BillyChip® Awarded National Lottery Funding
Funding Pays for Starter Packs for Outlets Signing Up To The Social Enterprise Scheme
Meg Abernethy-Hope and Jon Hope, Co-Founders at BillyChip® with their Starter Packs
BillyChip®, the social enterprise scheme supporting rough sleepers, has been awarded funding from the National Lottery Community Fund. The funding, amounting to almost £10,000, will pay for 300 BillyChip Starter Packs, which will be given free of charge to new food and drink outlets signing up to the scheme.
The BillyChip platform allows people to purchase a token from participating food and drink outlets which can then be given to rough sleepers and homeless people as an alternative to cash. They can then redeem the BillyChip for food, drink and other products. The Starter Packs contain 25 BillyChips, window stickers and decals, and a range of POS items including posters and strut cards.
The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes and is the largest funder of community activity in the UK.
Meg Abernethy-Hope, Co-Founder at BillyChip and Diana Award winner, shared: “We’re over the moon to have been recognised by the National Lottery for the work we are doing with the homeless. It’s so wonderful to think that every time someone plays, their money is going towards helping those who have so little. Thank you to everyone who supports the BillyChip. We really wouldn’t be able to do this without you!”
About BillyChip®
BillyChip is a new social enterprise platform which aims to empower rough sleepers. The platform allows people to purchase a BillyChip token from participating food and drink outlets which can then be given to rough sleepers and homeless people as an alternative to cash. They can then redeem the BillyChip for food, drink and other products.
BillyChip was set up in 2018 to continue the legacy of Billy Abernethy-Hope, a twenty year old ambulance driver from Bristol. After helping support the homeless, Billy felt disheartened at how little the general public gave to local homeless people. Although many make regular charitable donations, Billy was surprised at the small percentage of donations given directly to people living rough for fear of the money being used for drugs or alcohol. The BillyChip offers a solution, delivering kindness, compassion and food and drink to homeless people in the UK.
The BillyChip Foundation was established as a registered charity by Meg Abernethy-Hope, Billy’s sister, and Jon Hope, Billy’s father. In 2021, Meg was awarded the Diana Award for her charitable work.
About The National Lottery Community Fund
We are the largest community funder in the UK - we’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. National Lottery players raise £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Since June 2004, we have made over 200,000 grants and awarded over £9 billion to projects that have benefited millions of people.
We are passionate about funding great ideas that matter to communities and make a difference to people’s lives. At the heart of everything we do is the belief that when people are in the lead, communities thrive. Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, our funding is open to everyone. We’re privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.