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Employees working for the Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks are to benefit from the UK's first prepaid flexible benefits debit card, providing major savings at high street retailers. Spree-flex, is a Visa debit card developed by P&MM onto which employees can load flex funds. They will then enjoy the benefits of savings with major high street retailers when they shop. It has been designed as part of the Banks' employee benefits package to drive staff loyalty and retention, improve motivation and support recruitment.

Launched under the Bank's Affinity Rewards scheme, the new employee benefit programme will offer up to ten percent savings at an extensive range of high street retailers, including: Asda, Boots, Comet, Mothercare, Warehouse, HMV, Principles, Homebase, Halfords, River Island, JJB Sports, Brewers Fayre, Beefeater, TGI Fridays, Marriott Hotels and Debenhams. Staff will have the opportunity to load credit onto their cards instead of the using the traditional paper voucher system.

Cat McDonald, Employee Benefits Manager for the Banks, commented: "We were looking for a discount scheme that reflects our forward looking culture. Introducing this card has enabled us to move the concept on to a whole new level as it reflects the way in which people shop today - we are delighted to be the first in the UK to implement the Spree-flex card. Initial feedback has been extremely positive."

John Sylvester, Director of P&MM's incentive & motivation division said: "The Spree-flex card brings the incredibly popular concept up to date and we have no doubt it will prove to be a tremendous success. Spree-flex provides an efficient and secure way to distribute funds and we are confident that the loyalty effect of continuous reinforcement from a scheme branded card will add real value to corporate employee benefits programmes."

Release date: June 2007