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Billy Chip March Fundraiser

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Billy Chip March Fundraiser – why we urgently need your help

Billy was my kid brother. And the most caring, compassionate person I’ve ever known. He lived for helping others; from training to be a non-emergency care assistant, to volunteering to help the homeless Christmas. Turns out, he was also a bit of a genius.

After feeling disheartened at the lack of generosity passers-by show to homeless people on the streets, ‘They just waste it on booze or drugs, don’t they?’… Bill had a brainwave.

What if there was a safe, secure token scheme that could overcome this?

In 2018, before he could bring his idea to life, Billy tragically died whist back-packing in Thailand. In his memory, we’ve spent the past year, and our savings, trying to make it happen.

Billy Chip is taking off. (See video above.) But we desperately need more kindness - and more money - to keep it going
.

Billy Chip launched in December 2019 in our local Bristol area. It gives people the ability to buy a £2 token along with their daily coffee, which can then be given to anyone in need, safe in the knowledge it would be put to good use. The recipient simply redeems the Chip whenever they want at a participating place of their choosing.

To date, it’s provided hundreds of vital, sustaining beverages. Just as important, it’s given a sense of hope. (Making recipients feel less forgotten, that they’re still valued as a member of society and supported by their community.)

We’ve been overwhelmed by how it’s going. But this is our problem.

In just a few months Billy Chip has nearly 50 outlets in Bristol, Bath, Cheltenham and Oxford taking part, with daily requests for the scheme to be rolled out further across the UK to support those sleeping rough in other communities.

Right now, we have an amazing opportunity to make something life-changing happen for homeless people. But we’re just a family of three, sitting round our kitchen table, with a few wonderful friends. And we’re struggling.

We desperately need to raise more money to set up Billy Chip on a more formal footing as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation - so we can to roll out the scheme to more retailers around the UK. Any gift you can donate will go towards this. It will also help us manufacture thousands more Billy Chips; create more starter packs for new retail partners; and allow us to invest in more serious planning, marketing and merchandising - to make Billy Chip a long term, sustainable success.

Why a March Fundraiser?
We celebrate Billy every day and the kindness and compassion he always showed to others. We want to continue his legacy and make his genius idea into a national reality. But March is particularly poignant.

Billy’s birthday is March the 8th. He also died in March. So to say this is a significant month for us, and Billy’s friends, is an understatement.

We’re so grateful for all the support we’ve received so far. But we need a little more.

Please share this message with all of your family and friends, or with anyone you know who is torn about donating to the homeless.

Spread the word far and wide. And next time you walk past a coffee shop and see a Billy Chip Sticker, give yourself a pat on the back at the incredible thing you’ve helped create!

And, in the words of Billy himself, remember; ‘You’re fabulous, and don’t ever forget it’

For more information please visit: www.billychip.com  or go to any of our social media channels: Instagram ,LinkedIn , Facebook  or Twitter .
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All profits from operating the Billy Chip scheme go to the B A Hope Foundation (Billy’s Charity) who own and operate the Billy Chip.
The funds will be available to provide support to other charities through a grant making scheme. www.bahopefoundation.com

Donations 

  • Patricia Pino
    • £5 
    • 4 yrs

Organizer

Meg Abernethy-Hope
Organizer

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