Citroën x The Big Issue Group – Driving Change For Good – Chris
I’ve always been interested in finding out what actually drives positive change I knew about the big issue for a while I used to speak to a vendor up in Leicester when I was at Uni for me I’d always loved the idea of helping people to help themselves to give someone a hand up not just a handout Every vendor is different each with their own unique journey I think that’s one of the parts the job I love every day is different even if it has its challenges and when you meet the vendors on the street sell in the copies of the big issue and you hear those stories
All that driving all those challenges it makes it all worthwhile oh hi Chris how are you doing there aye aye all right all good I mean Add to the collection of many Tell me a bit about like tell me a bit about your journey in becoming a big issue and Bellbrook and NHS for years um I have hope that the consequence of the last financial crash and if I find myself as a consequence on the street
Then of a penny I went in a Charlie cross police station I told them a situation they suggested the big issue uh and they anyway Julie went I’ve registered with a big issue uh I started selling and Covent Garden and um yeah a couple of pound get a cup of
Sealed went up to the hostel we’re not paid for a night in the hostel and that was really where it all started would you like to do something else are you very happy doing what you’re doing at the moment well um for a lot of reasons
I’m happy doing what I’m doing I mean I’m never gonna become rich doing it but I mean I accept that but uh the thing is that being able to help other people is one of the biggest reasons I do it I mean it has its own reward for doing that
One thing the magazine does that you really appreciate in yourself particularly like a relative strange in the city is that very quickly you get to know a lot of people yeah uh you also have not just the the individuals that are buying magazines from you where
Other vendors are well have been in a similar situation so you get immediate support for people that can empathize and understand what’s happening so there are simple things like that that being part of the biggest part of something that provided support and stop me anyway even slipping the addiction or you know
Or whatever it would be in order to cope without killing or not and being honest do you think the magazine has really helped you since you’ve started selling the magazine absolutely I mean you know it’s a bit right to say but I could say it’s almost saved my
Life I mean because I was completely directionless uh didn’t know what where I was going to go and what was going to happen and it gave me purpose again sometimes the challenges can get a lot and I try to find balance have we got more vendors
I often Drive in London and it can be so chaotic with the traffic and the terrible drivers around you but the van is so quiet and comfortable it really is like my place of calm for me it gives me that moment to just switch off pause
The journey I’ve been on with the big issue it’s changed my life I’ve learned to be more compassionate more resilient and on this journey with a big issue I’ve seen how you can create change Delivering magazines directly to support those more vulnerable in society being sustainable being compassionate these things I see on a daily basis and even with the challenges drive to change for good it is worthwhile and it is possible
“sustainable, being compassionate… these are things I see every day”.
Meet Chris, delivering The Big Issue to vendors across London, quietly and sustainably, using our ë-Dispatch Electric van. Our Big Issue partnership helps get the magazine out to vendors when they most need us. #DrivingChangeForGood
Citroën is committed to innovation, to enhance how we move, making electric vehicles that are accessible to all. We’ve partnered with The Big Issue in their work ‘changing lives through enterprise’, supporting their transition to electric vehicles so they can become more sustainable. Two leading brands working together, driving change for good.
Nothing moves us like Citroën.
