h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Beleive it or not, I sell the issue in Leeds and it does work. 6 months ago I was ready to commit suicide and the only reason I didn't is 'cos I got caught. Now I'm in a hostel and have my own PC and can eat more than twice a week.

Your info is a bit out of date. It costs a clam now and we buy it for 40p. Recently a new sceme was set up called the Big Issue Trust whereby all vendors must complete a two year course of programmes, the most important being Learn To Earn and Learn To Live.

Learn To Earn teaches you how to sell the magazine and make a decent living off of it. Learn To Live is to help rehabilitate vendors. There are only three of us in Leeds city centre that are not on heroin one of the other two is an alcoholic. Therefore, after completing a detox, addicts are given things to do with their spare time when they would normally be using there poison whatever it is. While I'm here I just want to say cheers to all the staff at The Big Issue office in Leeds and particularly to Bryn, Ged and Phil.

Cheerz

This is six years on from your article about Big Issue - I came into your space looking for Ian Drury's Reason to be Cheerful by the way! Homelessness is still a huge problem in Great Britain - my belief is that noone should be homeless, whatever the reasons, but that is in an ideal world, so tackle this Big Issue we must.

I have only been buying the Big Issue faithfully for the last year, although I have over the years bought the odd one or two, but really never bothered to read it! The Big Issue is a fantastic read, informative, lively, spontaneous and packed full of diverse articles.

It is the magazine which introduced me to all the fantastic opportunities that are around for people like myself. I have been wanting to do something exciting and different, but like many other people it is difficult to know what to do and difficult to find someone to do it with. However, I have recently put myself forward for a trek in Peru - raising money for the Mental Health Foundation. I am awaiting to hear whether my application is accepted and busying myself organising various events for this worthwhile charity. This has given me a new lease of life and although I work full time, run a house, look after my grandchildren, I have been yearning to do something exciting and new.

I'll let you know how I get on if you are interested!!