Mark Ramsey, Lidl, Kingswood, Bristol

Image: Frankie Stone

I’m back on my pitch after going on a retreat to the Lake District. I can’t get it out of my head. I haven’t shut up about it since I got back, I’ve told all my friends about the Lake District.

One of the organisers, Paul, put up with me and I can’t thank him enough for that. I didn’t have a drink for two days and at one point I wanted to get back. But you couldn’t and that was all bearing up on me.

I do like my outdoors activities. The Lake District took me back to ages ago, going back to school. We went on this walking trip and everything like food and stuff like that was provided for us. I didn’t have a very good upbringing with my stepdad and when I got away on this school holiday when I was younger we were doing rock climbing, abseiling and canoeing. It reminded me so much of going back to that. Being out there was like I got my dream back. It’s done the world of wonders for me.  

I’m born and bred in Bristol but I’ve travelled around Cornwall and Devon – Paignton, Torquay. I worked in The Belmont hotel in Torquay for three years but messed it up through alcohol. So I’ve travelled about 20-odd years outside of Bristol.

I’ve been on and off on selling the magazine on this pitch for six months. It’s going alright, I like the people up here, they’re good people. I’ve got a few locals and a few friends up here. I’m just trying to keep the pitch.

I get offers from my regulars to buy some clothes for me now and again and stuff like that. I’d like to thank my customers for being so supportive.

I’m actually living in the area at the moment – I can look out my window and see my pitch. I’m renting and I’m coping with bills. It’s a bit hard on that note at the moment so Big Issue can help sometimes. It helps with getting me out of the house and talking to people. That’s what I like doing – talking to people. So it’s very helpful in that way. It gets me into a routine too and that gets my confidence back together.

Big Issue has also helped me with energy bills and this holiday (to the Lake District) which I can’t thank them enough for really.

My hobby really is the great outdoors and camping and riding my bike. It would be nice to get away outside Bristol again soon – I’ve not got much planned for that yet. But a break would be nice – a few months here or a few months there. I’ve got the country in me.

Interview: Liam Geraghty

Lidl, Halls Road, Kingswood, Bristol, UK