Your stories: Farepak fiasco

Here are some of the stories of Working Lunch viewers affected by the collapse of Christmas hamper company Farepak.

See more of your comments.

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Kirsten Her agent lost £9,000 - £500 was hers "We try to make Christmas extra special " Chris £12,000 lost by work colleagues - £400 was his "A total nightmare for all their families"

Karen As an agent she lost £5,500 belonging to her and others "I have done nothing but cry since Sunday" Shane Struggled to save and lost £170 "Now as far as I'm concerned Christmas is cancelled"

Kirsten

I spent most of yesterday in tears - my young son doesn't understand what's wrong

We have been using Farepak for 6 years now and the agent we use is devastated, she has £9,000 (of which £500 is ours) of orders from friends and family, who are all on fairly low incomes.

They will have nothing to give their children on Christmas day.

Some have also purchased food and drink so will have no special Christmas dinner either.

My husband is a serving soldier so as you can appreciate life is stressful enough without this and we don't have a lot of time together so we try to make Christmas extra special because of this.

We don't have a large income and with only 9 weeks or so to go until Christmas we have no idea what we are going to do.

I spent most of yesterday in tears and being pregnant it's not good for me or the baby and my young son doesn't understand what's wrong.

Thank you for raising this issue, it's really important as almost all those who are affected are on low incomes and now will have nothing for Christmas.

Chris

Where is the 'Spirit of Christmas' when you need it?

Workers from Fife Council have been collecting with Farepak for years.

In the 2 Dunfermline offices alone staff have lost up to £12,000 - I personally lost £400 but one person lost £1000.

This is a total nightmare for all their families and something must be done.

Where is the 'Spirit of Christmas' when you need it?

I feel Farepak should be made to pay up or at least the Government should step in and help these families in their time of need.

Karen

I feel sorry for the children as at the end of the day they are the ones who are going to miss out on Christmas presents

I am another very, very upset Agent for Farepak hampers. I have sadly lost £5,500 with Farepak on behalf of myself and my 13 customers.

I have done nothing but cry since Sunday when I read it in the paper.

I have been an agent for 13 years and I myself have lost £1,000 worth of vouchers which I am not in a position to replace with only two pay days before Christmas.

None of us are in a situation to afford Christmas now and some of my customers have large families with at least 5 or 6 children.

I cannot work as I have a disabled daughter.

I feel sorry for the children as at the end of the day they are the ones who are going to miss out on Christmas presents.

I would like to know who is going to explain this to them on Christmas morning?

With only two pay days before Christmas I cannot see my two children getting much more than a couple of presents each instead of the big Christmases we usually have.

All of my customers are upset and I feel it is my fault for letting them down and - should I as an agent - seen this coming?

Shane

We struggled last Christmas so decided to get some vouchers to help

My girlfriend and I are on joint claim job seekers we struggled last Christmas so decided to get some vouchers to help so I ordered £200 worth at 20 a month.

To date I paid £170 and was due to pay the last £30 this week.

Now as far as I'm concerned Christmas is cancelled.

The hampers were going to cover our food and presents so now Christmas is cancelled.

Thank you Farepak!