News / Jeff Knight
Outpouring of support for much-loved ‘Bristol legend’
People are rallying to support a veteran Big Issue vendor and ‘Bristol legend’ amid fears he could be forced to leave the UK.
Jeff Knight is a well-known and treasured character who can usually be spotted at his pitch outside The Canteen on Stokes Croft – brightening the days of passers-by with his jovial greetings and customary fist-bumps.
Bristol24/7 understands Jeff is now seeking support to stay in the UK, with a petition widely shared on social media which claims he could face deportation and calls to build a case for his residency in the country he has called home for two decades.
is needed now More than ever
The petition, which describes him as the “heart warmer of Bristol”, encourages people to write character references for Jeff in a bid to keep him in the UK.
It has amassed 8,500 signatures, and counting, since it was created on the morning of Thursday, February 10.
Jeff brings smiles to so many faces as he meanders on Stokes Croft selling magazines – photo: Mitch Bacholer
The petition reads: “Jeff is known for bringing smiles across people’s faces even on the worst of days. He has been a special part of the city for twenty years.”
It also lists what locals have to say about him, with one writing: “Jeff is a Bristol national treasure, for as long as I remember living in Bristol, his fist bumps have cheered me up on a rough day.”
Since the news broke of his plight, support has been pouring in from people who say Jeff is a “pillar of the Bristol community” and “makes even the dark days seem bright”.
Famed for his enduring positivity and cheerfulness on the roadside of Stokes Croft and the Clifton Triangle, he is a popular character in Bristol so much so his face has been immortalised in street art in the Old City.
Jeff is a van-dweller after a community crowdfunding campaign raised enough funds to buy him a mobile home.
After arriving in the UK from Jamaica when he was 32, he has lived in cities including London, Birmingham and Sheffield before settling in the South West.
Writing recently for the Big Issue, Jeff said: “When I came to Bristol, I realised they’re loving and caring people who look after each other, so I stayed. We’re one nation after all. Unity is everything.”
He added: “When I first came here I missed Jamaica but not now. There’s too much killing going on there. I’ve come here and I do what I’ve got to do. I try my best.
“I’m a celebrity here in Bristol – everybody knows me and loves me. People see me in the morning and then they say, “The day’s just started and everything’s alright.” That’s good.”
Jeff has been selling the magazine for 20 years – photo: Mitch Bacholer
Main photo: Mitch Bacholer
Read more: ‘It’s about encouraging a community to give a bit of practical support’
Listen to the latest Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast:
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
