01.09.2004

Final tally £28,793

Nearly £4,000 came in during the last week of our Summer Offensive, our annual fundraising drive. Combined with the late cheques and postal orders that arrived while comrades were occupied with this year’s Communist University, our final tally for this year’s campaign jumped to £28,793 - a fine achievement.

Many thanks to all comrades who responded to our last-minute call for donations. In particular, comrade JS from the north east for his £300 (following on from his £50 earlier in the campaign - many thanks, comrade); PK for his tremendous £1,000; comrades from the Communist Party of Turkey for their very welcome £150 whip-round; £50 from comrades HD and PM; Labour Party stalwart JS for his £10 and long-time sympathisers NC and FJ for £20 and £10 respectively.

At the celebration meal to mark the end of this year’s campaign, three comrades were given prizes to mark outstanding individual achievements. First, comrade EG from Wales for his tenacious approach. The comrade was not only the first to complete his individual target for this campaign: he then went on to wipe out a shortfall in his pledge from the previous year.

Then two comrades were honoured for the size of their contributions to this year’s campaign. Comrade AM won second place for her £1,150. But again in first place this year was comrade SK with a magnificent £2,000.

Commenting on this year’s campaign in his speech at the meal, comrade John Bridge reminded his audience of the difficulties we faced during this year’s SO. However, building a working class party is not a project that can be put off until times are easier: we work as communists in all periods, whether they are characterised by our movement taking steps backwards or by advances.

Our annual Summer Offensive is a brilliant example of that unwavering commitment to the work of building a revolutionary workers’ party in all the political conditions we confront as communists.
Well done to all comrades!