A WHSmith spokeswoman said: 'WHSmith had no involvement with Farepak prior to the administration but knows that many Farepak customers had saved to spend their vouchers at WHSmith.
'As a goodwill gesture, WHSmith will donate the equivalent to 25 per cent of the value of customers' savings that had been dedicated to WHSmith vouchers to the Farepak fund.'
HBoS - the owner of Halifax and Bank of Scotland - has also revealed it will donate£2 million to the emergency fund. The bank came under pressure to make a contribution after many high street retailers offered their support, but has come under fire for not offering more.
HBoS has also been criticised by some MPs for continuing to lend the troubled firm money, when it knew it was having financial difficulties. According to an HBoS spokesman the bank doesn't believe it has done anything wrong and sought to help its customers at all times.
The Farepak Response Fund was established with help from UK charity Family Fund, in response to a House of Commons debate on Farepak's collapse involving Minister for Consumer Affairs Ian McCartney.
WHSmith is joining a growing list of retailers that have pledged their support to the Farepak fund already. Sainsbury's led the charge by offering Farepak customers a financial gift similar to that of WHSmith, involving customers who had opted for Sainsbury's vouchers receiving 25 per cent of the value of their savings.
Other companies pledging their support for the Farepak Response Fund:
· Grocer Tesco has pledged£250,000;
· High street giant M&S has offered£250,000;
· Home shopping firm Findel will be donating a 'significant amount, of at least£100,000' - the be ratified by the board within the next few days;
· Gift voucher company Park Group will contribute£1 million;
· HBoS has pledged£2 million.
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