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JAMES, 24, AND SUSAN, 43, POSED FOR A PICTURE OUTSIDE THE SHOP ON THEIR WEDDING DAY 05:37, 03 Jun 2025 A couple have shared how they met and fell in love after both volunteering at a charity

shop. James Boyles, 24, first started working at the Oxfam store in Tamworth back in 2017. And when Susan, 43, joined in 2022, she quickly bonded with James, despite the 19-year age gap.

Following a first date to the cinema, the pair went from strength to strength and James eventually popped the question in the back room of the charity shop. READ MORE: MIDLANDS AREA WHERE

HOMEOWNERS SAW £45,000 WIPED FROM VALUE OF PROPERTIES READ MORE: DAD WHO EXPERIENCED 'TERRIBLE BACK PAIN' DIED NINE DAYS AFTER GOING TO HOSPITAL Article continues below And after

tying the knot, they posed for a picture outside the shop to commemorate the start of their love story. Speaking about his first meeting with his wife, James said: "I'm very bad at

picking up on signals and Susan had been talking to me on the till but I didn’t think it was anything at first. "Then she wanted to go to watch the Barbie movie at the cinema and I

said I would go with her and the relationship just grew from there." One year later, James got down on one knee and proposed to Susan in the back room of their Oxfam shop, where they

had first met. Susan, 43, said: "I knew he was going to propose but I didn’t know when or where, so it was a surprise! "He waited till the shop had shut, so we didn’t disturb

shoppers!” The couple got married last September at a venue not too far from their Oxfam shop and made sure they got a picture outside. Susan said: "The wedding day was amazing. Having

a picture outside the shop really immortalised everything so we will always have that picture to remember where we first met. “I could never have imagined meeting James when I first started

volunteering for Oxfam, it's like a dream come true.” "It was a really special day, and she looked beautiful," James said. "It means a lot to both of us that we met while

volunteering. We always say that Oxfam is in our hearts." A Censuswide survey carried out on behalf of Oxfam found that 28 per cent of 1,000 people who volunteer had met a current or

previous partner through their volunteering work, showing some of the more surprising benefits to volunteering. Susan and James hope their love story might inspire others to consider

volunteering with Oxfam. Susan said: "I have never met anyone unpleasant volunteering with Oxfam. "It sounds corny but it really is like a little family and it’s so rewarding.

"You never know who you are going to meet there. "I have made some lifelong friends from volunteering, as well as my husband, and I can’t ask for lovelier group of people to work

with every day.”" Karen Gurney, Oxfam Volunteer Development and Experience Manager, added: "Our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do with Oxfam and help make a

difference every day. “There are so many reasons why people come to volunteer – whether it is to gain skills, make friends or give back to the community. "But the real joy with

volunteering is that there is so much you can get out of it, even things you might never expect. “We are so grateful for all our volunteers. Why not give volunteering a go this Volunteers’

Week 2025 and see what it can bring you, all while making a difference.” Article continues below