Every year, families across the UK are devastated by drug-related deaths that might have been prevented with better education. For many young people, the information available is either too clinical to connect with, or simply not there at all. Drug education in Sussex and beyond has a gap – and Billy & Beyond exists to fill it.
Billy & Beyond was founded in 2021 by Nicci Parish, following the death of her son Billy in November 2020 due to substance abuse. Billy took MDMA while celebrating his 24th birthday and died three days later, when his body could no longer cope. The physical effects of MDMA can include cardivascular strain, hyperthermia and dehydration, and can lead to organ failure.
In the aftermath of Billy’s loss, Nicci recognised that accessible, honest drug education for young people was desperately lacking. So she built it herself. What began as one mother’s response to unimaginable grief has grown into a trusted community resource – and a lifeline for families navigating one of the most difficult conversations a parent can face.
Delivering free, interactive drug education workshops
Billy & Beyond now delivers free, interactive drug education workshops to schools, colleges, youth groups, sports teams, and parents across the community. Each session covers drug facts, the physical and emotional effects of use, and the social pressures young people face. Workshops include real-life stories from people with lived experience, input from emergency service workers and police, and a specially designed card game that brings home just how unpredictable drug use can be. Every session ends with Billy’s Story – a three-minute animated film about the night Billy died. It is honest, human, and designed to spark the kind of open conversations that can change outcomes. All workshops are provided completely free of charge, so that no school or young person is excluded because of budget.
Reaching more young people
With support from John Good Group’s Grants for Good programme, Billy & Beyond will be able to reach more young people and families across the community. The funding will enable more workshops to be delivered across a wider range of settings, more printed resources for parents – including guides to help families start that difficult conversation about drugs – and greater community outreach to make sure those most at risk can access the programme.
Billy & Beyond was created from unimaginable loss, but it has grown into something truly positive – helping young people make safer, more informed choices and preventing other families from going through the same heartbreak. Being recognised by the Matthew Good Foundation feels like a validation of all the love, effort, and purpose behind our work. Your support would genuinely help us keep Billy’s legacy alive and protect future generations.
Billy & Beyond stands out for the quality and sensitivity of what they deliver. These are not easy conversations to facilitate, but Nicci and her team approach them with real skill, combining lived experience with structured, evidence-informed content that genuinely resonates with young people. We were also impressed by the organisation’s forward thinking: from scalable resources like the educational film to plans to expand their delivery team, there is clear ambition here backed by sound planning. We are delighted to be supporting this work through our partnership with John Good Group, and look forward to seeing its reach grow.
Latest Project Updates
March 2026
Grants for Good Finalist
Billy & Beyond CIC has become one of the top five finalists in the latest Grants for Good round, and will receive a grant between £2000 and £5000 after employees at the John Good Group have voted on their favourite causes.