The Abernethy-Hope family is based in the small village of Bishop Sutton in Somerset. Comprising
parents Jon and Sarah and daughter Meg, a model and graduate of Bristol’s Old Vic Theatre School, the
family is missing one of its core members: son and brother Billy, who suddenly passed away in 2018.
Billy died far from home while travelling in Thailand, where a motorbike accident claimed his life.
The circumstances of Billy’s death abroad made it difficult to have a send-off at the time that would
have been representative of his life and personality so, in July 2019, the Abernethy-Hope family
organised “FestaBill” in their back garden. Billy was a lover of music and dancing, so they created
an uplifting memorial service that celebrated his joy for life, complete with an animation of his
favourite childhood book, a flaming twenty foot Viking ship and a performance from rapper
Professor Green. To continue Billy’s legacy, Jon, Sarah and Meg created The Billy Chip scheme to
support the homeless and give them access to hot drinks, all profits from the scheme go to the B A
Hope Foundation a charity the family set up to give grants to small homeless charities for supplies
and other resources.
“Turn that love you would have given to someone else into love for yourself to look after yourself” –
Meg Abernethy-Hope
