Street paper single "Santa’s Coming Round" celebrates Big Issue vendors

'Tis the season to be jolly ... but it's also the season to spare a thought for the thousands of people around the world who will spend the lead up to Christmas out in the cold selling street papers.

To celebrate his local street paper vendors and raise awareness of the work they do, Glenn Hodge, a British singer songwriter from London-based folk band Glenn Hodge Banned, has written and recorded a fantastic Christmas song just for The Big Issue.


Glenn explained that the song is inspired by a friend of his who helped to set up =Oslo, a magazine written and sold by homeless people in Oslo, Norway.

"The friend became a big influence on me and really opened my eyes to a lot of social issues," said Glenn.

"Things that were happening on my own doorstep that I’d perhaps been blissfully unaware of before. I resolved to do whatever I could to help. I’m a songwriter and I wanted to make a bit of noise for the Big Issue’s cause at this particularly difficult time of year."

The result is Glenn's catchy festive tune 'Santa’s Coming Round'. The song's accompanying video was filmed in London and stars many Big Issue vendors on their pitches around the city.

Glenn added: “In the same way my mate opened my eyes, I’m hoping this single and its accompanying film will open the eyes of some of the people who hear and see it. Or at the very least boost sales of the Christmas mags.”

Join our Thunderclap to celebrate #VendorWeek

In the run-up to our biggest #VendorWeek yet, INSP is calling on all our supporters to donate their social reach to speak up for street paper vendors.

In 35 countries, our network of street papers offers support, hope and a livelihood to people facing homelessness, poverty and unemployment.

The first week of February is INSP’s international #VendorWeek – a celebration of people who are working their way out of poverty.

In addition to the many ‘real world’ events held by street papers, #VendorWeek will also take place online.

Using Thunderclap, we aim to get a message of support out to thousands of people internationally.

To join this 'online flashmob', all you have to do is follow the link above.

It will take you to a page where you can click to 'support with Twitter', 'support with Facebook' or 'support with Tumblr'.

In February, your tweet will go out automatically with everyone else's - thus raising the profile of the campaign.

Here's some FAQs about Thunderclap, in case you haven't used it before.

Thunderclap is the world's first crowdspeaking platform. To date, more than 3 million people have donated their social reach for ideas and causes that matter, reaching more than 3.5 billion people in 238 countries and territories.

You can help us speak up for some of the world’s most marginalised people.

It’s quick, easy and free to get involved. Just follow this link to tell your friends on Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr that you’re standing up for the street paper movement this #VendorWeek. Then share your support to recruit more people!

Our vendors: Hendrik Beune - Megaphone, Vancouver

“I do a lot of different things that keep me happy, healthy and busy in life. Megaphone's one of them, and it's an important part of it,” says Hendrik Beune, who started selling the Vancouver street paper in 2009.

“Selling the paper gets me out on my bicycle, doing deliveries to my regular customers in the DTES [Downtown Eastside] and it gets me to the farmers markets, where I sell to the public. This contributes to a healthy lifestyle - I am not cooped up inside behind a computer all the time.”

 Another bonus for Hendrik is getting to meet and engage with new people on a daily basis. “I have conversations with my customers about everything!" he adds. “I often get asked if I'm homeless - that's a common misconception. No, I'm not homeless, but I was virtually homeless for a long time.”

Originally from the Netherlands, Hendrik moved to Canada when he was 19 to study biology. His cousin, who lives in Edmonton, helped to get him accepted to the University of Alberta but, after hearing that Vancouver was known as “the San Francisco of the North” he went to UBC instead to earn a degree in Zoology and Ecology.

After graduating, Hendrik spent decades on the west coast surveying watersheds, building boats, and farming shellfish until a back injury sidelined him from physical work. He then moved with his wife and two children to Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. 

“I moved out of a dingy, rat-infested SRO hotel into something decent in 2010. Before that, I didn't have much choice. Not being able to work and receiving no compensation, I ended up on the street for a while until I finally received some help from social services,” Hendrik recalls.

“I had never been on 'welfare' before in my life. I was too proud and always managed to get by somehow, but I could barely walk when I got to Vancouver and after three days without food, I was persuaded to stand in line for a food handout. I got to meet people from different strokes and learned how to access the social services system. That was an education all by itself."

"Thank you for opening my mind & heart to the stories of my city." Donor note today left us all with the sniffles. pic.twitter.com/sTY12uJvxB
— Megaphone Magazine (@MegaphoneMag) December 4, 2014

In 2009, Hendrik heard about Megaphone and been working as a street newspaper vendor ever since.

He says: "Most people work for a mortgage. Then you've got us, who are free on the streets if you can handle not to get enslaved with drugs.

"But I kind of like how people are different and living together in the same city. Building those connections is really important: I think that's the main goal for me and also the purpose of Megaphone.

"The stories in Megaphone are written from the perspective of the other side of society that's often despised and looked down upon," Hendrik continues. "These are real people with real lives and Megaphone helps to personalise them and gives them respect for their struggles.

“We've got so much unrecognised talent here, if people really connected and got to know each other better and bridged those barriers that make some people seem different and unacceptable to others, then we can have a truly mixed, wholesome society where people work together and create a common good.”

Original interview by Megaphone's Jackie Wong.

Megaphone is sold on the streets of Vancouver and Victoria by homeless and low-income vendors. Vendors buy the magazine for 75 cents and sell it for $2, keeping the profit and earning a sense of pride and dignity.

Macedonian street paper Lice v lice celebrates award win

Team Lice v lice

By Laura Smith

The hard work of staff and vendors at Macedonia’s only street paper, Lice v lice, has been recognised with a prestigious award.

On November 29, Lice v lice received an award celebrating its work with homeless people across the country, during the annual Philanthropy and Social Responsibility Awards held by the Center for Institutional Development (CIRa) in Skopje.

The award is an incredible achievement for the Skopje-based magazine, which started production just two years ago.

Maja Nedelkovska, project coordinator at Lice v lice, said: “This is the first award that we are receiving, and it means a lot to us. It comes after two years of constant battle to keep Lice v lice alive and kicking.”

Klimentina Ilijevski, Lice v lice’s executive director, added: “This award represents the success not only for the team of Lice v lice, but also for all the citizens, organizations, institutions and companies that understand and support our initiative to create a better society for us all.”

Winning the award for ‘Media contributing in philanthropic practices in Macedonia’ has not only been a boost to Lice v lice’s staff but also the 40 plus vendors the magazine works with in four different cities across Macedonia.

“Besides our staff, our vendors need and certainly deserve this kind of recognition for their efforts,” continued Klimentina.

“They have made a step toward their way out of poverty and exclusion. This award is also a recognition that someone notices their efforts and endorses it.

“We hope it will make the brand they wear on their shirts while selling the magazine more visible and will impact the sales of the magazine in a positive way.”

The annual awards aims to recognise charities, social enterprises, CSOs and individuals for their contribution to society and the promotion of values such as solidarity, esteem, ethics, humanity and philanthropy.

Maree Aldam, CEO of INSP, said: “Congratulations to the Lice v lice staff and vendors – this is a fantastic achievement.

“We have been so impressed by the way Lice v lice has grown and developed in the past two years since its launch and it’s great to see their hard work being recognised like this in Macedonia.”

‘Naomi Klein: This Changes Everything’ republished

Street Roots (USA)

Time is running out if we’re to avoid catastrophic climate change but Naomi Klein says that a total overhaul of capitalism might just give us a chance. Klein is a famous Canadian author and social activist known for her criticism of corporate globalization and No Logo, a book that went on to become an international bestseller. Kevin Gopal of The Big Issue in the North interviews Klein’s about her latest book, This Changes Everything.

The story by The Big Issue in the North (UK) was republished by Street Roots (USA), L'Itinéraire (Canada), Ireland's Big Issue, Real Change (USA), Asphalt (Germany), Fiftyfifty (Germany) and Article 25 (USA). It can still be downloaded here.

„Naomi Klein: Die Entscheidung“ erscheint in mehreren Ländern

Um einen katastrophalen Klimawandel noch zu verhindern, läuft uns langsam die Zeit davon. Die berühmte kanadische Autorin und Aktivistin Naomi Klein aber sieht eine Chance in einer Überarbeitung des Kapitalismus. Klein wurde durch ihre Kritik an der von Konzernen gesteuerten Globalisierung und ihren internationalen Bestseller „No Logo“ bekannt. Kevin Gopal vom „Big Issue in the North“ sprach mit ihr über ihr neuestes Buch „Die Entscheidung: Kapitalismus vs. Klima“. 

Der Artikel des „Big Issue in the North“ (UK) erschien auch in „Street Roots“ (USA), „L’Itinéraire" (Kanada), „Ireland's Big Issue“, „Real Change“ (USA), „Asphalt“ (Deutschland), „Fiftyfifty“ (Deutschland) und „Article 25“ (USA).

Hier können Sie den Artikel herunterladen.

Street Roots (USA)