Eamonn Kelly, Trinity Street, Cambridge

Image: Onur Pinar

It’s very quiet at the minute because they’ve got scaffolding up on my pitch. It is what it is, I’m just trying to do whatever I can. I’ve let the workmen know I was here before them so they need to hurry up!

I’ve got loads of customers that believe in me because I’ve been doing this for years. But this might be my last year, you know. I’m thinking of going to do mentoring with a charity to help people with drugs and alcohol. I haven’t made my mind up at the moment.

I don’t drink and do drugs now. I’ve been clean for three years. I had a habit for 10 years. But I never robbed, I never thieved. That’s why my people believe in me because I am out there every day. Of course, it spurs me on. It gives me something to get up for in the morning.

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I’m a grandad of a two-year-old too. Louie, he’s another reason why I’m out every day. I see him fairly often. I’ve seen him around seven times since he was born. My daughter lives in Coventry. I’m originally from west Belfast but I moved over to Coventry and she still lives there, she’s 28 now. It’s brilliant spending time with him. It gives me time to adjust and spend time away from Big Issue for a little while because it is stressful sometimes. I just do my own thing. As long as the money and the books are there, that’s all I care about.

My customers are there if I need advice and I don’t take money off them beyond selling the magazine, just coffees. Some like to get me groceries and that does help me. I’m up to date with everything and I’ve just got a one-bedroom council flat. Without Big Issue, though, I would be a wee bit lost. They have helped me a lot. They’ve got me a cooker, a washing machine, a freezer, a double bed, my blinds.

The council flat came unfurnished and it’s a real problem. If I hadn’t have had the help from Big Issue then I would have been in trouble. They’ve also believed me. I don’t take people for granted. What you see is what you get from me. 

I really like reading. I love reading books about Ireland, the history of it or any books about the Troubles. It’s just to keep my mind focused. I’ve not been over to Ireland since my mum’s funeral three years ago but I’m trying to get over before Christmas because Big Issue gets really busy then.

I’ve been invited to go to Lambeth Palace in September to talk about modular homes. I’ve got a big thing about them. I’d like to get as many built as I can. I used to live in one provided by the homelessness charity Jimmy’s. 

I even had Prince William and Kate come to visit. Living there gave me a purpose to get up in the morning. I’d just lost my mum that February but when I met William, it pulled me out of wallow and got me motivated. I realised I had to get these drugs out of my system. Since then, I’ve not touched anything.

I tell my story often now. I was down in Northampton with Jimmy’s the other week. A lot of big companies use me to speak about modular homes because I know how to speak about them. I always throw Big Issue in there too because Big Issue was my lifeline. 

I want to get people off drugs and alcohol before they start because it’s the road to nowhere. It only causes mayhem and misery. I see it all day, every day. I’m like a judge. Nothing seems to change so they need people out there like me. I’ve been down there lower than the rats.

Interview: Liam Geraghty

Scroll to the map below to see Eamonn’s pitch location.

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Trinity Street, Cambridge, UK