Oxfam in Colquhoun Square, celebrates its birthday on Wednesday, April 1 and volunteers from past and present will take part in a variety of events at the shop to mark the occasion.

The festivities will kick off with a Greek-themed party and finish with a birthday party on Saturday, April 4 where guests of honour Lord and Lady McFall will cut the cake.

Christine Thorburn, shop manager at Oxfam, told the Advertiser: “Our shop is so well supported by the people of Helensburgh, as well as visitors to the town, and our 40th anniversary celebrations are an ideal opportunity to thank them for their loyalty over the years.” There are currently 38 volunteers at Oxfam, compared to just a handful when the shop started its life on West Clyde Street in 1975. The charity first opened its doors in town where the Debra shop is now, before moving to its Colquhoun Square home around 30 years ago.

Christine said: “The shop used to be in the small right hand section of the shop, before it was Happit and it was just a small shop but that’s where Oxfam started all those years ago. We have a huge support base in the area now and they give us a lot of stock all the time.

“It’s difficult to tell how much stock we take in from the public but we’re lucky that we have a big back area and as you can see we have got a great local support and a lot of stock.” Christine started out as a volunteer over 20 years ago before she was appointed shop manager. She said volunteers could work around eight-to-12 hours a week, carrying out a number of tasks from pricing stock to putting it out on the shop floor to serving customers.

The shop was given a refit about five years ago but Christine said the layout of the shop was constantly undergoing change.

She said: “It makes it a bit more exciting for the customers because they like to see you have done something different. We have got a reputation in the shop for being customer friendly."

Since Oxfam opened it has taken in £120,000.

Christine said Oxfam is always looking for volunteers to support the ‘vital’ work the charity carries out.

She added: “Our shop, like Oxfam shops everywhere, raise vital funds for Oxfam’s important work against poverty and suffering around the world.

“Right now Oxfam needs these funds in responding to a series of emergencies including the Ebola outbreak in West Africa; the Syrian refugee crisis; and growing food insecurity in South Sudan.

“When you volunteer here you know that you’re doing something worthwhile for people who are a lot less well off than we are. I very much hope many people are able to join us for the celebrations on April 4.”