Festive greetings from the Isle of Sheppey have travelled far and wide this year – thanks to a Minster card shop.

SWALK in Trafalgar Place, Broadway, has done a roaring trade selling Sheppey-branded Christmas cards.

Owner Patrick Altimas said: “People have been coming from all over the Island to snap them up. We must have sold more than 500.”

The shop began selling jokey Sheppey greetings cards at the start of the year but then took a gamble by ordering Sheppey Christmas cards. Patrick, who has run the shop with his wife Jeanette for 11 years, said: “I can’t believe how popular they were. We had to keep ordering more just to keep up with the demand.

“Our Happy Christmas from Sheppey card has been the most popular. It ended up being sent to Australia, Tasmania and Canada as well as all over Britain. It has been flying off the shelves as soon as new supplies came in.”

He added: “They show the funny side of Christmas.” The shop already stocks greetings cards for birthdays and in the New Year will be introducing a range for Sheppey’s newest house-owner; Sheppey’s newest engaged couple, Sheppey’s newest baby boy and Sheppey’s newest baby girl. There will also a line for Valentine’s Day.

Patrick said: “The Christmas cards are £2.25 but are excellent value for money with quality artwork on heavy-duty card. I love selling them.”

The cards are specially printed for the shop by Wales-based publisher Dog’s Paw, run by husband and wife Martin and Maria Eaglen.

Their Up Your Street range allows customers to localise cards for their own town or village.

Designer Martin, 57, said: “We are amazed at how this has taken off. We thought we had a good product but it has taken even us by surprise. We even had to take on extra staff to keep up with the demand.

“The cards sell best in tight-knit communities – and Sheppey ticks all the boxes. Patrick is one of our top customers. He has recognised that customers are now demanding more localised products.”

One man who has been leading the Sheppey Christmas card campaign is former Sheerness Town Centre Manager Alan Ogilvie. Although he now lives in Bromley he continues to design and print his own Sheppey cards to send to friends, relations and business contacts.

He said: “The whole card thing started in 2000 when I was town centre manager and it was part of my drive to put Sheppey on the map. When Swale council axed town centre manager’s post I decided to use the cards as a fun way of making a little mischief!”

He has continued to produce one a year and now has 15 under his belt.

He said: “They seem to be well-received. I am aware a number of people who have kept all of them, no doubt with the intention of auctioning them on eBay when I am dead!”

He added: “I lived on Sheppey for 37 years and always felt it had been side-lined. If the new trend towards promoting Sheppey through Christmas cards has anything to do with me, then I would be delighted. If not, I am still delighted. Sheppey needs putting on the map.”

Heather Thomas-Pugh, the development manager of Sheppey Matters, which is co-ordinating the Island’s SheppeyProud bid for £90 million of government cash for coastal communities, said: “This is just what Sheppey needs. It is a big job to change people’s conceptions of the Island but these little things make a big difference.

“It is all about encouraging people to be proud of what we have and to work together to make the Island better.”