21.05.1998

Raising sights

Summer Offensive ’98

New pledges totalling £680 were made during week two of our eight-week fundraising drive, including from two comrades in the North West who are taking part in the CPGB’s Summer Offensive for the first time. Being low earners, they have understandably begun with very modest initial targets. But the first step is the most important, setting us off in the right direction.

Independent working class politics requires independent working class money.

By participating in the Offensive, we are accepting personal responsibility for reforging the mass Communist Party which our class needs in order to sweep the anti-human capitalist system of exploitation and oppression into the dustbin of history. Having taken such a momentous decision, comrades can set about learning how to do the job most effectively.

Collectively we are not new to the task of political fundraising. Those who begin now do not have to start from scratch. There are many fundraising skills developed over 15 years of Summer Offensive campaigns which can be passed on.

As anticipated, voluntary workers at the Party’s printshop have raised their initial cautious pledges by £1,000. Together with the new pledges, this brings the total up to £13,380 – still only two thirds of our £20,000 target by June 29. Monies in this week include £403 from North West comrades, £250 raised by the Weekly Worker team and £495 from the printshop, bringing the week two total to £2,628. Only 13.1% of target after 25% of the campaign period! Time to get busy, comrades.

Stan Kelsey