The Big Issue Vendor Christmas Parties

Melbourne vendor Craig, getting into the Christmas spirit.

For many, Christmas is a time of giving, sharing belly laughs with family members and indulging or overindulging in Christmas treats. However, for those that are homeless, marginalised or disadvantaged, Christmas can hold a different meaning.

Every night in Australia around 105,000 people are homeless living on the streets, in doorways, squats or temporary accommodation.

This Christmas, The Big Issue has embraced the festive spirit hosting Christmas parties across the country for 350 plus vendors. In Melbourne, vendors were invited to attend a sit down dinner consisting of roast pork, lamb and beef with gravy and mint jelly, roast vegetables, salads, and sweets including Christmas pudding, pavlova and sponge cake.

To everyone’s great pleasure in Melbourne, vendor Owen played an impromptu albeit very talented set on the piano. With little encouragement needed several others busted out their best dance moves while the sounds of laughter and chatting filled the hall. De, another Melbourne vendor reflected on the occasion:

“It was nice to see people that I hadn’t seen for a while … Christmas can be a difficult time but there was a real sense of happiness at the party. It was a big group of happy people coming together as The Big Issue mob.”

The vendors are an eclectic group of people from all walks of life and these gatherings are a truly unique way for vendors, The Big Issue staff and supporters to get together and share a yarn. It’s now back to work for vendors, who get back to selling the magazine, earning themselves an income while also getting involved in the festive spirit across the country.

In a report released earlier this year it showed that for every one dollar invested in the Street Magazine Enterprise four dollars fifty in benefits was generated to the Australian community. Supporting a vendor group of some 350 individuals at any one time, the report showed that in the absence of the Street Magazine Enterprise those individuals would impose additional aggregate demands on society at a cost of around $10 million per annum.

Support The Big Issue this Christmas by purchasing a copy of the magazine from an authorised vendor on the streets for $5. Vendors keep half.

For more information about The Big Issue visit www.bigissue.org.au