Oxfam reopening - but contact shop before donating

Oxfam’s Stirling shop is set to reopen next Wednesday, July 15, with people being asked to contact the shop before dropping off items.

The announcement follows approval from the Scottish Government for non-essential shops to begin re-opening during the second phase of lockdown measures being lifted. The charity hopes the vast majority of its 42 Scottish shops will re-open on July 15.

Shops will be implementing strict protocol, including social distancing, readily available hand sanitiser, masks and gloves for staff, screens at tills, regular and frequent cleaning, and closed changing rooms. Donated items will be isolated for 48 hours before they are sorted and contactless payment will be encouraged.

Oxfam is appealing for people in Stirling to call their local shop before dropping off items, to help staff manage donations. Shoppers are being urged not to leave donations outside when stores are closed.

Oxfam operations manager for Scotland and North of England said, Tom Richardson said:“We know that many people have used lockdown as an opportunity to have a good clear out, so it’s likely that you’ll be able to find some real gems in our Stirling shop once it re-opens; after all, one person’s clutter is another’s treasure. Every pound spent in our Stirling shop will help fight poverty and protect some of the world’s poorest communities from coronavirus.”

Oxfam is also appealing for volunteers to help its Stirling shop get back to business over the summer. Each shop typically relies on a team of 30 dedicated volunteers and one or two staff, with more than 20,000 volunteers required across Britain.

Volunteers are asked to give as little as four hours a week of their time and can take up a range of roles, from serving customers to sorting donations and arranging window displays. In advance of Scottish shops re-opening, people are invited to register their interest in volunteering online.