THE OFFICE of Fair Trading has launched a campaign in the North-East highlighting different ways people can save for Christmas.

The Save Xmas publicity drive follows the collapse of the Farepak hamper company last year, when 11,000 people in the region lost their Christmas savings.

The OFT was asked by the Treasury earlier this year to carry out an awareness programme to help consumers understand their options when saving for Christmas.

The scheme in the North-East involves the OFT working with community groups and consumer organisations and involves running sessions for groups of people helping them understand their options for Christmas saving.

Speaking at the launch in Newcastle yesterday, OFT project manager Jon Sacker said: "The most important thing is that when people think about saving, they do it on the basis that they know what all the options are and that they make educated choices.

"We are not saying what is the right way. People will know what is best for their circumstances after speaking to friends and families.

"They can also take advice from their local Citizen's Advice Bureau."

He said, among the ways of saving are through banks and building societies, which have a wide variety of account types and credit unions, Christmas clubs with local shops or supermarket stamp schemes for Christmas. People can also prepare for Christmas through hamper and voucher schemes.

Community groups throughout the region are being encouraged to run sessions about the options of Christmas and other short-term savings schemes.

Sue Cook, head of consumer and business education at the OFT added: "This campaign will enable people with tools they need to make choices that best suit their needs when saving for Christmas.

"Thousands of people in North-East lost money after Farepak collapsed and we want to work with communities to help people to get lasting knowledge and skills about short-term saving."

OFT information leaflets are available free from OFT, PO Box 366, Hayes, UB3 1XB, contact 0800 389 3158 or visit oft@ecgroup.uk.com.

Any community groups wishing to find out more about holding training sessions can contact Ms Cook on 0107 211 8308.