Innholdsfortegnelse for 6/17/2024 i The Big Issue

It is unlike any other we have ever produced. This magazine has been created, in association with Mencap, by people with learning disabilities to help illustrate what they go through, to celebrate their vital place in society and present an edition from their perspective as they wanted it built. At Big Issue, we provide a platform and opportunity for people frequently marginalised or easily quietened by others in society. And this is an example of that writ large. The theme for this year’s Learning Disability Week is Do You See Me? It is, says Mencap, all about being seen, heard and valued. You will read stories in here from across the spectrum of disability. It has been a privilege to work on this magazine and to reach a greater understanding…

Jessica-Jane Applegate is a swimming sensation. Just 16 when she won a gold medal for the UK, she set a Paralympic record for the 200m freestyle in London 2012. Applegate went to the Rio Paralympics four years later, where she won silver and bronze, and Tokyo in 2021, where she won gold in the relay and two bronze medals for freestyle and backstroke. Now, the 27-year-old from Great Yarmouth, who took up swimming at a young age after an autism diagnosis, wants to encourage others to go for their dreams. I love winning medals because it makes me feel like all the hard training and work that I’ve put in has paid off. My favourite is gold. I love coming first. My training regime is really busy. I train every day…

It’s not easy to make a giant burger costume look chic. But Francis Majekodunmi looks fabulous. “It was heavy. The hardest parts [were] the costume changes… two people put the burger on me,” he explains. “But when I came out in a golden trolley, all the audience’s faces lit up.” Majekodunmi – also known by his drag name, Lady Francesca – donned the glitter-clad burger at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2023. The internationally renowned showcase is a nerve-wracking gig for any performer. But Majekodunmi is no stranger to the stage. As a member of Drag Syndrome – a collective of drag artists with Down’s syndrome – he’s performed at venues all over the country, including the Southbank Centre. The world-first troupe “break boundaries” and shrug off preconceived expectations about…

Teresa Pope, 61, lives in Cardiff and works in a charity shop, and Emily Burnett, 26, is an ambassador for Mencap alongside her acting work. The pair sat down with Big Issue for a chat about careers, achievements, and a message of hope for what life with a learning disability can bring. Pope, who has a learning disability, spent 28 years working at Culverhouse Cross M&S – a shop made famous as the branch Stacey works at in the sitcom Gavin and Stacey. A Mencap scheme called Quest, which helped get people with learning disabilities into secure employment, was the impetus. Someone from the scheme went into M&S with Pope in the first week to do the job alongside her and help her learn her role. She now works at…

Heidi: We normally go to the cinema on Saturday afternoons. James: We go to the Odeon in Coventry. It’s quite cheap and Heidi has a CEA Card [a national disability card scheme], so I get in free as her carer! And before we go, we buy sweets from Poundland. H: Because of my annoying new diet – I’m coeliac – the rule is sweets or a chocolate bar and a Diet Coke. J: Sometimes we get an Uber there, but we also get the bus because we are independent travellers. H: A world without cinema is a world I don’t want to live in. We love all film – and are real Disney aficionados H: It’s hard to pick a favourite Disney film. I love them all. The last film…

LEARNING DISABILITY WEEK 2024 Nearly half of UK’s population doesn’t know what a learning disability is, study finds: ‘Growing up there was nobody in the media like me’ Around 33 million Brits are unable to correctly classify what a learning disability is, new research from Mencap has found. That is nearly half the population. This week is Learning Disability Week, which is all about celebrating people with learning disabilities and challenging the barriers they face. It runs from Monday (17 June) until Sunday (23 June) and this year’s theme is ‘Do you see me?’ – which means making sure people with a learning disability are seen, valued and heard. It’s why Big Issue has partnered with people with learning disabilities and learning disability charity Mencap to create a magazine which celebrates…

In my experience of having a disability, we use public services a lot. We use social care, health services and benefits. We cannot take these for granted. That is why it is so important to cast our vote in the next election. If we don’t vote, the next government won’t take our voices seriously. When it comes to registering to vote, it can be hard for people with a learning disability, like me, to fill in the forms. It’s jargony and difficult to understand. It can also be difficult to ask for support at polling stations. Staff sometimes don’t understand how to support people. A lot of my work is about making sure that people with a learning disability cast their vote in elections by making sure things are accessible.…

SOPHIE: I always feel excited to go out. I had Guinness and blackcurrant last night, but my favourite is cocktails. I love piña coladas. EMILY: You also like a Sex on the Beach or Cosmopolitan. You’re very Sex and the City vibes. If you could do absolutely anything on a night out, what would you do? S: I like eating out. I would go for a curry. And then I would walk through the park. E: Maybe not in the dark! What about dancing? S: I love going clubbing. I love being on the dance floor. E: You’re the first one on the dance floor and the last one on the dance floor, always. What kind of music would we be listening to? S: I really love ’80s music. And…

Just a quarter of adults with a learning disability have a paid job, compared to 76% of adults in the general population, according to statistics collected in 2019 by Mencap. What’s being missed? It’s not just the cold, hard cash in your pocket, but the confidence and independence that having secure employment brings. Cafe Van Gogh in Brixton, South London, is working to fix that. Its trainees work in front of house, learning skills and teaming up with job coaches as they make diners feel at home in the 100% vegan restaurant. As hospitality businesses struggle for staff, Cafe Van Gogh’s bosses say employers who hire those with learning disabilities will gain loyal, hardworking and reliable staff. Their work is supported by financing from Big Issue Invest, the social investment…

I always wanted to perform, dance, act and sing on stage and screen. When I was a lot younger, I loved putting on mini performances with my sister Lauren in front of my parents, Rob and Jane. I joined a local musical theatre and music school called Stage Door at the age of eight. I did musical theatre, drama and singing. I always enjoyed singing and still do. I always say that I’m a great singer, but according to my family, my singing voice is so painful it’s like hearing a cat being strangled. I would dance along in front of the TV watching Strictly Come Dancing. When I was younger, Lauren and I joined a dance class on a Saturday afternoon. We’d do different styles of dance. When I was…

Get in touch The Big Issue, 2nd floor, 43 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 1HW letters@bigissue.com @bigissue /bigissueUK @bigissueuk @thebigissue RE: EMILIA CLARKE, ISSUE 1619 [10-16 JUNE] I always love reading or watching any of Emilia’s interviews! She’s so kind and bubbly but she’s also full of wisdom and maturity and deep compassion. She’s a shining presence in the world. And she’s just a wonderful inspiration for all people. @ethanolivares1, Instagram I really appreciate SameYou and Big Issue Recruit’s mission. After multiple head injuries and one I almost didn’t walk away from, this is a real challenge and I can’t say how grateful I am to see this effort. @darling_instigatah, Instagram I love when people take their tragedy and use it to help others. Going all in, that’s Emilia! @michellehagersmith, Instagram…

Tara Halvai is an autistic, non-verbal and larger-than-life artist from London. One day, her younger sister Ava discovered an extraordinary abstract piece of art tucked away in her room. This inspired the sisters to establish a new creative space called ARTXV, dedicated to providing opportunities and resources to the disabled community. Tara’s work reflects her bold, charismatic and joyful personality. She wants everyone to know that being non-verbal doesn’t mean not having a personality, an opinion or the ability to live a fulfilled life. artxv.org The work on this page is created by people who are marginalised. Contact street.lights@bigissue.com to see your art here. To see more and buy prints: bigissueshop.com. At least half of the profit goes to the artist.…

Sonya Marion, 56 It’s not the first time I’ve had my story in the magazine. I last told it in 2022. I talked about how I did knitting and sewing when I was homeless before and everybody told me that my story was good. I’ve been selling the magazine at Pigeon Park in Birmingham for about a month. Sometimes it can be hard selling. I’m originally from Birmingham but I’d like to move out of the city. I’d like to go back to the area where I’m from, back to Moseley and King’s Heath because I like those areas and I’d like a two-bedroom flat there. I was brought up in Dosthill near Tamworth. It’s nice over there. I remember the neighbours used to say good morning to me every…