“I’m Helen and I’ve been at the Women’s Workforce for close to a year now, so I’m not really new but fairly new. I’ve been sending out the subscriptions and I’ve done some work for other organisations such as Workwear Group.

“First we decide where the sticker goes on the cover, the sticker says someone’s name who is one of the packers. Then we get address labels and stick them on the envelopes, and then we put the magazine in there and seal it. Once that’s done they get sorted into area postcodes, we count them up and once that’s cleared we take them up to the post office and post them off. You get to see all the subscriptions are done…and you leave feeling proud of yourself for really making a difference to other people.

“Being neurodiverse this is a good opportunity for me to mix with other people and just get a bit of structure to my day. I really thrive on something I can give back (to others). For me, I call it a real job because I come in every 6-8 weeks and we do different things and meet different people, and it’s a very supportive environment.

“I would like to thank the subscribers because they’re the ones that support us to have more people coming in to do this work. It means a lot to a lot of the women who are unable to sell them (the magazines) out in the street because it’s not safe for them. It just gives them a sense of ‘I can accomplish something’, so thank you so much.”

When you subscribe to The Big Issue magazine you support the Women’s Workforce and help to create meaningful employment for women going through tough times. You can treat your loved one for Mother’s Day with an excellent fortnightly read while also providing work for women who, like Helen, have experienced disadvantage and marginalisation.
Gift a subscription for Mother’s Day