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In 1965 John Lennon allowed Oxfam to use a drawing of his, called the Fat Budgie, for a Christmas card. Despite the fact that it looks like it was drawn by a toddler, it raised a fortune because this was the height of Beatlemania. To mark the 50th anniversary of Oxfam printing Christmas cards, it was re-printed by this year, with the permission of Yoko Ono.
The limited edition card has turned out to be just as popular second time round, with 14,000 packs flying off the shelves in a matter of days. "They went straight away. It was just madness -- the card was selling and people were coming in droves," says Gerard O'Flanagan, manager of the Bold Street Oxfam shop in Liverpool.
Thankfully, Oxfam has re-re-printed the cards, and another 5,800 packs will be sent to shops this week, with some reserved for the Oxfam website.
"The demand for The Fat Budgie has been fantastic and Oxfam did not want to ruffle any feathers with people being left disappointed," says head of retail operations, Sarah Farquhar.
In the whole history of Oxfam cards, £56 million has been raised for charity -- enough to build 33,000 classrooms according to the charity.
The image was originally taken from Lennon's book, A Spaniard in the Works. In 1965, a pack of the cards cost 6d, however pesky inflation means that they'll now set you back £2.99, which is still a good deal for a pack of ten.
The cards were made in the UK from at least 50 per cent recycled paper, and 100 per cent of the profits will go towards helping Oxfam fight world poverty. You can buy them online or at your nearest Oxfam shop -- subject to availability (and Beatlemania).
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