Darren Nuttall, Tesco Express, Clare Street, Bristol
When he’s not on his pitch, Darren enjoys going for saunas to help his circulation
Image: Hattie Greenyer
I’ve been selling Big Issue for a couple of years. It was when money was fading out and I heard Big Issue gave you a card reader. Begging was becoming impossible but because they had a card reader that was the first thing that tempted me here.
I feel better giving something, providing something rather than taking something. People do treat you differently, they see that you’re making an effort to do something. People buy me food, give me tips, just give me conversation, asking how my life’s going, generally being friendly most of the time.
I do enjoy selling the magazine because I like being part of the Big Issue team.It gives me more self-esteem being part of something rather than doing something on my own. Big Issue help me with whatever my requirements are. Like today, I came in and told them I’m really struggling for money at the moment and they helped me. They help me with food vouchers. They help me with my debts and legal advice. It’s just like having a family. Whatever my problems are I can come here and share them and there’s someone here to help.
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It’s pretty cold at the moment so I just wrap up warm with thermals. I’ll walk among people and sort of announce it: “Big Issue!” People will stop and have a talk or buy the magazine. I prefer to be a bit vocal about it. Selling the magazine at Christmas was pretty good but summer festivals can be good too. All events are good as there’s more people out, that’s the main thing. It’s the hardest time now in the couple of months after Christmas.
When I’m not selling the magazine, I like to go for saunas. I like leisure. It’s a way of keeping my blood flowing because my circulation isn’t good. There’s one across the road from my flat so I am very lucky.
I’m not from Bristol originally. I was born in Norwich and grew up in London and came here to do recovery. I’ve suffered with addiction most of my life. It’s an ongoing battle. It could be worse, it could be better. I’m a functioning addict is what I’ve been told. That’s quite a difficult position to be in because I sort of manage my problem.
Without Big Issue’s help I probably would have turned to crime. Big Issue stopped me from committing crime because I used to shoplift to fund my habit. Big Issue has sustained my life sort of as it is. Without that, I’d probably be in a much worse situation.
In 2026, I’m hoping that Donald Trump doesn’t do something fucking stupid and start a world war. For me, this year is about my addiction and trying to move forward with that. You know that song Comfortably Numb? I am comfortably numb and I don’t know if I want to be like that. Or if I want to change it. I just hope that I can keep my lovely flat, don’t get into too much debt and just make progress on my drug addiction really.
I’d like to say thank you to people for all the support and the help that you do provide for us because there is a lot of love out there. A lot of people really do care. But people, even if they haven’t got a lot, they still do reach in just to give you something which I really do appreciate.
That’s something that Big Issue has taught me or helped me learn: to be appreciative and not to be selfish but to be thankful. And people are generally really nice and want to help and I’m thankful for that.
Interview: Liam Geraghty
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Tesco Express, Tesco Express, Clare Street, Bristol, UK