Oxfam has announced it will begin to reopen its high street shops from June 15 - with new safety measures including quarantining donations for 72 hours.

The first stage for the Oxford charity will involve a number of shops in England, with 'as many shops as possible' open for business by the end of July.

Shops in Scotland and Wales remain closed.

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The charity, which opened its first superstore in Cowley last year, said the staggered approach will enable shop teams to follow government advice and ensure there’s space for social distancing, and that staff and volunteers have the personal protective equipment they need.

It added all surfaces, doors and equipment will be regularly cleaned and donated items will be isolated for 72 hours.

Storage space may be limited so people are asked to call ahead to check the best time to donate.

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Danny Sriskandarajah, Oxfam GB chief executive, said: “Our shops are a much loved part of their communities and, at this difficult time, we can’t wait to reopen our doors and reconnect with our supporters and shoppers.

"Our shop staff and volunteers are working hard to make sure we can welcome the public back into Oxfam stores safely.”

“I know that many of us have been busy decluttering under lockdown and we’re really excited about receiving any donations."

Oxfam is also appealing for volunteers to help shops 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 in total.

While shops are closed people are invited to register their interest online via oxfam.org.uk.

The list of shops to reopen on June has not yet been revealed.

Oxfam’s donation banks remain closed and the charity said it was working on ways to reopen them 'as soon as possible'.

Oxfam has 595 high street shops in the UK.