SOCIALIST CHALLENGE is this year launching a fund drive to raise f68,000. This is tasks we've ever set ourselves. So, in order to get it off to a flying start, we want to raise the first £7,000 during January.
Already our readers have shown what they can do in response to our emergency Poland appeal, which was completed in less than a week.
£68,000 may sound a lot of money, but it is, in fact, only just over half of what we need. The rest, £52,000 has to come in from sales of Socialist Challenge. What, you may ask, are we proposing to spend £120,000 on over the coming year, and how does this figure compare with last year?
In the year to actoser £38,100 in sales and £51,700 in donations — a total of £89,800. This year, we want a 30 per cent increase in both sales and donations. This may not be in line with Maggie Thatcher's desire for only 3 per cent rises but we need it to help defend the causes we've fought for in the wasL Within 12 hours of the news of the army takeover in Poland we had thrown resources into organising support for Solidarity. Challenge supporters made up a sizeable chunk of the first 500 strong picket The Xmas issue of Socialist Challenge had four extra pages and our supporters were well in evidence at the 15,000 strong demonstration through central London on 20 December. This year our campaigns in support of the Polish people will cost at least f800 a quarter.
In CND we will be fighting for the biggest possible turnout on the International Day of Action against missile madness planned for 6 JUHe. All these activities will cost us at least £800 a quarter.
The Central American solidarity organisanon ave ocb eo c tervention in Central America. A big labour movement conference is February with speakers like Scargill and Benn Hivlcu. In March demonstration in solidarity with those struggling in Central America and the Caribbean. Socialist Challenge supporters will be helping to build these activities against the lunacy of Thatcher's and Reagan's warmongering.
Last year ten hunger strikers died fighting for liberation Challenge has consistently reported on the events in Ireland. We don't expect to stop this year! Our support, including active assistance to People's Ireland itself, will cost another f600 a quarter. Socialist Challenge 7 January 1982, page 12 of the most ambitious Area 1981 we raised Total Socialist reporters being planned there will be a national Socialist supported and face treachery.
Democracy in Amount £2,540 3,840 2,320 1,400 3,420 1,840 2,280 2,900 4,936 3,992 5,476 5,108 £27,068 £68,000 don't have capitalist advertising.
political campaigns.
When we say fighting Other £5,000 a quarter. office costs and such like. • on behalf of our readers on behalf of the Laurence Scott and • on behalf of the Irish prisoners • on behalf of women in struggle • on behalf of the Bradford Twelve In short, on behalf of all the causes and struggles that Foot turns his back on.
This is where all the money goes. estimate that the production of the paper alone will cost about £77,000 next year. This will not even be covered by income from sales, and we backers, or income from On top of this we want to spend £23,000 on Socialist Challenge is a mean that because organise not just passively report.
Finally our administration will cost a furThis covers rent, rates, There are three ways that YOU can help. 1. Help us sell. Take out a subscription if you haven't got one. Take a bundle of papers to sell build up to at least six sales already sell more of course!
month. They do sellers, sending it to us.
Wl volner loca supporlels 1982 will be we need your money!
SUBSCRIBE TO SOCIALIST CHALLENGE (you can arrange this either direct with us, or through your local sellers). We want to build up a network of sellers. If you already sell try to - unless you 2. Give a regular donation. The vast bulk of our money comes from supporters who regularly pay f5, £10, f15 and in some cases even £40 a this either through local or direct to us by standing order. (Thanks to our supporters who have already responded to our appeals for standing orders you are the backbone of our finances.) 3. Become an active supporter. Get in touch with us by filling in the form in the paper and We will then put you in contact Please be patient if you live in an area where we don't yet have an organised group of supporters. We've had a lot of requests lately, and it takes time to deal with them all. It must be a sign that our message is getting through!
La year to Socialist Challenge will be there but For new readers we are offering TEN ISSUES of