Shop volunteering FAQs

The Oxfam Festival Shop is a touring pop-up shop, stocked with sustainable second-hand items and clothing. Each of our festival shops are run by Oxfam Shop Staff and Volunteers. More about shop volunteering

To volunteer with The Oxfam Festival Shop:

• you must be a current Oxfam Shop Volunteer/Intern/Member of Staff with at least 3 months experience; or,
• have volunteered at two or more festivals or events with Oxfam’s Festival Shop in the past 3 years.

Your reference must be from a current Oxfam Member of Staff. If you are unable to meet these criteria, your application will not be successful.

Shop Volunteer applications will open on the 20th of February, 2025.

Once applications open, you will need to supply the email address of your Oxfam manager so that we can confirm your eligibility.

Once we have received confirmation from your manager, we will process your application. If you have not volunteered with us before, or have only volunteered with us at one event in the past, we will get in touch to arrange a short telephone interview to find out about your shop volunteering experience.

We will interview applicants with a satisfactory reference before the deadline and confirm places via email. Please ensure you have put down the correct details for your manager and let them know we will be contacting them.

Visit your account to sign up.

No, unlike stewarding and campaigning, you are not required to pay a deposit when applying for a festival shop volunteering role.

Shifts during trading hours are up to six hours long. You will have one shift each day, including shop set-up, trading, and pack-down. Below is an example of a standard Festival Shop schedule. Please note: with some festivals, we will need your help for longer, so check the onsite times and dates.

• Tuesday: arrive, set up camp, team meal, briefing (6pm – 8pm)
• Wednesday: hang and price stock, merchandise shop (up to 8hrs)
• Thursday to Sunday: a trading shift daily. This will rotate from morning, afternoon, and evening. (9am – 3pm, 3pm – 9pm, 9pm – late)
• Monday: pack down the shop, pack up campsite, leave (9am – 1pm)

There may be the opportunity to swap shifts if they clash with your favourite band.

Once we have power behind the shop, which can take a few days, there will be:

• Hot water with tea and coffee; and,
• Phone charging sockets

You will receive two meal vouchers for each trading day of the festival. It’s important that you let us know your dietary requirements on your application. We recommend you bring snacks!

We will be camped either in the Oxfield or Staff Camping with access to showers and toilets.

• A unique email address to sign up.
• An Oxfam Staff Member's email address for a reference. They will receive an email to confirm your volunteering role. We will not process your application further until we have received a satisfactory reference from your Oxfam Manager.
• Emergency contact.
• Dietary requirements.
• A passport photo for your ID card. Please see here for guidelines on providing an acceptable photograph.
• Phone number. If you are a returning volunteer, please check your profile contact details are correct. It is important we have your phone number for communication before, during, and after the festival.

Please read the Privacy Policy for further information on data collection and consent.