Bristol's Billy Chip - a charity scheme set up by the family of Billy Abernethy-Hope to help end homelessness and empower rough sleepers - launched Billy Chip Live at this year's Glastonbury Festival. Taking over The Common, an area dedicated to dance music that runs long into the night, the initiative aims to bring awareness of the team's work to new audiences.
If you've never heard of Billy Chip before, the scheme acts as a currency for those who are experiencing homelessness or sleeping rough. People can purchase a Billy Chip for £2 and give it to someone sleeping rough who can then use the chip token in partnering cafes and shops, to get themselves a hot or cold drink, or meal.
Producer, DJ and remixer Wilkinson, whose hit single Afterglow in collaboration with Becky Hill was played at Billy's memorial service, headlined The Common on Sunday evening. Billy was himself an enormous fan of dance music, with his favourite Glastonbury area being The Temple, and so his family say this is a fitting legacy.
Read more: Bristol's Billy Chip is a legacy that is set to cross oceans
Co-founder, Billy's sister Meg Abernethy-Hope, spoke with John Darvall on BBC Radio Bristol this morning, describing how they had closed the event on The Temple in the early hours, she had watched the sunrise at the Stone Circle and just made it back to her tent before the call. Meg had been sharing updates to Instagram of Billy Chip Live, her Glastonbury experience and her Glasto outfits - including a bespoke jumpsuit covered in the blue Billy Chip motif, made for her by Burnt Soul Clothing.
She called the launch a success and added that it was a very emotional event. She said: "We launched yesterday our first-ever event for Billy Chip Live.
"We're going to be putting events on across the UK for the foreseeable future and hopefully forever. People can come and dance and do the things they love to do and also be educated about homelessness knowing that the profit is going to help the Billy Chip scheme.
"I cried my eyelashes off. And I think seeing people this weekend in tents, camping, at one of the most iconic festivals in the world - we see people in tents on the side of the street and there's this huge barrier. And it's like we were all getting to do this for fun, but these people actually have to live in these tents and live in these situations.
"It's really hit home this morning watching everybody get up and go, thinking you're all so excited to go home and have a shower and a cup of tea and put the kettle on - and you just think crikey some people don't get that."
Meg added that lots of people still managed to come and visit the launch at The Temple, despite the big headline act - Elton John - possibly marking his last ever UK show. She said: "It was packed. We went to see Elton and then we had an event on at The Temple.
"I couldn't miss it. It was iconic. It's going to be something that will go down in the history of Great Britain and the festival. I have never seen that field that busy and full of so many people singing their hearts out and I was stood next to the lovely Zoe Ball who was having a great time, and it was great because it didn't matter who you were, young or old, black or white, straight, gay, trans - whoever you were - you were just there to see an absolute legend. It was amazing."
