Paula Langa, Aldi, Newport Road, Cardiff

Photo: Exposure Photo Agency

Things are going all right on my pitch. Christmas went a lot better this year, selling more magazines. But now is OK for me and I make good money for me and my kids. When Christmas time has gone, it gets a little bit quiet but it’s all right. I have some regular customers I would say, and some people just come up to me and ask to buy the magazine too. 

I like to speak with people while I am selling the magazine. And it is better for me because I have two young children. Sometimes when I need to go home if they are sick I can leave to go home, I can stay as much time as I want or need. Obviously, if it is busy and I am making a lot of money then I will stay for longer.

I live in Newport but come to Cardiff by bus to sell the magazine. I do that every morning and the journey takes me about 45 minutes. I do that because Cardiff is better than Newport. I tried to sell outside Aldi in Newport but I couldn’t sell as many magazines. I do like it in Cardiff as it has some quite nice places and a big centre. There are some really nice people in Cardiff and I think the people here can be more helpful.

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I’ve been selling Big Issue for about a year and a half. I started because I needed some help and I needed to work on something. It is good work which I can do for me and my kids, making money and people helping me. At Christmas time, Big Issue gave me a £50 voucher for electricity and sometimes you get food vouchers as well. That is helpful for me. I also have a card reader and it was a big help at Christmas time because people were saying: “Oh sorry, I don’t have cash.” So if I have a card reader then that really helps.

I try to speak to people to sell the magazine. In the morning I will say: “Hi, good morning, how are you?” More people know me here now so I’m asking them how things are going and how they are before I ask if they want to buy a Big Issue. I explain what is inside the magazine. I read it first and tell my customers what is inside.

I don’t have any big plans for the year. In the summer time I would like to take my kids somewhere nice: a place with a beach or something like that. It was my birthday last week but I never really celebrate my birthday, just the kids’ birthdays. In my spare time I like to sing. Sometimes when I’m here on my pitch I like to sing too. It’s mainly Christian songs because I’m Pentecostal. Otherwise, I mainly stay with my kids, going to the park and spending time with them.

Selling Big Issue has helped me to change my life for good. I meet good people and I am thankful for that because people help me. They speak with me and they understand me and I say to them: God bless you. Before I sold Big Issue, I didn’t have the money to pay rent or bills so I was late paying. Selling Big Issue I have fixed money for that. 

I was a very shy person but speaking to people while selling the magazine has given me more courage, I’m happier and I’m smiling more and I’ve made more good friends who I speak to every day. Big Issue has given me this opportunity. 

Words: Liam Geraghty

ALDI, Cardiff, UK