THE man who helped found Oxfam's chain of charity shops has left the organsation nothing in his will, preferring instead to help five other good causes.

Joe Mitty, from Cumnor, who died in September, aged 88, worked in Oxfam's first shop in Oxford in 1949 and played a key role in opening hundreds more, before retiring in 1982.

Probate records have revealed that Mr Mitty, whose wife Dorothy died in 1995, left a net estate of £810,318.

In his will, he left £150,000 each to his two sons, Roger and Andrew.

The rest of the estate - worth about £500,000 - was split equally between the Botley Alzheimer's Home, the Oxford Children's Hospital Campaign, the Alzheimer's Society, the Sobell House Hospice Charity and Cancer Research UK.

Roger Mitty, who lives in Cumnor, said his father had not fallen out with Oxfam.

He said: "My father still held Oxfam in great affection, but decided that his legacy to the charity, in all the shops and the money they generated, was huge. He wanted to help other causes close to his heart."

Mr Mitty, known as the "grandfather of charity shops", helped Oxfam raise £500m to fight global poverty during his lifetime.

He was the first full-time paid employee of the charity.

He received a Pride of Britain lifetime achievement award last year, dedicating it to all the volunteers who have kept Oxfam shops running. He was made an MBE in 2000.