Oxfam launches its 'Unwrapped' catalogue for Christmas

This Christmas, wrap up a donkey, put a class room under the tree and squeeze 100 school dinners into a stocking.

Oxfam's new Christmas 2005 Unwrapped alternative gift catalogue is the charity's biggest yet. Oxfam expects that come December, its quirky but life-saving gifts will again compete with the latest toys and gadgets in the 'must have' Christmas present charts.

The Unwrapped range features over 50 'funusual' present ideas across 52 pages, including new gifts and proven favourites for all budgets. Presents start at just £6 (school dinners for 100 children) and rise to £20,000 for a new 4x4 truck. The scheme means buyers give twice - once to the recipient and once to a community in one of over 70 countries where Oxfam works.

Combined, the previous two editions of Unwrapped have sold nearly 200,000 vital but unusual gifts - totalling more than 2.5 million individual items for communities in need. Top sellers include goats (over 38,000 sold); 17,000 gifts of 50 tree seedlings and over 9,000 orders for 100 school dinners (amounting to more than 900,000 meals).

The items in the catalogue have been selected based on their long term benefits to communities Oxfam helps, and have been chosen by the communities themselves.

As Parmjit Takhar, Oxfam's Regional Funding Co-ordinator for Eastern and Central Africa, where gifts from previous catalogues are now being distributed, said: "To you, these presents are a fun alternative to more slippers for dad or another box of chocolates for mum. But to the people here they have life-saving value and can mean the difference between being able to feed their families, or give their children an education."

Among the items new to Unwrapped for Christmas 2005 are:

Building a toilet (£30) - The best way to spend a penny this Christmas, these simple structures will flush away typhoid and cholera;

Give a donkey (£50) - Hardy and reliable, donkeys can be used for essential farming work, transporting loads long distances and as a source of free fertiliser;

Buy a share of a mango plantation (from £32) - A gift that will really bear fruit, this gives farmers in West Africa the chance to own a share in a mango plantation. Their produce will be sold through the Fair Trade movement;

Build a classroom (£1,700) - Give children the chance to learn in a dedicated environment, with clean water, toilets and a roof to keep them (and their school books) dry.

For the first time, Oxfam has also 'bundled' together individual gifts to provide life-saving packages. For example, shoppers can now add irrigation equipment to their gift of 50 tree seedlings (£66) or increase a beehive's productivity by adding training (£84 together).

The Christmas 2005 Oxfam Unwrapped range goes on sale from 5th October. The catalogue is available in Oxfam's 750 shops or by calling 0870 410 50 30. Shoppers can also visit www.oxfamunwrapped.com. Orders must be placed by 19th December to allow time for delivery. Once the purchase has been made, the recipient receives a card and voucher explaining how their gift is used to help people overcome poverty.

Six gift vouchers - school dinners for 100 children, student's kit for five children, 50 tree seedlings, building a toilet, goats and donkeys can be purchased directly from Oxfam shops.