Bryan Binyon, TK Maxx, Sunderland

Image: Gary Moore 

I’ve only been selling the magazine for about a month and it’s been really good so far. I’ve been talking to people and they’ve been asking me if I knew about the shipyards here and I’ve been telling them a bit of history from what I can remember.

I started selling the magazine because I’ve known people who were homeless and I’ve been homeless myself and I wanted to try and explain to the public what it’s like. I want to explain how Big Issue works and how it helps some people to get into accommodation and jobs. People have been really interested in that. I enjoy that social side. I’ve got a few regular customers and they look out for me. If I’m not there, they always ask: “Where’s Bryan?”

My experience of homelessness was very rough. I’ve seen people literally get a kicking. I’ve seen people rob people for a couple of quid. To me that’s disgusting. I’ve slept rough for about two and a half years and it’s not a very good thing. And two years is nowt, I’ve known people who slept rough for five, 10, 15 years. It’s not a pretty sight. I’ve actually helped people more than I helped myself. 

The hardest bit was finding somewhere dry to sleep and trying to get registered with the doctor and medical facilities. Food is another thing because you want to try to get money. And benefits are hard as well because if you haven’t got an address then you can’t get any of that.

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I lost my partner a year ago to cancer. She suffered from cancer, pneumonia and COPD. People have been supportive and Tracy who runs the Big Issue office has been helping me with it. I thought, “Oh well, I’ll give something back”. It’s been good to do something for myself rather than sitting there moping. I wouldn’t leave the house. I’d just lock myself away and would never talk to anybody. It was a terrible experience. I asked her three times if she’d marry me and every time she went “no”. Her last words that she said to me before she passed away were: “We should have got married.” That crippled me.

I’ve been married before and I lost my ex-wife and my daughter in a car crash on Christmas. You can just imagine at Christmas time. It’s a really difficult time of year for me. It’s a total nightmare. I’m trying to rebuild my life but it’ll take time.

It’s been really cold this winter but I’m used to it. I’ve got broad shoulders. I’m a Mackem. Well, I’m originally from Scotland, from Edinburgh. But when I lost my ex-wife and my daughter I just packed everything up and came down here and I’ve been here about eight years now. I’m a Sunderland supporter and hopefully we’ll get into the play-offs and get promoted.

I’ve got a flat now with a private landlord. Big Issue helps me out with vouchers for food and gas, electric, stuff like that. They’re helpful. If I’d never got in touch with Tracy I would never have got out of the house. I feel a lot better for it. I like being out with the public. It’s how you look at it. If somebody comes to you with a problem, you try and help them with their problem. You still have your problem, but when you talk to them then you can help them and take ideas from there. It’s just the way I am, I’ll listen to people. 

If you know anybody who sees someone who is homeless or vulnerable or they do see a vendor, tell them to talk to them. They are the best ones to talk to. They are out in all weathers and they know what’s going on. Even if it’s only five minutes. Or just go up and say hello. At the end of the day, everybody’s human.

Interview: Liam Geraghty

TK Maxx, Crowtree Road, Sunderland, UK