Prince William selling the Big Issue

Amazed to read such cynicism here! Of course there is some element of attracting publicity here- It makes Prince William look good but, more importantly, it brings the plight of the homeless to the forefront of media attention and may well raise masses of money for charities! All celebrities face the accusation of trying to make themselves look good when they do work for good causes- but they raise money and attract attention to their causes.

Goodness! What a horrid response from most of you. I am really shocked. Poor guy can’t do anything right.

DaisyL that’s just what I was thinking - so much negativity that I can’t bear to read any more comments. What happened to “Be kind”.

If he was trying to attract publicity for the Big Issue, that's a good thing.

Dressing up as a vendor, trying to pretend he was doing it undercover and letting the public believe he was actually selling the magazine just to make money?

Not so good.

Elizabeth27

In the town nearest to me, there is a big issue seller that has been doing it for about 10 years. Most people give him money but do not take the magazine. He can afford to smoke and has the latest iPhone so does well from it. I often wonder why he has not just got a job in that time.

I do not for a moment imagine that if you send a job application stating that you have been selling the Big Issue and living on the streets for ten years, or one for that matter, that you would be asked along for an interview.

You don't mention how old this man is, but if he is over 40 no-one will be particularly eager to employ him anyway.

Whatever nonsense the jobs centres and politicians tell you, the harsh realities are these:

few employers will ever contemplate employing someone older than themselves

few employers will consider an applicant who is out of work

practically no employer will think of employing someone who has been on social security, been homeless, or admits to being a recovering alcoholic or drug-user, or has been in prision.

I am not saying that a seller of the Big Issue necessarily is a recovering addict or a former jail bird, but nice, kind people running businesses will automatically make these assumptions.

They will, more reasonably, also chose to interview a person with relevant job experience, qualifications for the job in question, and a CV that demonstrates these.

Hello Gsm.

Now, here's a question.

WHAT DOES THE LATEST IPHONE LOOK LIKE, EXACTLY?
They all look exactly the same, to me.

Sheila11

Goodness! What a horrid response from most of you. I am really shocked. Poor guy can’t do anything right.

I'd like to ask Sheila11 and anybody else so inclined to stop using adjectives like "horrid" to describe people giving their perfectly rational responses to this event.

Its a free country, and we get to criticise our leaders. Anybody calling us "horrid" or any of the rest of it needs to wind their necks in.

I just love prince william, wished I was there. ?

Once more into the breech, dear friends...

Can’t wait for the day when Hasbeen and Megain are reduced to selling the Big Issue on the streets of LA!

You seem nice.

Be kind? Having a different opinion to you is not being unkind. How odd.

PunkWomble

Can’t wait for the day when Hasbeen and Megain are reduced to selling the Big Issue on the streets of LA!

Now, now...
Be kind!

I do now have a problem with the Big Issue - whether sold by Prince William or anyone else. When I first started to buy one, some 4 years ago, from a young woman outside our local supermarket I thought I was helping a homeless person. She still sells the magazine there and I appear to be one of very few who stops to talk to her and buy a copy. However, I've become increasingly disillusioned as she clearly has adequate housing for herself, her husband, mother, sister and 4 children (2 more since I've known her). She regularly tells me that she cannot afford things for her children and I've happily given her clothing and toys (from my grandchildren) but when I've suggested she tries for one of the many jobs currently being advertised locally, she is reluctant. Recently I've discovered that at the end of her stint she catches the train home which must take up the majority of the money she has made from her sales - so I've begun to query why she does it and whether the link to claiming benefits is true. I still believe John Bird's original concept of the Big Issue is admirable and will continue to support projects for the homeless, but I'm now reluctant to support my local seller and find myself only doing shopping on days when I know she won't be there.

Well, nobody can claim working tax credits, as that is being (has been) replaced by universal credits.

I would also question that anyone could work for 16 hours and not be expected to find more hours of work.

I expect it's really difficult to convince people that you are a caring person when you have so much privilege. His mother did it really well and maybe he's trying to follow in her footsteps. I would give him the benefit of the doubt and say it was a misguided attempt to reach' the common people'. But thats just it.. we will always be 'the common people'. No matter how hard he tries he can never understand what it is to be homeless and hungry. And I think homeless people would have every right to be angry at this?

Isn’t selling newspapers a job then?

MissAdventure

Well, nobody can claim working tax credits, as that is being (has been) replaced by universal credits.

I would also question that anyone could work for 16 hours and not be expected to find more hours of work.

You don't have to claim Universal Credit if you are already on Working Tax Credits so if you have been selling the BI or doing any other paid work for longer than UC has been around, you will more than likely be getting WTC. My daughter's family won't change until they have to because you can become worse off on UC especially if you are disabled.

Looked like a contrived publicity stunt.

The problem for all charities is that these days people cant afford to give so are giving less and less as cost of living soars. (And im surprised William put himself in that situation out on the street being 2nd (or maybe even next?) in line to throne) as were they all during jubilee celebrations really- have the Royals learned nothing from the deaths of the Kennedy's? Anyone could take a potshot at any of them???

Charities need publicity Diamond Lily.

Yes, I have found that out recently.
The idea is to change people when their circumstances change, isn't it? (For less money, of course!)

I agree with Philipa111

Yes MissAdventure..i discussed this on another thread a couple of days ago-and though i desperately need to move house to a (slightly) different area, (so my disabled son isn't spending 4-6 hours on buses each day to/from college) I'm now in a quandary because if i do they'll force me on to UC as it'll be a 'change of circumstances' when it used to be just a 'change of address'- I'm going to lose over a third of my money at least, if i change over. ??