International Women’s Day: Grieving Worthing mum wins award from Morrisons for her drug awareness project

Nicci Parish, founder of Billy and Beyond CIC, was chosen for an International Women’s Day award by the community champion at Morrisons in Worthing.

She was invited to meet Joanne Easey in store yesterday and was shocked to presented with her prizes.

Joanne said: “She totally didn’t know she was coming in for a prize. To say she was shocked is an understatement but it was so well deserved.

“She won our International Women’s Day award as the founder of Billy and Beyond, which she started in her son’s memory. She is amazing.”

The project strives to support and improve mental wellbeing in children and young people, supporting individuals and families to thrive, while increasing drug awareness in young people.

Nicci says: “I set up Billy and Beyond after tragically losing my son in November 2020. Billy took MDMA to celebrate his 24th birthday in lockdown.

“The following day I received a phone call no parent ever wants to hear, Billy had been rushed to hospital with an extremely high temperature and was unconscious.

“The doctors battled endlessly for three days but Billy‘s body was shutting down. On the morning on November 12, Billy suffered a fatal heart attack and left behind a devastated family, friends and all those that knew him.

“Billy was a fun loving carer for adults with learning difficulties, an aspiring model and photograher. I wanted to set up Billy and Beyond to do something positive in Billy’s memory.

“Our mission is to support children and young people mental wellbeing. Billy and Beyond will also be raising awareness for drugs giving young people the knowledge of the dangers of drugs and what to do if something goes wrong.”

Speaking to the Herald in May 2021, Nicci said the call from Worthing Hospital telling her Billy had suffered a seizure would haunt her for the rest of her life.

Billy spent two days in intensive care before his family had to make the heartbreaking decision to have him transferred to London for treatment.

Against the odds, Billy survived the journey but despite the best efforts of medical teams, his life could not be saved.

Nicci said: “On the morning of November 12, three days after his 24th birthday, my beautiful boy suffered a cardiac arrest and they just couldn’t bring him back.”

In the months that followed, Nicci raised thousands of pounds in Billy’s memory and she is now working with drug education charity Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation to arrange visits to Worthing schools to talk to young people about the dangers of taking drugs.

Nicci felt it was important to highlight that even Billy’s recreational drug use meant he was ‘playing Russian roulette with his life’.

Billy was a carer for people with learning disabilities, a part-time model and aspiring photographer.

Nicci has strived to make drugs a conversation and hopes to save other young people by opening up the taboo subject.

Visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/billyandbeyond for more information and to make a donation.

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