Perhaps a warning I hope not

Fri 28 Jan 2022, 12:50

ime afaid i give these people a wide berth ,i allways give the Sally Army at Chrismas  the price of a couple of meals but that`s as far as i go.......Chris Wastie

Mon 24 Jan 2022, 21:03

When I lived in Church Stretton before moving here, our big issue vendor ( also Romanian) and his sister ( vendor too, with a young baby) lived together in Birmingham. Their journey on 2 trains was a similar length to the journey to here.

Others in their family shared their rooms, and took turns looking after the baby, so the sister could come to earn to help support them.

Mon 24 Jan 2022, 20:35

His name is Jonathan, at least that is what he told me.

Mon 24 Jan 2022, 20:12

I would suggest contacting the TVP but we know how effective they are.

For those who have spoken to him and know a little bit more, you could contact the Modern Slavery Helpline - https://www.stopthetraffik.org/report-an-incident/contact-authorities/ 

There are also more numbers on WODC’s website: https://www.westoxon.gov.uk/communities-and-leisure/community-safety/modern-slavery/

Mon 24 Jan 2022, 20:06

Doesn't anyone know his name? 

Mon 24 Jan 2022, 19:39

When I came into town at 9 am on Saturday, he was fast asleep on the wall outside the Coop, looking very pale and cold with his head on the stone. A while later I saw people talking to him and he looked upset. 

Mon 24 Jan 2022, 18:54

The Daily Mail is probably not he best example, but google and you will find more information.

This is still a complete scam and should not be encouraged, but that's up to the individual. I certainly wouldn't use your card and definitely don't give out your Bank details.  

Mon 24 Jan 2022, 18:43

From the Big Issue Foundation website 'To give feedback or make a complaint about a Big Issue Vendor, call 0121 230 1555 or email vendor.comments@bigissue.com'

Likely a better source of information than the Daily Mail

Mon 24 Jan 2022, 18:40

The Daily Mail article is from 2012, so prior to Brexit. Even if it was true at the time (and the DM certainly had an agenda about Romanian immigrants and also about "gypsies"), it is no longer the case that "they will continue to come".

Here's a more recent article from a less biased source about a Big Issue seller who was born in Romania but who lives in Balsall Heath, Birmingham (where housing is relatively cheap), but who has a spot in Malvern to which he would travel by train: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-big-issue-seller-opens-18403475 

As I previously pointed out: Official Big Issue vendors benefit from a variety of subsidies. So it's not a simple case of profit on the sales versus travelling costs.

I have rather mixed feelings about the Big Issue, but I absolutely distrust the Daily Mail -- and had, in fact, read that article some time ago and decided that although there were and are certainly Romanian gangs of performers and beggars (e.g. in Trafalgar Square), it was a mistake to suppose that this was what was at stake with the Big Issue sellers in a more general kind of way.

Perhaps those in charge of this forum should move this topic to the debate section!

Mon 24 Jan 2022, 17:52

It's a complete scam. These are criminal gangs exploiting young adults and teenagers. Don't give them your money. If you continue to give them money, they will continue to come.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2090012/One-Big-Issue-sellers-Romanian-homes-AND-claim-benefits.html

Sun 23 Jan 2022, 09:17 (last edited on Sun 23 Jan 2022, 09:17)

I agree.  It's a tad bizarre.

The official Big Issue site near here is at Chipping Norton.  Whilst there is a regional distribution centre in Birmingham, our local one is in Oxford - much closer!

One can subscribe online and receive each edition through your letterbox or electronically.  The money still goes to the Foundation.

Sun 23 Jan 2022, 07:22

While he seems a good kid, the logistics of it all are frankly far too bizarre to not assume something is amiss.

Travelling from Birmingham for 2 hours, passing hundreds of more populated towns to come to a place of 3,000 people, which doesn’t have a significant new daily client base through tourism, to sell a magazine that only a handful of people will buy. It doesn’t add up. The footfall is far too low to be viable. Even if 10% of town bought it (will be nowhere near that) he’d not break even for the month, if travelling by train. 

Sat 22 Jan 2022, 21:40

Is there anyone in Charlbury who can speak Romanian?  

Wed 22 Dec 2021, 11:16

Our vendor had £20 in cash for me this morning and the remaining 16 he is bringing on Friday so all turned out well.

Mon 20 Dec 2021, 10:27

He did tell me on Saturday that he no longer had the card reader because it was broken, and it's cat only for now. And one time when I used the card reader and it gave the offer of giving a tip, £3 was too much as it's automatically set at £2. 

Mon 20 Dec 2021, 10:25

I understand he is dropped off by a van and I agree there's likely to be some exploitation going on. 

Mon 20 Dec 2021, 10:17

Official Big Issue vendors also benefit from subsidies, including supermarket tokens and other support payments towards rent, utility bills and family support costs. So it's not a simple case of profit on the sales versus travelling costs. 

And I notice that the card payment system used by Big Issue is izettle, and there have been a lot of recent complaints about a recent update of the app on android Play Store, including complaints from a street performer who has found that previously fixed payment amounts no longer work on android phones. Also delays in payments showing up. So perhaps that was the problem in this case.

Mon 20 Dec 2021, 09:37

He gets up two and a quarter hours before the first train? The cheapest return ticket is £34.20. If the cover price is £4.00 of which £2.50 is his profit he has to sell 14 magazines to cover his travel costs alone. Seems more likely that he would come by minibus and be dropped off as part of a group around the Cotswolds. I met another BAME chap doing the same thing in Stow on the Wold on Sunday and there is no train there. I fear that the poor chap might be being exploited, but what can be done? 

Mon 20 Dec 2021, 08:03

I asked him on Saturday how he got here from Birmingham and he said by train via Oxford. Has to get up at 4 am for the journey.

Mon 20 Dec 2021, 07:20

I think they come down in a group because there's also a girl in Burford who's also been outside the co-op sometimes and she got picked up by a van. And if they're official vendors then the big issue itself is authorising the site and is aware of the low number of sales they'll be making. I think the idea is that if they're good at selling by being chatty etc more people will buy and so they'll make more, same as with any business. 

Sun 19 Dec 2021, 23:13

In answer to your question, Tim.... I asked him mid-afternoon one day how many he’d sold and he told me, “3.”

Sun 19 Dec 2021, 15:45

I did go and see our vendor yesterday and he apologised for his mistake.  He said he has spoken to his boss and the money should come back into my account within a couple of working days so shall have to wait and see.

Sun 19 Dec 2021, 09:04

I have to ask. Did you get your money back?

So, you said he travels down from Birmingham. About how many Big Issues do you estimate he sells in Charlbury? The expense of him driving down from Birmingham would mean that he has to sell quite a few just to break even.

Fri 17 Dec 2021, 16:22

It's easily done. A customer of mine paid my online using her phone and ended up paying me £840 instead of £84. Quickly sorted, but I only found out that evening!

Fri 17 Dec 2021, 14:51

I used my card to buy a Big Issue from him last Saturday without a problem - just checked, and the correct amount was deducted Monday.

Wed 15 Dec 2021, 21:02

If it is the same chap as usual, I asked a few weeks ago to see his identification and it was in order.

I did tell him that it should be on display. 

Wed 15 Dec 2021, 20:47

I used my iphone to buy a Big Issue and paid him £4 by card earlier this evening and it went through fine and was registered correctly. 

Wed 15 Dec 2021, 20:30

Also probably not wise to give a stranger your Bank details.

Hannen.

Wed 15 Dec 2021, 20:26 (last edited on Wed 15 Dec 2021, 20:29)

The Big Issue official site doesn't show any vendors in Charlbury.

www.bigissue.com/vendors/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAweaNBhDEARIsAJ5hwbfUFiZ7aJVA8gmhNrmi9k9l9ghSMzV2ZB40tymQOecIrnxAKsEoVz0aAjDMEALw_wcB

Wed 15 Dec 2021, 19:35

I always buy a big issue magazine on a Saturday from outside the Coop.  I have always given the lad coins but this morning I saw him in his Santa outfit and thought I will buy an extra issue as I know he travels from Birmingham and is Christmas etc.

I didn’t have coins so he said use his card reader which I did.  I couldn’t see the reader as was inside a pocket in his jacket. Anyway I did check when I got home and 40 pounds not four was taken.  I popped back and told him and asked for change was happy to accept coins but he said everyone today has paid on the reader so had no money to give me.

He asked for my bank details and said he would sort out later today but felt that wasn’t right.  So he will bring me 36 pounds in cash on Saturday and I really trust he will.

But just in case he doesn’t perhaps all those card holders who,paid today should just check ,  I do so hope he seems a nice guy

annie