Two Weymouth food businesses adopt voucher scheme to help feed the homeless
Billy chip are hoping other Dorset businesses will get on board
The Marlboro and Brunches in Weymouth have introduced the Billy Chip voucher scheme to help support the homeless community.
Rough sleepers can use the chip to buy food and drink without having to use money.
Members of the public can buy a Billy Chip coin at the take away or café for £2 hand it out to someone they see sleeping rough on the streets, for them to redeem at the Marlboro or Brunches.
It allows people to directly donate to rough sleepers without the fear of their donations being misused for drugs or alcohol.
Jon Hope, one of the Billy Chip founders told Greatest Hits Radio Dorset:
"The common perception of people is that ‘if I give some money directly to a homeless person, it will will used for alcohol, cigarettes and at worst – drugs’. People can also feel awkward engaging with a homeless person, even when offering a donation of food or a drink.
"This is where the BillyChip really works, it breaks down these barriers, allowing people to engage and offer some help to a homeless person. This small act of kindness not only helps the person in need, but also helps to build better communities within our towns and cities."
How did the initiative start?
The BillyChip Foundation was set up in 2018 to continue the legacy of Billy Abernethy-Hope a 20-year-old ambulance driver from Bristol who was the inspiration and idea behind the BillyChip.
After helping support the homeless at Christmas he felt disheartened at how little support the general public gave to local homeless people.
Many people donate to charity on a regular basis but Billy was surprised at how small the percentage of these donations were given directly to homeless people, living rough on our streets.