CHRISTMAS shoppers are to be given a £1,000 incentive to #ShopFarnham this festive season.

Leaflets have been distributed to almost 30,000 homes in the town area this week, including a form encouraging shoppers to buy gifts from five of 23 participating retailers to be entered into a draw to win a prize.

These range from a first prize of £1,000 to £150 cash for third place.

The initiative is just one of many designed to draw shoppers into Farnham this December – spearheaded by Farnham Town Council in partnership with the local business community.

After missing out on key commerce in November, this Christmas shopping period will be a make-or-break time for many of the independent retailers that give Farnham its unique character.

So give a little Christmas cheer this festive season and head down to one of the many Christmas events happening locally:

1. Pop in for some late-night shopping, every Thursday until Christmas, until 8pm in Farnham town centre.

2. ...and if you buy from five participating retailers on December 3, 10 or 17 you could stand to win £1,000 (form included in the town council leaflet and online at farnham.gov.uk).

3. Grab some festive goodies at the Farmers’ Market on Sunday, December 13, 10am and 1.30pm, in Central car park.

4. Families can take on a Christmas Spirit Trail around the town centre between December 1 and January 3 to win an e-book (www.christmasspirittrail.com).

5. Check out the online-only Farnham Civic Christmas Carol Service with Farnham Youth Choir on Wednesday, December 23 at 7pm at St Andrew’s Church (www.farnham.gov.uk).

6. Sleigh down to the Museum of Farnham on Saturday, December 12 between 10am and 4pm to enjoy a festive day of carols, crafts, trails, gifts and more (www.museumoffarnham.com).

7. Children (aged four to ten) can create a pinecone bird sculpture at the New Ashgate Gallery on Saturday, December 19 (free but booking required – www.newashgate.org.uk).

8. Get merry with the first ever Phyllis Tuckwell Christmas Lights Tour taking place across Farnham between December 5 and 31 (map at www.pth.org.uk).

9. Get a one-of-a-kind gift at the Maltings’ Christmas Fair on December 11 and 12, 10am to 9pm (www.farnhammaltings.com).

10. Grab some nifty thrifts at the Rural Life Living Museum’s Vintage Christmas Fair, from 10.30am to 3pm on December 12 and 13.

Town mayor Councillor Pat Evans said: “Despite a number of knock-backs this year, our local businesses have shown an admirable amount of resilience and inventiveness as they have strived to recreate and find new ways to deliver their services.

“Our town needs our support so I would like to encourage shoppers to spend their Christmas budget here in Farnham.

“There are lots of ways to buy local including visiting the shops safely in person or buying online via the shops’ own websites.

“Farnham Town Council is also backing wearefarnham.co.uk which provides click and collect or delivering options for businesses which do not have their own online shop.

“Our retailers and businesses need our loyalty more than ever before so please shop locally for the long-term future of our town.”

Eddie Pearce, Farnham Chamber of Commerce president, added: “It’s great to see so many shops come together and open for some festive fun.

“It’s a crucial time for our local shops so we all need to come out and support them.

“All are set for safe shopping and I urge local offices to consider closing an hour early to send their staff into town to enjoy some Christmas shopping.”