The word ‘Hope' engraved on wooden blocks is on display alongside food items in several Budgens grocery stores as an innovative way to raise money for charity.

Shoppers can place the blocks in their carts for the cashiers to collect £1 for each one scanned in support of local people affected by dementia.

The blocks are then returned to the shelf to be sold again to benefit the Alzheimer's Society.

The London pilot program, launched yesterday in the Belsize and Camden area stores, is aimed at persuading the cash-strapped public to give more money to charity.

If the idea takes off, the blocks could be branded for different charities and different stores.

(READ the story from the Guardian)