BAYSWATER Mayor Dan Bull joined vendor Phoebe in selling a tribute edition of The Big Issue magazine dedicated to the late Aretha Franklin in Morley yesterday.
The magazine is holding a Mayor Selling Week across Australia from September 3 to 7, celebrating the role of local governments in ensuring vendors become part of the community.
Cr Bull donned a fluorescent vest and cap and sold magazines for half-an-hour on the corner of Progress and Bishop streets.
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READ NOWPhoebe had travelled around the city, Mandurah, Joondalup and Morley to sell magazines and hoped to keep on being a vendor.
Cr Bull said he hoped the funds raised would help the homeless and people in need.
“Highlighting the importance of people who are doing it toughest in our local areas is really important,” he said.
“This edition is great – Aretha Franklin, what an absolute legend, deserves to be on the cover of course and it’s really sad she passed away.”
Cr Bull said he wanted to see more vendors in the City of Bayswater.
“We know that homelessness and people doing it tough is a problem everywhere,” he said.
Phoebe said she was homeless before becoming a vendor about three months ago.
“I enjoy seeing people who buy The Big Issue magazine and those who just come to say ‘hi’,” she said.
“At the time, I only had $30…I think I could only pay for one day (of accommodation) so I needed to sell The Big Issue for another day.
“So now, I don’t need to worry about my accommodation and food.”