Leisha O’Brien, Facebook
Of all the vendors…
One cold morning in October 2021, I walked towards the entrance of the BBC at New Broadcasting House. I said hi to George, the cheerful Scottish Big Issue seller and bought a copy. I later read a feature in the magazine entitled ‘Desert Storm’ about a book by Fiona Valpy, The Storyteller of Casablanca.
I have spent a lot of time in Morocco, was a BBC correspondent there, wrote a book about storytelling in Marrakech and am also involved in a charity, the British Moroccan Society (BMS). I was fascinated by the article and the history of the spies and refugees who ended up in Casablanca (although the reality was different from the Hollywood movie), so I contacted Fiona asking if she would like to give a talk to the BMS in London. She came down all the way from her home in Scotland, despite having recently suffered a severe accident falling off a ladder.
We stayed in touch and even attended the Marrakech Storytelling Festival together. There Fiona stayed at a hotel, Riad Star, which is owned by the chair of the BMS, Mike Wood. While researching her book, Fiona had delved into the colourful life of the singer, dancer and actress Josephine Baker, who had worked undercover for the French Resistance during WWII. Baker became one of the central characters in The Storyteller of Casablanca.
Little did Fiona know but Riad Star was actually where Baker herself had lived. At the festival Fiona and I gave talks about our books together with Brian Baker, one of Josephine’s adopted sons. Fiona, Mike, his wife Lucie and I have remained great friends through this strange series of coincidences and connections, which all started when I met George on that cold morning in October 2021.
I saw George the other day and told him the whole story. I thank Big Issue for leading me down an alleyway that is as labyrinthine and unpredictable as a side street in Marrakech.
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Richard Hamilton, BBC
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Remembering John Prine
It was great to read Deb Grant’s article about John Prine. Thanks, Deb. I’ve been a fan of Prine for many years and was saddened by his death. Such a talented singer and songwriter.
I was lucky enough to get to see him at the Cambridge Folk Festival some years ago, even though the guy sitting next to me sang along loudly with all his songs and almost drowned Prine out. Never mind, I was glad that he was enjoying seeing him too and I’m looking forward to getting the new CD that was mentioned.
Big Issue is a great read every week – thanks to all the vendors who stand out in all weathers to sell it.
Paul Burbidge
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Ill health
In Kwajo Tweneboa’s article on landlords as government ministers [Issue 1680, 18-24 August], he says, “Imagine a health secretary owning a chain of private hospitals.” The Good Law Project said in April that donations to Wes Streeting had brought “the total Streeting has accepted from private health-linked interests since 2015 up to £372,000, as declared to parliament and the Electoral Commission”.
According to the EveryDoctor group, people and companies linked to the private healthcare sector gave more than £2.7 million to political figures over the past two years.
It may not be a string of hospitals, but it’s a source of income that, in Kwajo’s words, is “not just a bad look, it is a fundamental clash of interests”.
Ed, Manchester
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