Big Issue North vendor Simon Wray is one of the most friendly, and familiar, faces to shoppers in Harrogate town centre.
“Not many people can stay in a job for 18 years and say they still enjoy it. I still have a smile on my face.”
Simon, who is 43, moved to Harrogate from his home city of Wakefield when he became homeless.
He has lived in a house in Knaresborough for many years while making a living selling the magazine for £3 per issue. He keeps half of all the money he makes, with the other half covering the costs of the magazine.
His current pitch is on Cambridge Street outside Boots and he said getting to know the “kind and loving” people of Harrogate was the best part of the job.
Simon received life-changing news five years ago when he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a debilitating disease that affects the nervous system.
He said:
“The way I look at it, s*** happens. There’s no point sitting here maungy-looking like something has kicked me. Smile and be happy.”
During the covid lockdowns, Simon was classed as clinically extremely vulnerable so relied people making donations directly to Big Issue North, which then passed money on to him.
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Over the years, he said he’s become an expert lip reader so does not like people wearing masks as it makes it difficult to understand what is said to him. It hurts his feelings when he is ignored and he always appreciates a shake of the head or a “no, thank you”.
He added:
“Some people look at me and walk away.”
Cambridge Street can be a busy place with different street fundraisers, buskers and vendors vying for shoppers’ attention.
When the Stray Ferret met Simon, an opera singer was belting out a song further down the road.
Simon joked:
“Buskers are the bane of my life! I sometimes ask them to turn their speaker down, I got to the toilet and they’ve turned it back up!”
The micro-entrepreneur said he enjoys being his own boss and can work up to seven days a week. If he is not seen on his pitch after a couple of days, the Big Issue North office in Leeds will even get calls from the public asking if he is OK.
“I’ve made a lot of friends in Harrogate over the years, just don’t ask me to name them all!”