As national organiser Mark Fischer reports elsewhere in this paper, the CPGB’s Summer Offensive annual fundraising drive begins on June 18 (‘£25k in two months’).

At its very centre will be the drive to put the Weekly Worker on a firmer financial footing - in particular by increasing our regular monthly income. So until the back end of August, when the SO ends, it will be Mark reporting on all the cash raised - including the money coming in to our paper.

Talking of regular monthly income, last week I stressed the urgent need to increase the number and size of the standing orders paid to the Weekly Worker. We are aiming for an extra £300 per month as a minimum. I am pleased to say that within days three comrades had responded by either upping their existing standing order or taking out a new one. Comrade SB emailed us to say she has arranged a £10 monthly payment directly with her bank, while comrade DW is rather more modest: he doubled his standing order to £20, but was too shy to tell us about it! Meanwhile, comrade BP has raised his quarterly payment by a fiver - all of which translates into an extra £22 per month.

But back to June’s fighting fund, which ends as the Summer Offensive gets underway. It was boosted by the £120 in current standing orders that landed in the Weekly Worker account over the last seven days. Then there were two donations received via our website - thank you, EL (£25) and PP, who donated £20 (we had 10,639 visitors last week, by the way). Finally, a cheque from GJ took our total for June to £472.

You will be hearing a lot about the Weekly Worker standing order campaign from comrade Fischer between now and the end of the SO. See you then!