10.12.2009

Tongue in cheek

Robbie Rix is a bit concerned

“OK, I’m now a Thursday donor,” writes comrade LR in a message accompanying his online donation for £5. He was responding to my appeal last week for all those publication-day readers to get out their credit card while they are on our website, so his comment might be a bit tongue in cheek.

But it’s very welcome for all that - and the same goes for the other web contributions. Thanks to KN (£30), WD (£10) and MZ (who donates £20 and commends us for our recent articles on prison and the Prison Officers Association). Nevertheless, these four comrades represent a drop in the ocean compared to the 15,040 internet readers of the Weekly Worker last week. (Talking of the internet, by the way, the recently formed Weekly Worker Readers Group on Facebook already has 234 members - take a look for yourself at www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2703341759.)

Over the last seven days I also received a total of £85 in standing order donations, plus a tenner added to comrade IT’s resubscription. Then there’s the £20 contribution from CPGB Provisional Central Committee member Mike Macnair, who lost a bet (that the Lisbon treaty would be ratified before the end of 2009) with fellow PCC member Jack Conrad! All that comes to £180 for the week and gives us a running total for December of £380. But we need £1,000 every month and, for the first time in a while, I am a bit concerned about the slow rate at which the total is increasing.

But I am sure I can rely on our readers to help us reach our full target - it is the season of good will, after all. (Now who’s being tongue in cheek?)