Art's The Big Issue for Edinburgh

The work, created by local artist Karen Bates, is a series of portraits of The Big Issue vendors, many of whom are familiar faces to Edinburgh supporters from around the city centre and two of whom sadly passed away before the project was completed.

The club's links with The Big Issue go back a number of years, with vendors taking part in a training session run by the players during a community week and, more recently, players taking to the streets with vendors to help sell magazines.

Winger Michael Allen represented the club at the event and unveiled the painting before an audience of vendors, stakeholders and local businesspeople.

He said: "It is great the work that everyone does at The Big Issue. The artwork is so impressive, it captures everyday people and it must be great for the vendors that are in it to see their own faces.

"It's a fitting tribute to the two vendors who passed away."

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