣŏŧŧŏÿŲƸŧǣ ŏŲ ƸĪƣŰƫ żł ǝżŰĪŲ ÿƸ ǿƣƫƸ᠇ I quickly

realised I wasn’t very comfortable with strangers and the ideathat how can I put this people might do things sexuallythat weren’t your cup of tea I remember times in the earlySeventies as soon as you get to your room and see all yourpersonal 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 takenŊĪƣ ĜŧżƸŊĪƫ żdzł᠇ Ųģ Sᡉģ ěĪ ŧŏŤĪ᠁ żŊ Ųż᠁ ģżŲᡉƸ ƸÿŤĪ ǣżǀƣ ĜŧżƸŊĪƫżdzł᠇ ¼ŊĪ ŏģĪÿ żł ŲǀģŏƸǣ Ƹż ŰĪ ŏƫ ÿěżǀƸ ÿƫ ŏŲƸĪƣĪƫƸŏŲŃ ÿƫ ǝÿƸĜŊŏŲŃfucking paint dry Maybe because in showbiz the stage has to

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 hospitalroom in Turkey I saw they’d crossed his feet like ŊƣŏƫƸ żŲ ƸŊĪ Ĝƣżƫƫ᠇ ®ż ƸŊĪ ǿƣƫƸ ƸŊŏŲŃ S ģŏģ ǝÿƫǀŲĜƣżƫƫ Ŋŏƫ łĪĪƸ᠇ ǽƸĪƣ ƸŊÿƸ S ģŏģŲᡉƸ ŃĪƸ Ƹż ƸÿŧŤ Ƹżhim again because he wasn’t really there, theguy I knew But we’d been such great friendswhen we were young, we’d had such great timestogether It had been us and them, us against the rest of the world

I like being old There is something great about

having experience, knowing what you’re talkingabout 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 stillenjoy the creativity My 16-year-old self would be so happy to know thathe’d still be doing music at this old age And that I wrote some songs that were loved

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.’

SģżŲᡉƸŊÿǜĪÿŲǣƣĪŃƣĪƸƫÿěżǀƸǿƣƫƸĜÿŧŧŏŲŃŏƸÿģÿǣŏŲᙷᚅᚄ ᠢÿǽƸĪƣƸŊĪ¥ǀż

EndoftheRoad 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

• Bob Dylan

‘goes electric’

at Newport Folk Festival

• Winston Churchill dies aged 90

• The Magic

Roundabout

premieres on BBC1

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

the big

picture.

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

THE BED

OF JOHN

AND YOKO

ŊĪŲ ǣżǀ ÿƣĪ ŊżŰĪŧĪƫƫ᠁ ÿŲ żdzłĪƣ żł ǝżƣŤ and accommodation can seem almost too good to be true.

ǀƸ ƫż żǽƸĪŲ ƸŊÿƸ żdzłĪƣ ĜÿŲ ƠƣżǜĪ ƸżŏŲƫƸĪÿģ żdzłĪƣ ÿ ƣżǀƸĪ ŏŲƸż ŰżģĪƣŲ ƫŧÿǜĪƣǣ

ᠲ ǝŏƸŊ łżƣĜĪģ ŧÿěżǀƣ᠁ ŏŲłƣŏŲŃĪģ łƣĪĪģżŰÿŲģ ÿ ŧŏłĪ żł ƠÿŏŲ ÿŲģ ŰŏƫĪƣǣ᠇

¼ŊÿƸ ǝÿƫ ƸŊĪ ĜÿƫĪ łżƣ dżŊŲ᠇ Ų ƸŊĪƫƸƣĪĪƸƫ łżŧŧżǝŏŲŃ ŏŲšǀƣŏĪƫ ƫǀdzłĪƣĪģ ŏŲ ÿƫĪƣŏżǀƫ ÿƫƫÿǀŧƸ᠁ ŊĪ ǝÿƫ żdzłĪƣĪģ ŧÿěżǀƣŏŲŃǝżƣŤ żŲ ƫżĜŏÿŧ ŰĪģŏÿ ěǣ ÿŲ ÿĜƢǀÿŏŲƸÿŲĜĪ᠇

ǀƸ ƸŊĪ ƣĪÿŧŏƸǣ ǝÿƫ łÿƣ łƣżŰ ƸŊĪ ěŏŃ ěƣĪÿŤ ŊĪ ǣĪÿƣŲĪģ łżƣ᠇

dżŊŲ ǝÿƫ ƸÿŤĪŲ ŏŲ ěǣ ÿ łÿŰŏŧǣ ÿŲģ ƫǀěšĪĜƸĪģ Ƹż ᙷᙸᠵŊżǀƣ ǀŲƠÿŏģǝżƣŤŏŲŃ ģÿǣƫ łżƣ ƫĪǜĪŲ ģÿǣƫ ÿ ǝĪĪŤ᠇ NĪ ǝÿƫ łżƣĜĪģ Ƹż ŧŏǜĪ ŏŲ ÿ ǿŧƸŊǣƣżżŰ ǝŏƸŊ ŧŏƸƸŧĪ łżżģ᠁ ŊĪ ǝÿƫ łżƣĜĪģ Ƹż Ĝÿƣƣǣ żǀƸ ƠĪƸƸǣ ƸŊĪǽƸƫ ǝŏƸŊƸŊĪ ƸŊƣĪÿƸ żł ǜŏżŧĪŲĜĪ ŏł ŊĪ ģŏģŲᡉƸ ĜżŰƠŧǣ᠇

àŊĪŲ ŊĪ ĪƫĜÿƠĪģ ŰżŲƸŊƫ ŧÿƸĪƣ᠁ dżŊŲ łżǀŲģ ŊŏŰƫĪŧł żŲ ƸŊĪƫƸƣĪĪƸƫ ǣĪƸ ÿŃÿŏŲ ᠲ ǜǀŧŲĪƣÿěŧĪ᠁ ǝŏƸŊ Ųż ĜÿƫŊ ÿŲģ ŲżᠵżŲĪ Ƹż ƸƣǀƫƸ ᠲÿŲģ ǝÿƫ ƠŏĜŤĪģ ǀƠ ÿŃÿŏŲ ÿƸ ÿ ĜżŰŰĪƣĜŏÿŧ łÿƣŰ᠇

¼Ŋŏƫ ƸŏŰĪ᠁ ŊĪ żŲŧǣ ŰÿŲÿŃĪģ Ƹż ǵŧĪĪ ǝŊĪŲ ƠżŧŏĜĪ ƣÿŏģĪģ ƸŊĪłÿƣŰ ÿŲģ ŰǀƫƸĪƣĪģ ǀƠ ƸŊĪ ĜżǀƣÿŃĪ Ƹż ŏŲłżƣŰ ƸŊĪ ÿǀƸŊżƣŏƸŏĪƫ ÿǽƸĪƣǝżƣŤŏŲŃ ǝŏƸŊ NżƠĪ łżƣ dǀƫƸŏĜĪ᠁ ÿ ĜŊÿƣŏƸǣ ĜżŰěÿƸƸŏŲŃ ŰżģĪƣŲ ƫŧÿǜĪƣǣ᠇

dżŊŲᡉƫ ƫƸżƣǣ ŏƫ ěǣ Ųż ŰĪÿŲƫ ÿŲ ŏƫżŧÿƸĪģ ĜÿƫĪ᠇ SŲ łÿĜƸ᠁ ƸŊĪ ŧÿƸĪƫƸǿŃǀƣĪƫ łƣżŰ ƸŊĪ tÿƸŏżŲÿŧ ƣŏŰĪ ŃĪŲĜǣᡉƫ tÿƸŏżŲÿŧ ¦ĪłĪƣƣÿŧrĪĜŊÿŲŏƫŰ ᠤt¦rᠥ᠁ ǝŊŏĜŊ ǝŏŧŧ ƫżżŲ ěĪ ƸÿŤĪŲ żǜĪƣ ěǣ ƸŊĪ NżŰĪ

dzǿĜĪ᠁ ƫŊżǝ ƸŊÿƸ ᙷ᠁ᚅᚂᙷ ƠżƸĪŲƸŏÿŧ ǜŏĜƸŏŰƫ ǝĪƣĪ ǵŧÿŃŃĪģ ǀƠ ƸżÿǀƸŊżƣŏƸŏĪƫ ŏŲ ƸŊĪ ŧÿƫƸ ƸŊƣĪĪ ŰżŲƸŊƫ żł ᙸᙶᙷᚄ᠇ ¼ŊÿƸᡉƫ ÿŲ ŏŲĜƣĪÿƫĪ żł

D

Slave masters operating

in the UK are all around us: they actively prey

on the homeless and vulnerable targeting

©ËÞæ½ÞÄËąڬĤ

hope of a ob and shelter

r¬æ¬ÃÞÄê×æÚÚ¬Ĉ  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

22 | BIGISSUE.COM ǼȃɯǽǿCY+ǽǻǼȄ

Day on October 18, including hard-hitting dramaDoing 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

and they will be given a boiler

suit-like uniform They will be

introduced to the family and

then they will be put to work

“That can be anything from

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

the family for over quarter of a century, later revealed that on oneoccasion he was made to dig his own grave when he tried to leave

As homelessness charity Passage’s chief executive Mick ClarkeƣĪǜĪÿŧƫ᠁ ƸŊĪ ŧĪŲŃƸŊƫ ƸŊÿƸ ƫżŰĪ ƸƣÿdzǿĜŤĪƣƫ ǝŏŧŧ Ńż Ƹż ŏŲ żƣģĪƣ Ƹż ƣĪĜƣǀŏƸhomeless people are shocking

“We’ve absolutely seen evidence of people being targeted – wehave had day services where people are approaching our clients asthey are leaving the building or even on a couple of occasions weeven have had people pretending to be homeless to get into ourbuildings but luckily they were rumbled on those attempts,” he says.ᡆSƸᡉƫ żŲĪ żł ƸŊżƫĪ ƸŊŏŲŃƫ ǝŊĪƣĪǜĪƣ ƸŊĪƣĪ ŏƫ ƠżǜĪƣƸǣ᠁ ƸŊĪƣĪ ŏƫ żǽƸĪŲgreat compassion in terms of people wanting to help but also itcan bring people out who want to exploit it – and modern slavery isexactly 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 frontlineworkers and the homeless people they work with can spot thesigns of modern slavery

This can be crucial to preventƣĪĜƣǀŏƸŰĪŲƸ ŏŲ ƸŊĪ ǿƣƫƸ ƠŧÿĜĪ ÿŲģ ÿŧƫżbreak down barriers with the police.When people like John are arrestedfor petty crimes they are forced intocommitting, the intimidation fromtheir captors can stop them telling thepolice while the mental toll of modernslavery cannot be underestimated,building a wall of silence that canżǽƸĪŲ żǀƸŧÿƫƸ ƸŊĪ ǀƠƫĪƸƸŏŲŃ żƣģĪÿŧ ƸŊÿƸpeople are subjected to

One notable victim, DarrellSimester, was so mentally brokenduring his 13-year spell in modernslavery that when two undercoverƠżŧŏĜĪ żdzǿĜĪƣƫ ÿƫŤĪģ ŊŏŰ ŏł ŊĪ ǝÿƫ żŤÿǣǝŊŏŧĪ ŊĪ ǝżƣŤŏŲŃ żŲ ƸŊĪ àĪŧƫŊ łÿƣŰ ƸŊÿƸ ŊĪ ƣĪƠŧŏĪģ ŊĪ ǝÿƫ ᡆǿŲĪᡇ᠇Breaking down this wall of silence is crucial If they report theirexperiences to the authorities once referred to the NRM then they

people are trapped in modern slavery lobally ILO & Walkfree Foundation

40.3

million

the increase in the number of

Simester spent 13 years

as a slave

Sextrafficking was laid bare

in BBC's

DoingMoney

Photo:BBC

Photo:Shutterstock

/ŏŃŊƸǜĪŲģżƣƫÿƸƸĪŲģĪģƸŊĪǿƣƫƸĜŧÿƫƫšǀƫƸěĪłżƣĪ ŊƣŏƫƸŰÿƫƸżŏŧŧǀƫƸƣÿƸĪƸŊĪƫĜĪŲÿƣŏżƫƸŊÿƸĜÿŲŧĪÿģ

to modern slavery, with the hour-long session also ƸƣÿŲƫŧÿƸĪģƸżŊĪŧƠěƣĪÿŤģżǝŲŧÿŲŃǀÿŃĪěÿƣƣŏĪƣƫǝŏƸŊ 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, ŧĪÿģģĪǜĪŧżƠŰĪŲƸǝżƣŤĪƣÿƸ¼ƣÿŲƫłżƣŰŏŲŃ 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 ǜǀŧŲĪƣÿěŧĪěĪĜÿǀƫĪƸƣÿdzǿĜŤĪƣƫÿƣĪżŲƸŊĪŧżżŤżǀƸłżƣ any vulnerability.”

ƫǝĪŧŧÿƫƠƣżƸĪĜƸŏŲŃǜĪŲģżƣƫ᠁ÿģǜŏƫŏŲŃƸŊĪŰ ŊżǝƸŊĪǣĜÿŲƫŊÿƣĪƸŊĪŏŲłżƣŰÿƸŏżŲƠżŧŏĜĪŲĪĪģĪģƸż ŏŲǜĪƫƸŏŃÿƸĪŰżģĪƣŲƫŧÿǜĪƣǣǝÿƫÿŧƫżÿĜƣǀĜŏÿŧƠÿƣƸżł the programme.

¼ŊĪǣǝĪƣĪƸƣÿŏŲĪģżŲǀƫŏŲŃÿƫƠĪĜŏÿŧŏŲƸĪŧŧŏŃĪŲĜĪ łżƣŰƸżłĪĪģŏŲłżƣŰÿƸŏżŲģŏƣĪĜƸŧǣƸżàĪƫƸrŏģŧÿŲģƫ

£żŧŏĜĪŏŲÿěŏģƸżěǀŏŧģǀƠ ƣĪŧÿƸŏżŲƫᠲÿŤĪǣŰżǜĪŏŲ preventing people from łÿŧŧŏŲŃěĪƸǝĪĪŲƸŊĪĜƣÿĜŤƫ᠇

“We managed to get ƫżŰĪŃżżģłĪĪģěÿĜŤłƣżŰ the vendors and they seemed really pleased One

of them is a member of a ŧżĜÿŧĜŊǀƣĜŊŃƣżǀƠÿŲģǝÿƫ ƣĪÿŧŧǣŤĪĪŲłżƣƸŊĪŏƣĜŊǀƣĜŊ ƸżƣǀŲƸŊŏƫŤŏŲģżłƸƣÿŏŲŏŲŃ᠁ᡇ ƫÿǣƫdÿŰĪƫ᠇ᡆàĪᡉǜĪƫŏŲĜĪ had enquiries from ĜżŧŧĪÿŃǀĪƫŏŲhżŲģżŲÿŲģ through our partnership with The Clewer Initiative we’ll hopefully be able to spread that far and wide.”

ŏŃSƫƫǀĪrŏģŧÿŲģƫƫĪƣǜŏĜĪěƣżŤĪƣGÿěŏ®ŏŰÿÿģģĪģ᠀

ᡆ®ŧÿǜĪƣǣƸŊĪƫĪģÿǣƫŊÿƫšǀƫƸĜŊÿŲŃĪģŏƸƫłżƣŰěǀƸƫƸŏŧŧ ĪǢŏƫƸƫÿŲģƠĪżƠŧĪĜÿŲěĪĪÿƫŏŧǣƸƣÿƠƠĪģŏŲŏƸ᠇

“The session that we delivered was valuable for our ǜĪŲģżƣƫŲżƸżŲŧǣěĪĜÿǀƫĪŏƸǝÿƫÿĜĜĪƫƫŏěŧĪÿŲģĪÿƫǣƸż ǀŲģĪƣƫƸÿŲģ᠁ŏŲÿŧÿŲŃǀÿŃĪƸŊÿƸƸŊĪǣƫƠĪÿŤěǀƸ

ÿŧƫżěĪĜÿǀƫĪƸŊĪǣŲżǝŤŲżǝƸŊĪŏƣƣŏŃŊƸƫÿŲģǝŊÿƸ ƫǀƠƠżƣƸŏƫÿǜÿŏŧÿěŧĪŏłƸŊĪǣÿƣĪĪǢƠĪƣŏĪŲĜŏŲŃ modern slavery.

ᡆ¼ŊĪƫĪƫƫŏżŲǝÿƫÿšżŏŲƸĪdzłżƣƸÿŲģSÿŰƫǀƣĪƸŊĪ message was there not only for the Big Issue vendors ěǀƸƣĪÿĜŊĪģÿǝŊżŧĪĜżŰŰǀŲŏƸǣǝŊżÿƣĪÿƸƣŏƫŤżł being exploited.”

can access support and even accommodation during a 45-day

The Anti-Slavery Handbook is distributed in shelters

Big Issue vendors are trained to spot signs of slavery

£ŊżƸż᠀®ŊǀƸƸĪƣƫƸżĜŤ

£ŊżƸż᠀fǀŰÿƣ®ƣŏƫŤÿŲģÿŲ᠓ŧÿŰǣ®ƸżĜŤ£ŊżƸż