The Alzheimer's Society needed to increase donations to help people in the UK affected by dementia.So we decided to sell hope in supermarkets. Engraved wooden blocks branded HOPE could be picked up in Budgens supermarkets and scanned at the checkout along with the rest of your shopping. The £1 cost went to Alzheimer’s Society and the blocks went back on the shelf to be used again.We created a new charity fundraising mechanism that engaged with people, in an environment where they are in the mindset of spending money. By making hope a commodity it made donating part of people’s everyday routine.

By putting a charity on the shelves of local supermarkets, we engaged with people in an environment where they are in the mindset of spending money. And it meant shoppers were asked to re-think what they spent their money on; for the same price as a loaf of bread they could buy hope for people affected by dementia. By making hope a commodity it made donating part of people's everyday routine.People affected by dementia rely on hope for improvements in treatment and ultimately a cure. So that's what we decided to sell, hope in aid of Alzheimer's Society.

The idea was picked up by national and international media, and immediately received a positive response on social networking platforms. Based on sales in the first week, HOPE will raise over £45,000 in its first year – and that’s just in 2 stores. This will pay for over 600 nurses to be trained in dementia care, run the 24/7 online support community for one whole year or fund 2.5 years of research into a cure.