Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page in support of St Barnabas House Hospice.

I'm Patrick, and I'm running the Brighton Marathon in April in memory of my much loved brother Andy Billups, who sadly passed away on 28th December 2025 from Mesothelioma.

Many of you will know Andy as the incredible bass player with the legendary band The Hamsters. Others will remember him as a brilliant musician and songwriter as demonstrated in his solo album Afton Down. However, to his family and friends, Andy was deeply loved beyond measure, and his loss leaves an irreplaceable void in our lives.

St Barnabas House hospice provided the most amazing palliative care to Andy, both in his home and latterly in his final four weeks as an inpatient. The kindness and dedication of all members of staff was exceptional, not only to Andy, but also to his family and friends.

It’s a shameful situation that the Hospice, who provide such a vital and invaluable service, only receive 22% of their £10 million annual running costs from Government funding. This huge shortfall has to be raised through charitable donations, hence the family’s overwhelming desire to replace as much of the charitable costs of Andy’s brilliant care as possible.

As many will know, Andy always had a huge sense of fairness. We know he would be gratified that his family, friends and fans will have helped raise money so that this vital service continues to provide support for patients and their families in the future.

In closing, Andy’s family have been overwhelmed and comforted by the huge outpouring of love and support over his passing. We send our heartfelt thanks for this, and all donations will be gratefully received in Andy’s memory.