CHRISTMAS starts earlier each year.

Ludlow Charity Christmas card shop is stocking up early for the festive season.

It gets under way in Ludlow when the Cards for Good Causes charity Christmas card shop opens for the 25th year in St. Laurence's Church on Friday, October 14.

Staffed by a team of local volunteers, the Ludlow pop-up shop is part of a network of 300 temporary shops run Cards for Good Causes, the UK’s largest multi-charity Christmas card organisation.

It represents more than 250 charities including Cancer Research UK, Barnardo’s, NSPCC, Alzheimer’s Society and RNLI as well as selling cards from Motor Neurone, The Children’s Society and Severn Hospice.

Shoppers will be able to choose from hundreds of different Christmas card designs, as well as wrapping paper, gift tags, napkins, Ludlow tea towel, Shropshire calendar and stocking fillers.

Especially chosen for this season are some local Christmas card designs showing Ludlow, photographed by Mike Hayward.

In the past 10 years, charities have received more than £40 million from Cards for Good Causes, representing at least 70p in every pound, out of which charities have had to pay for the production and distribution of their Christmas cards and any VAT.

Shop Opening Hours from Friday October 14 to Saturday December 17: 10am to 4.30pm at St. Laurence's Church.