Page 236 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 26 February 2014
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Since its inception in 1996, the Big Issue has recruited, trained and supported around 4,500 homeless, marginalised and disadvantaged people across Australia. Last year in Canberra the Big Issue supported 48 vendors, who sold over 35,000 magazines and calendars. A typical Canberra vendor sells around 1,500 issues per year, earning them $4,500.
International Vendor Week also gives us an opportunity to get to know our local vendors. I would like to take this opportunity to read excerpts from the profile that Bianca wrote about her life and her experience with the Big Issue. She said:
It’s been 10 years I’ve been selling The Big Issue in Canberra, and a long time since my last profile. Life has been very good these last few years.
This year, I shaved my hair and I wear wigs now. The long blonde wig in the photo is a Lady Godiva wig, and I’ve got a Lady Gaga wig and a crown, too.
As you might take from this profile, Bianca is quite a character. She went on to say:
I’ve got 10 wigs—sometimes people don’t recognise me, but they recognise my voice. I like to make people laugh and smile. But I scared someone once when I wore the spiky black wig with yellow spikes! Maybe it was the fake nose …
I spent a lot of time at foster homes when I was younger, but would always run off. My mother still lives in Canberra. One brother died of cot death, and I have another brother and my sisters. I get on with them but I don’t see them much.
She then goes on to talk about her partner, Steve. She says he is “a beautiful man”. She says:
We’ve been together for eight years. He works with me; we are a team. Steve’s got a car and I chip in for petrol. He’s in Curtin, a 20-minute drive from my place.
I don’t get much pension, only $90 a week after the Public Trustee takes out the rent. Each time I get magazines, I pay 50c extra, so that I save 50c for each one I sell and collect it every two weeks on Friday. Then I can spend it on DVDs or wigs or on Steve, because I love him too much!
I don’t go into the Big Issue office at Woden much—I’m too busy work, work, working! I’m a workaholic—I work long hours …
I like my customers, I get to know them, and on my birthday I made lots of money at Curtin and got flowers, chocolates. I’m a good salesperson—I stand there and say, “Hello handsome, would you like to buy a Big Issue? Hello sir, it’s a good magazine.” …
My fridge doesn’t work—I’ll have to find one somewhere. And save up for a computer and a TV, and a holiday. And for a present for Steve’s birthday in October. When I’m 90, I might retire?
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