CHRISTMAS for many people is about charity and the October collapse of Swindon-based Farepak brought out a strong spirit of giving for people who have lost cash.

Between then and the end of last month £6.8million was donated to the Farepak Response Fund.

In the last few weeks this cash has been sent out to people who lost their savings. Each person got about 17 per cent of what they invested.

But for Chatburn resident Judith Frankland, charity came closer to home after she lost £400 she was setting aside for Christmas presents.

The Victoria Court resident and mum of two teenage children said: "The day after the news came out I woke up and found a note on the doorstep from my brother. It said he had heard about the collapse and he didn't want to the kids to go without presents. Inside was a cheque for £150.

"My parents also gave me £100. I am lucky to have a really good family because I don't know how I would have managed without them."

But Judith said she still ran up £500 debt on her credit card. She said: "I have just scrimped and scraped. I haven't bought much food for the last two or three months, I have just bought the necessities rather than be extravagant."

Judith is one of a group of ten staff at Tesco's in Clitheroe who lost a total of £4,020.

Susan Walmsley, 25, acted as agent for the colleagues and herself lost £300.

The resident of Brook Street, Clitheroe, said: "I have just had to use my savings. It has been hard because you were relying on that money you had been saving throughout the year."

She said the collapse was a "bombshell". The mum-of-one said: "I was devastated. I didn't want to go into our savings but there a lot more people who were worse off than me. A lot of people will have to borrow money."

Rebecca Ryan, 25, of Clayton-le-Moors, said she was worried her daughter Emily's first Christmas would be short on presents after losing £250.

She said: "I have just had to take from my savings, I have not got my rainy day fund now.

"The whole Farepak thing has been a bit of a farce really. The way they have gone about it hasn't been the most successful.

"A lot of people literally now have nothing for Christmas. We are just thankful we can still have a Christmas."

Valerie Reynolds, 59, of Lord Avenue, Stacksteads said the collapse had hit people like her who rely on benefits.

She lost £100 while her daughter in law Wendy Arnold, from Cloughfold, and her mother Mary Hardman, of Waterfoot, lost £500 and £300.

Mrs Reynolds said: "It has been difficult for us. We are on benefits because my husband is slightly disabled so we don't get a lot. We were saving with Farepak because we wanted something put away for the end of the year.

"It is a lot when you think you have try and find it again. We have had to cut back. Where before you would be spending £15 or £20 you are spending £5 or £10."

The grandmother said she had now opened an account with the HHH Credit Union in Rossendale, a not-for-proft co-operative owned and controlled by members.

Mrs Reynolds said: "I know my money will be safe so I can give my family more next year."

It was good news this week, however, for 12 employees at Marks & Spencer in Blackburn who each lost about £500.

The firm said it would give staff vouchers to use at the store to the value of the cash they lost.

One employee, Gail Walker, said: "Receiving these vouchers from the company has been the best Christmas present anyone could have imagined.

"So many staff members and their families had already cancelled Christmas this year, but thanks to this wonderful donation from the company they are looking forward to the festive season again."

Store manager Ian Ward said: "This has come as a wonderful surprise to our staff who had resigned themselves to the fact that they would be giving Christmas a miss this year."

Burnley MP Kitty Ussher last month gave up a day's pay for the relief fund.

She said: "I think the whole thing is just shocking. People shouldn't be in that situation through no fault of their own and they are now going to have a different Christmas to the one they were dreaming of."