BillyChip® Accepts £10,000 Donation from Jenny's Rose
Jon Hope & SarahAbernethy, BillyChip's founders, collecting the donation from
Colin & Janice Sell from Jenny's Rose
BillyChip®, the social enterprise scheme supporting rough sleepers, has been presented with a £10,000 charitable donation from Jenny's Rose, a new memorial bloom launched at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Jenny's parent'snominated BillyChip as the chosen charity for Jenny's Rose, with thefunds raised from sales of the rose usedto provide Starter Boxes for new outlets signing up to the BillyChip scheme.
Jenny's Rose was created in memory of Jenny Rose Sell, a young Somerset woman who was an innocent victim of a road traffic incident caused by a drunk driver. Jenny's family and friendsraised the £10,000 necessary to develop a new rose byknitting and crocheting roses and selling them locally. After hearing of Jenny's story and her family's intention to support BillyChip, Harkness Roses waived their usual fee for breeding a new memorial rose. This has enabled Colin and Janice Sell, Jenny's parents, to donate all funds raised to date to BillyChip.
Over 100 people came together at the Soap Bar Café, in the grounds of The Somerset Toiletry Company, to locally launch the rose, and thank all those who had raised funds to support its creation.
Jon Hope, Co-Founder at BillyChip, shared: "It was amazing to spend time with Jenny's family and friends and receive such a significant donation for BillyChip. Jenny's family are helping us develop an incredible legacy for two young people who we lost so tragically. We'll be using the funds to create more of our starter packs, so that cafes and restaurants around the UK can get involved with the BillyChip scheme and help support homeless people. Together we're proud to be giving people in our society the tools to create some change for good for homeless communities."
Jenny's Rose retails for £22.99 RRP with £2.50 from each sale donated to BillyChip.
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For more information, photography or interviews please contact:
Emma Cooper
T.01243 214175
M:07909 867347
E.emma@recenseo.co.uk
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.
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