news.
No wonder he’s smiling
With help from the tooth fairy,
Malachi started a revolution
LiteracychampionandBigIssue
Changemaker Bobby Seagull has
marched a petition demanding secure
investment in public libraries to
Downing Street.
The 7,000-signature document called
on the government to commit to ending
library austerity in the upcoming Budget.
It was backed by The Big Issue and
library association CILIP after the joint
report Public Libraries: The Case for Support
showed that library funding had suffered a
£234m real-terms cut in the past decade.
Seagull, one of the biggest brains
on 2017’s University Challenge, said:
“Libraries are such a vital part of local
communities, I’m shocked by the funding
cuts they’ve seen in the last 10 years. It
really is a testament to the amazing work
of professional librarians that they have
continued to be the lynch pin of our local
communities in such trying circumstances.
It’s time for the government to step up and
guarantee them secure funding, so they
can continue their amazing work.”
Libraries are hugely important
community spaces with the power to
change lives by providing unparalleled
access to literacy and skills, especially for
homelessandunderprivilegedpeople.
CILIPchiefexecutiveNickPoole
said:“I l tl li ht th
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March 1
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10 -year-old’s
f iver leads to
housing for
rough sleepers
Big Issue Changemaker Malachi Justin’s dream
of helping homeless people in Ilford was finally
realised last week when the first residents moved
into new flats named after the 10-year-old.
The Salvation Army’s £5m Malachi Place complex
offers 42 self-contained furnished flats with 24-hour
on-site support for former rough-sleeping residents.
Whenhisfirstmilktoothfell outfive yearsago,
Malachisentthe£5hereceivedfromthetoothfairy
t TheSalvationArmyalongwitha letteraskingthe
itytospendithelpinghomelesspeople.
alachisaid:“Ican’tbelieveithasactually
enedandwehavebuilta homeforhomeless
le!I’mreallyhappy.
’mstillonly 10 butI knowthathomelessnessisgettingworse.Thisshowsthereis
ethingwecanalldotohelp.”
fter thecharityreceivedMalachi’sfiver, theyadded£350,000from local fundraising
charitabletrusts,putinafurther£2.5mto coverrunningcostsfor thenextfive years
receivedanother£2.5minfundingforconstructionfromRedbridgeCouncil.
ach flathasabed/sittingroomwithitsown cookingfacilitiesplusaprivatetoiletand
er.Thereisalsoa bicycleworkshopsocialenterpriseonsitewhichwillopeninMay
re residentscan learnskillsto helpthemfindajob.
aptainDrJohn Clifton,theSalvationArmy’sleaderinIlford,told The BigIssue that
chiPlacewillhavea bigimpactlocally,whereatleast 15 peoplehavediedwhilestreet
elessinthepastthreeyears.
rank Wrona,40,movedinto one of theflatsafter sleepingroughon and off for three
ars. Sincetakingcontrolof hisaddictions,Frankhasbeendesperateto findaplaceto
eand getapermanentjob. He said:“Ijustwant to getsettledand moveon withmy
sogettinga roomatMalachiPlacegetsmeonestepclosertoachievingthat.”StarterforTen
Seagullputshissuccess
downtolibraryaccessAll mod cons
Another happy
resident gets her keys02-08 MARCH 2020 BIGISSUE.COM| 9