Budgee, Co-op, St James’s Street, Brighton

Photo: Jerri Corbett

I’ve been selling the magazine on and off since about 1995. I first sold it on London Bridge and I’ve used it as a fallback at various points over the last 20 or 30 years. 

I’ve had spells of homelessness on and off all through my life. I’ve always gone back to Big Issue to keep me going and try and keep a routine in my life. It’s been quite a constant actually.

Big Issue means that I’ve always known that there’s a way to make money. I’ve never put my hand out because I’ve always believed that there should be an exchange of some description if someone’s giving you money.

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I get support from the Big Issue office too. Big Issue in Brighton is distributed from St Mary’s Church, and because of my involvement with Big Issue I managed to get hold of a camper van at Christmastime which got me off the streets. 

It meant I wasn’t sleeping in doorways over winter. I actually purchased it on Boxing Day. 

I raised a big part of the funds I needed to buy it through selling Big Issue. At the time it was exactly what I needed. It means that I’ve got some regular focus in my life. A way to get things done.

I was diagnosed as autistic and with ADHD three years ago and it just explains everything. My homelessness, my situation now makes sense – why I’ve struggled so hard to keep things on a level. I know why my life has been so chaotic now because my focus is not always in the right place. It’s lifted a curtain and, now I know I’m on the neurodiverse spectrum, I can put strategies in place and learn to deal with things in a different way rather than trying to fit into a normal way of doing things. It explains why I’ve not been able to hold down a job or been overlooked for promotions. It’s made a massive difference.

Big Issue has been there all along just as something I can do. It’s a positive in my life. It gives me autonomy. I love meeting people and Brighton is such a friendly city. For me, it’s more about actually getting out and meeting people and the opportunity that brings. I’m out and about and my face is seen. Otherwise I struggle socially – I’ll end up with a crowd I shouldn’t. It prevents me from slipping into the gutter, it means I’m always a little bit above it.

I’ve got an elderly dog who is always out with me when I’m selling papers. Dolly’s 20 this month, so she’s an old dog and she’s got one eye. She’s very popular with the people around town. I think she sells more papers than I do to be honest. I couldn’t be without her. I’ve had her all her life and she’s still in fairly good health. It’s going to be a struggle when she passes. It’s going to hit me hard.

I think my mental health would have been absolutely shot without my dog. I dread to think what might have happened because it’s given me responsibility. There’s always something that I’ve had to stay in the moment for. Something to focus on other than myself and she’s kept me warm at night. I don’t know what my life would be like without my dog.

I’m just going to a lock-up I rent and I’m starting a band, hopefully. We’re going to do the busking circuit around Brighton as a three-piece. I’m an old punk. I like my ska. I like my reggae. I’m about to meet up with a few people and embark on a potentially new project. I’m still a percussionist and it’s a good little project for me. I’m really looking forward to that. It’s quite exciting.

Interview: Liam Geraghty

Co-op Food - Kemptown - St James's Street, Saint James's Street, Kemptown, Brighton and Hove, Brighton, UK