Fundraising rests on blocks of hope

Monday 16th April 2012

Wooden blocks featuring the word hope have hit supermarket shelves in an innovative new scheme to raise awareness of dementia.

The initiative plays on the idea of giving hope to people in need and aims to raise funds for the Alzheimer's Society.

The blocks are currently on sale in Thornton's Budgens stores in Belsize Park and Crouch End, north London. Customers can pick up the blocks and take them to the checkout with the rest of their shopping, where they are scanned to donate £1.

Jen Mosley, community fundraising manager for the Alzheimer's Society, said: "We're always looking for innovative and quirky new ways to raise money and the blocks of hope initiative does just that.

"The great thing about this scheme is that shoppers can choose to donate a small, but vital amount of money in an easy way, simply by taking the block with the rest of their groceries to be scanned at the checkout."

The new fundraising mechanism has been created by advertising agency JWT London. Joseph Petyan, executive partner at the firm, said: "We are immensely proud of Hope, an initiative we believe will revolutionise the way people think about making a charitable donation.

"The aim is for Hope to become a part of people's everyday lives and something as regular as buying everyday grocery items."

More than 800,000 people in the UK live with dementia, a number expected to rise to one million within a decade, according to the Alzheimer's Society. The charity funds research into finding a cure for the disease.

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