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The voice of Scotland’s vibrant voluntary sector

Published by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

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Harry Hill volunteers at charity shop

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The comedian has backed Oxfam's Give a Shift campaign, which aims to boost volunteer numbers

A television star mucked in to help a charity during the festive period.

Comedian Harry Hill worked the tills, sorted stock, made friends with staff, and charmed customers when he volunteered at the Oxfam shop in Victoria London.

Hill is supporting Oxfam’s Give a Shift campaign, which launched this week to encourage the public to volunteer in the charity’s shops.

He said: “I volunteered to Give a Shift because I’m a fan of Oxfam. It’s out to put an end to injustice and poverty, which is very difficult to argue with.”

Last year, the charity’s network of 630 shops in the UK and Oxfam Online raised almost £22 million pounds for the charity’s work fighting extreme poverty and suffering in more than 60 countries around the world.

Hill added: “I’ve really enjoyed looking behind the scenes of Oxfam. I’ve been coming here since I was 12. Now I’ve got to look behind the curtain. I’ve got to work the tills, and met some very interesting customers. Anything that involves the public has potential to be fun. You never know who is going to walk in the door and what they are going to say to you.”

All volunteers are given on-the-job training and the chance to learn new skills, develop existing talents and take on responsibility. Everyone is valued and appreciated. The range of work includes pricing donations, sorting stock, updating the shop’s social media channels, using the till, photography, dressing the windows, and driving the van.

Daniel O’Driscoll, Oxfam head of volunteering said: “Put simply, without our team of amazing volunteers Oxfam shops could not open. Volunteers really are the heart and soul of our shops and we rely on them and appreciate their contribution hugely. We do all we can to make sure every volunteer has an enjoyable time, and gets what they hope for out of the experience."