Lighting up Christmas

Park agent Ann Perkins, from Birmingham, helps her community enjoy the festive season

Christmas is a special time of year but not everyone can afford it. That’s why I’m an agent for Park Christmas Savings.

Helping people put money aside means they avoid stress when Christmas comes around.

My mother-in-law was an agent for 40 years and I helped her. When she died, I didn’t want to let people down, so her customers became mine. Park gave me a welcome bonus, which was lovely, but I do it because others need it.

I’ve been putting money aside with Park since my kids were small and it helped tremendously.

Now I feel like a part of the Park community. I’ve 12 customers, family and friends.

It all works very easily because once people have decided which gifts cards and vouchers they’d like to have, we look at how much they need to put aside, then they set up a standing order to pay it to me either fortnightly or monthly. I send that all straight to Park by bank transfer.

The excitement and the sense of achievement when people get their gift cards and vouchers in November is brilliant – they can’t wait to get shopping.

I had one customer last year who said she didn’t think she’d be able to keep up her payments because of rising fuel costs. She managed it and was so pleased

– she wouldn’t have been able to afford Christmas otherwise.

That’s why my best advice to people who want to save for next Christmas is do it now. Start small – you can always increase it – but make that first payment straight away.

Two years ago, a young boy came to me because he knew his mum struggled at Christmas. I told him if he paid me 10p a week out of his pocket money, I’d save it for him so he could buy presents.

He stuck to it and I gave him £20 vouchers and took him shopping. He was able to buy his mum, and brother and sister gifts.

My favourite cards are The Purple Gift Card – it lasts me all year round – and Your Choice*, which is so easy because you can use it online. My older grandsons get JD gift cards, whereas my granddaughters are older so they can shop anywhere with Your Choice cards.

This year, I’ll be working for a few hours on Christmas Day as I manage a house for people with learning disabilities. My husband George is a nurse and works over the break, too. But we’ll get together at one of my sons or my daughter’s.

I’ve 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, so there’ll be lots of fun. For me, Christmas is about family being together.