Matthew Campbell, Kennington Lane Tesco, Vauxhall, London

Image: Exposure Photo Agency

Matthew Campbell

I’ve been selling the Big Issue on and off for about 12 years. I’ve had pitches all over London. I’ve pitched in Covent Garden, I’ve pitched in Pimlico, in Victoria, and quite a few other places – the Strand, Elephant and Castle and Waterloo.

I’m a born-and-bred South Londoner, through and through. I live in a social housing place in Vauxhall, and my family are still in Lewisham. I’m about to turn 57, and my mum wants me to come round for dinner. She knows I haven’t got a wife, so I’ll spend the day with her.

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I’ve had lots of different jobs. Before the Big Issue I was a door-to-door salesman, selling household goods for a catalogue company. That gift of the gab helps with the Big Issue, I suppose. 

I’ve also done delivery driving jobs, and prior to that I did data entry in offices. I’m a trained typist.

Recently, I’ve been working zero hours on building sites. At my age, I can’t really be doing labouring – I’d rather be doing something skilled. I have qualifications, I can do painting, decorating, bricklaying, plastering and drylining. But I’ve never been able to get an apprenticeship, so I’ve done a lot of labouring.

I’ve spoken to Big Issue Recruit. They’ve told me they might be able to help me. I would like to get into stable work. I don’t want to keep jumping from job to job, I would like to do something that leads to long-term employment. Something that makes it worthwhile to get up in the morning.

I’ve not had much stable work, so the Big Issue has been ideal for me. If I do something, and it doesn’t work out, I’ve always had the Big Issue to fall back on, to keep me going. It’s not always easy. 

You’re on your feet a lot; if the weather is horrible you’re going to get wet and dirty. Sometimes you get stuck in a bad mindset about it. People sometimes make judgements; they class you as a self-serving homeless man. But on the inside we all have feelings.

I’d like to give a shout out to my customers. Thank you for understanding me and my plight, and for supporting me. They’ve stuck by me, especially as the cost of living goes up. I’ve got a prepaid meter for gas and electricity, and I used to stroll up to the shop with my card and top it up. Now you need to find an extra couple of quid every time, but I try and get by.

Big Issue also helped me get a new fridge, a new shower head, and they sent me to people who help with debt recovery. They helped me apply for PIP for my asthma and COPD [Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease], because I didn’t know I could get that.

I’ve always got medication at hand, so I can keep the asthma under control. COPD frightens me more than asthma. It comes on through smoking, and you can’t reverse it, there’s no cure for it. It can develop into cancer. 

People tell me that I need to look after myself. So, I’m trying to stay on top of it.

When I’m not selling the mag, I like playing tennis with my friend. I might ask to do a little bit of gardening in the square where I live, or there might be an event on. A band plays on the last Friday of the month.

I’d tell my younger self to just keep on going, and that it’s never too late to keep pride. I’m glad I didn’t beg, borrow, or steal. I’m so thankful for Big Issue keeping my badge and my tabard for all these years. Even if you’ve not been there for a couple of years, they’re always happy to take you back. I love that.

Words: Charlotte Elton

Tesco Superstore, Kennington Lane, London, UK