Popular Big Issue seller gets GCSEs

Some good news in Plymouth

A cheery man who plies his trade outside Plymouth's Theatre Royal is celebrating after bagging two GCSEs at the age of 58.

Clive Rowe was once a page three pin up in the Big Issue, telling his story of how he had come to be selling the newspaper in the city, usually accompanied by his dog Geezer.

Mr Rowe is well-known for greeting theatre-goers, whether or not they buy a copy of the publication. He's become a popular part of the theatre-going experience for many. 

But the pandemic means he hasn't been seen much, for understandable reasons. 

So he's spent much of the past year working towards a GCSE in English, and then, with just four months to go to the end of the academic year, in maths too. And this week came news that he's passed both!

Mr Rowe didn't have a particularly successful start in life. He grew up in the care system and battled addiction and homelessness later. But after receiving free Theatre Royal tickets courtesy of the Big Issue, he began selling the publication in 2016, took some acting classes and even appeared in some productions.

Having faced so many challenges in his lifetime which were barriers to education, he was delighted to gain grade fives.

He said: “I was hopeful for at least a grade 4 in maths, but I was ecstatic to see grade 5s for both as I wasn’t sure whether I would get a grade 4 in English. I’m not sure I’ve taken it in yet. 

“The lecturers at City College are absolutely fantastic. I have always received excellent support from them; they genuinely care about their students and want to see them succeed. I’ve made some really good friends on this course - you get people from all different backgrounds and they just want to help each other. 

“I’m now looking to study an Access course but having also gained a grade 5 in English, I feel I have even more options now, and I am really hopeful for the future.”