Meet Denisa

Meet Denisa. She's Pride Hill's Big Issue girl.  She comes from Romania, but now lives in Birmingham. She's been selling the Big Issue for the last two years. Her sister looks after her little son Narcis while she's at work.  Denisa collects her Big Issues from the Shrewsbury Ark rather than hauling them all the way from Birmingham every day. Sometimes she's really cold, but she wears lots of layers to keep herself warm.

If you're a town centre resident like I am, Denisa is as a part of your local neighbourhood life.  She always has a smile.  I can't think of a time when I've gone by and she hasn't said hello. She never pushes her wares on me, and often I'm out dog-walking or otherwise not in a position to buy, but she just seems to be naturally friendly. I don't know how she manages to do it sometimes.  She'd love to see her parents again, and for them to see their grandson, but they live in Romania and there's little chance that it will happen. 

I hope Christmas for Denisa means a real break, and a nice time with her little son. He's just under two.  Denisa showed me a photograph of him in a ziggy-zaggy, red-and-black tiger suit with a soft fluffy hood. A little fellow with a big smile, just like his mum's.