Oxfam appeals for volunteers to help at its Dalkeith and Penicuik shops

The charity says it has a shortfall of hundreds of volunteers in Scotland with some existing volunteers currently unable to return due to shielding.

Tom Richardson, Oxfam's interim head of retail, said: “As we prepare to get back to business in a Covid-safe way we’re encouraging people from all walks of life who want to live in a fairer, more sustainable world to consider giving one of the greatest gifts of all: their time.”

Volunteers are asked to as little as a few hours a week of their time and can take up a range of vital roles, from serving customers to sorting donations and arranging window displays.

Each shop typically relies on a team of 30 dedicated volunteers and one or two staff, with more than 1,400 volunteers required across the country.

To register your interest as a volunteer for Oxfam, go to https://actions.oxfam.org/great-britain/shop-volunteering/register-interest/.