THE festive season got under way in Farnham when the Cards for Good Causes charity Christmas card shop officially opened for business in the Portakabin at Farnham Maltings.

The cards are perfect for those who want to get ahead in their Christmas preparations while supporting a range of national and local charities, the shop will offer a fantastic range of cards and Christmas goods.

Staffed by a team of volunteers the Farnham pop-up shop is part of a network of 300 temporary shops that run Cards for Good Causes, the UK’s largest multi-charity Christmas card organisation.

It represents more than 20 charities including Cancer Research UK, Barnardo’s, NSPCC, Alzheimer’s Society and RNLI, as well as selling cards from a number of local charities including Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice, GUTS, The Foundation Centre, Shooting Star Chase and Naomi House and national charity Help for Heroes.

Shoppers will be able to choose from hundreds of different Christmas card designs, as well as traditional advent calendars and candles, wrapping paper, gift tags, napkins and stocking fillers.

Especially chosen for this season is a Christmas card design showing Farnham in the snow, the photograph has been donated by local photographer Julian Paynter. The proceeds from the sales of this card will help all the charities involved.

The shop has two new managers at the helm this year, Jayne Cane and Rosamund Tallon, who are very keen to help Cards for Good Causes.

Buying charity Christmas cards is one of the simplest ways to support good causes this festive season.

Sales of the cards not only generate funds with which the charities can make a real difference, but also purchasing and sending them helps raise awareness of the vital work these charities do.

In the past 10 years, charities have received more than £40 million from Cards for Good Causes, representing at least 70p in every pound, out of which charities have had to pay for the production and distribution of their Christmas cards and any VAT. The shop is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4.30pm until December 17.