BillyChip® now available in London with Change Please Coffee

Two social enterprises to join forces bringing homeless currency to the capital 

BillyChip®, the social enterprise scheme supporting rough sleepers launched in London at Change Please Coffee in Elephant Park on Monday 10th October. 

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 launch coincided with this year’s World Homeless Day which aimed to draw attention to the needs of the homeless community and create an opportunity and a call to action for people to help the homeless and vulnerable. Nearly half of all people sleeping rough in the UK are in London and the South East, highlighting the importance of the launch of the BillyChip scheme in the capital. 

Change Please Coffee will act as an outlet for BillyChip, enabling members of the public to buy a BillyChip alongside their own coffee purchase. They can then gift the BillyChip to a rough sleeper, who will be able to exchange it at any Change Please Coffee location.  Change Please use their coffee outlets as Training Centres to provide barista training in real-life, offering paid training to people who have experienced homelessness. The person using the BillyChip is also given the opportunity to learn more about the Change Please Coffee Barista programme and understand that there can be a route forward out of rough sleeping.  

Jon Hope, Co-Founder at BillyChip, shared: “We are so excited to be working with Change Please Coffee and bringing the BillyChip to London. We’ve seen our scheme work so well in the South West, after originally launching in Bristol, and our aim to is ensure the BillyChip is on every high street in the UK. Our shared ethos with Change Please Coffee is to keep giving back and offer practical help and support to those experiencing homelessness. It’s wonderful to see the first step of this partnership now beginning in London.” 

Cemal Ezel, CEO, Change Please Coffee added: “We are thrilled to be partnering with BillyChip. Being able to offer the BillyChip at our locations gives the public the opportunity to help rough sleepers and the homeless in an engaging way. Many people don’t like to give cash to those living on the streets, and BillyChip takes away that issue and helps people to give back and support the homeless and vulnerable.  We couldn’t be prouder to be launching this in London.” 

Change Please Coffee will be carrying the BillyChip in three locations initially, before rolling out across its whole estate.