Leticia is drying her beans on traditional drying tables at her farm in Dunkwa-On-Offin, Ghana. Photo: Nana Kofi Acquah/Oxfam

A woman smiles while spreading cocoa beans to dry on a raised platform outside her home. The scene is a rural village with produce, laundry, and greenery in the background.
A woman smiles while spreading cocoa beans to dry on a raised platform outside her home. The scene is a rural village with produce, laundry, and greenery in the background.

The impact of retail volunteering

Every week, Oxfam retail volunteers across the UK make a significant difference in the fight against global poverty and environmental degradation. From high street shops to superstores, their efforts ripple outwards – supporting communities worldwide and helping protect our planet.

Leticia is drying her beans on traditional drying tables at her farm in Dunkwa-On-Offin, Ghana. Photo: Nana Kofi Acquah/Oxfam

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Making a difference with every hour

In 2024, over 20,000 retail volunteers across the country collectively donated more than 2.7 million hours of their time to support Oxfam’s high street shops.

Our 500+ shops depend on volunteers to operate, sort donations, serve customers, manage displays, and raise unrestricted funds. Each hour volunteered supports critical global programmes: from emergency relief to climate adaptation and empowering women and girls .

Reducing waste and promoting circularity

Our volunteers help divert millions of items from landfill every year. Oxfam’s shops promote sustainable fashion and combat over-consumption.

Building community and personal development

Volunteers describe Oxfam’s shops as welcoming spaces where friendships form and communities come together.

Volunteering offers a valuable opportunity to develop a wide range of customer service and retail skills, including pricing, visual merchandising, using the till, and researching stock.

Volunteers build confidence through teamwork and regular interaction with the public, all within a supportive and inclusive environment.

The experience is highly transferable and can enhance CVs, contribute to study portfolios, and support personal development goals such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

“

I started volunteering for Oxfam 10 years ago. I just needed to get a little bit more experience. I'd never had a job before. I just went into my local Oxfam shop and I loved it that much that I'm still there and now I'm assistant manager in that shop, which is really nice. So I've been there for a very long time. There’s a lot of perks to volunteering with Oxfam… It's helped me so much as a person. I think a lot of people do it for so many different reasons… it does make you feel good, knowing that the stuff you're doing is helping people as well. If you’re considering volunteering with Oxfam, you should definitely do it. I think you'll surprise yourself at how much you enjoy and how much you'll get out of it and all of the amazing people you'll meet from all over the world. So definitely give it a go.”

Oxfam shop volunteer, Clara

Impact in action

Female cocoa farmers group Cocoa Mmaa. Nana Kofi Acquah/Oxfam

A group of women standing in a forest.

Cocoa Mmaa is a women-led cooperative in Ghana founded by cocoa farmer Leticia Yankey. Her work focuses on empowering the women cocoa farmers in her village. Leticia learned how to make chocolates and shared her knowledge with members of the Cocoa Mmaa cooperative.

As small-scale producers, Leticia and Cocoa Mmaa are committed to expanding their work, not only as cocoa farmers, but also as sustainable chocolate producers. They want to show the chocolate industry that fair and sustainable chocolate that is free from child labour and empowers women is possible.

Our emergency response

When disaster hits, Oxfam gets there fast, supporting people to keep themselves & their family safe.

Women's rights and gender justice

How Oxfam’s empowering women around the globe

Health and Education

Improving access to vital healthcare and education