Inside the Big Issue: The place that was waiting for us

For most of us, summer is a chance to get away from it all, to jet off to the beach or to get ready to ramble in the countryside.

That’s often not a luxury afforded to Big Issue vendors, working hard all year round in villages, towns and cities to sell the magazine and change their life through enterprise.

So when three Big Issue vendors – London sellers Easton Christian and André Rostant, and Bristol’s Mark Ramsey – were given the opportunity to visit a retreat in the Lake District, it was a rare chance for them to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and experience the breathtaking sights, contemplative solitude and humbling natural beauty of the Lakes.

Taking in the view from the summit of The Old Man of Coniston, or watching the sunrise over the Cumbrian peaks, the two-day retreat offered a pro- found sense of perspective and a space to reflect on their own lives.

And it had a transformative effect. “Walking, hiking up them hills, nothing around me, just the wild, it was just something else. It’s somewhere I’m meant to belong,” as Mark put it.

Read more in this week’s Big Issue.

Here’s some blue-sky thinking – old airports could be a solution to our housing crisis

The climate crisis means the tide is turning against airports in the future too. France has already banned short- haul domestic flights under 2.5 hours and Spain looks likely to follow suit. So what do you do with shuttered airports?

The idea of transforming the old Robin Hood Airport into a housing estate came second in an architectural award earlier this summer. We check in with the minds behind it to see if the idea can take off, or if there is too much baggage

Big Zuu and Will Poulter’s BBQ night for young people facing homelessness.

A July evening. You’re hungrily waiting for food to be barbecued to perfection – by actor Will Poulter and TV chef Big Zuu. They might seem an unlikely pair, but they’ve known each other for years. And they also know great food, and how to use it for good.

Together, they are cooking for young people facing homelessness at New Horizons Youth Centre in London, which runs monthly supper clubs.

Steve Cram’s Letter to his Younger Self

The young Steve Cram was always destined for a record-breaking career in athletics, yet going to the gym terrified him.

“The first time I went I was scared stiff – it was all sweaty blokes with weights who were probably taking drugs,” he told the Big Issue.

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more. Big Issue exists to give homeless and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income. To support our work buy a copy of the magazine or get the app from the App Store or Google Play.