CHRISTMAS got under way early at Haslemere Museum, when Foreign Secretary and South West Surrey MP Jeremy Hunt declared the Cards for Good Causes shop open.

The town’s Tory MP was ably assisted by Mayor David Round along with Archie and Anna.

A grand total of 33 charities are represented and supporters can buy not only cards but also gifts and wrapping papers from 10am-4.30pm (Mon to Sat) until December 15.

Just under 70 volunteers will man the museum’s festive outlet and charities include national causes Cancer Research, Alzheimer’s Society, Macmillan and RNLI, as well as fundraisers, such as GUTS, The Fountain Centre and Phyllis Tuckwell.

Mr Hunt praised the remarkable commitment that to goes into Cards for Good Causes and the huge amount of money that goes back to the charities as a result.

He said he always notes the charity’s name on the back of cards received and thanked the volunteers for their efforts in support of such a worthy enterprise.

Manager Maggie Monteath, said: “Buying charity Christmas cards is one of the simplest ways to support good causes during the festive season.

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

“In the past 10 years charities have received more than £40million pounds from Cards for Good Causes.”

The organisation was inpsired in 1959 by James ‘Jim’ Jackson, Secretary of the British Diabetic Association, who gathered a group of medical charities together to discuss the coordination of publicity for selling charity cards at Christmas.

In 1964, they began selling cards from empty shops in town centres.

The name Cards for Good Causes, was first mooted in 1971, but it was not until 1988 it was formally established as the trading arm of The 1959 Group of Charities.

This year’s launch started on a high with The Military Wives Choirs singing tracks from their new album, at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square, London.

Representatives from member and guest charities, shop hosts and suppliers, also attended to help launch the season.

Chief executive Jeremy Lune told The Herald: “As we head in to our 60th year of trading, we look forward to the future of this organisation with renewed pride.”