EXPRESS Gifts, the Church-based home shopping giant, is heading for a boost in sales following a flurry of activity from its parent company Findel plc.

Findel, which changed its name last year from Fine Arts Developments, has signed a four-year deal with a financial company which will bring new catalogue work to Church from May.

And despite the company selling its Charities Business for £20 million, Express Gifts will continue to process and pack orders for its new owners.

A spokesman for Findel said it was too early to talk about new jobs being created at Express Gifts. But he said the agreement to provide a new home shopping catalogue offered "tremendous potential."

Express Gifts employs more than 500 people in East Lancashire from its huge warehouse in Church, a call centre in Clayton-le-Moors and premises in Nelson.

In a major announcement to the Stock Exchange, Findel plc said it had entered into an agreement with Bradford-based Provident Financial plc. Under the contract, Express Gifts would provide a full home shopping catalogue, merchandising and fulfilment service.

The first catalogue will be distributed to Provident's 1,500,000 customers in early May. A second, go out in September.