Oxfam shops at 60

In 2008, Oxfam shops celebrated their Diamond anniversary. Much has changed in six decades of trading since the first Oxfam shop opened in 1948. These days we have 730 outlets across the UK, staffed by more than 20,000 volunteers, who help raise around £20 million annual profit. The late Joe Mitty, our first ever shop manager explains how it all started:

Go on, be a diamond!

To celebrate our Diamond Anniversary and Volunteers Week in the UK, we are calling for donations of diamonds and unwanted jewellery. We also would love you to give some of your spare time in one of our shops – after all, Oxfam's real diamonds are its volunteers. So go on, be a diamond: