IN TODAY’S edition for the first time in a long while you will find the contact details for Readers & Supporters Groups (RSGs). Is there one in your locality?  Why not contact them and see what they are up to?

The RSGs as we call them concentrate on raising the profile of the paper in their locality usually by taking the paper to labour movement events or having street stalls, and raising funds for the paper. This can be where the groups become very creative from holding Burns dinners in January, Christmas bazaars in December, having stalls at local summer fairs and events – the Morning Star will be available at the Levellers event this weekend — making goods from woolly jumpers to turned bowls and of course nothing beats just holding the cap out after a meeting.  

I was at the TSSA conference in Sheffield recently and was tipped off that the South Yorkshire RSG would be nearby holding their regular city centre paper sale. It was too good an opportunity to miss so I popped out to meet them to find out what they were up to.  If you don’t have a group nearby why not consider advertising to set one up calling on all readers nearby to come together.

We will help you all that we can.  It doesn’t have to be a huge commitment; each group manages to do what it can depending on the skills of their members at any time. 

Merseyside RSG are busy organising this year’s Pedal4Progress ride, a huge fundraising campaign for the paper, but more of that next week — I just wish to highlight the diverse talents of the groups.

Conference season has been in full swing this week with the paper being sent to both Aslef and POA conferences, next week the paper will be available to every delegate attending the Wales TUC congress and sellers have been arranged to be outside PCS conference in Brighton. 

Exposure at these events is critical to reminding the movement what an asset they have in the Morning Star but it isn’t easy to turn these often casual readers into regular buyers.  

We have to start somewhere. So whatever the opportunity, take an extra copy of the paper with you to sell it on. 

Talk to friends and family about specific articles they might fight interesting. It might not be the front page, it could be the Commie Chef or our take on sport. And encourage them to buy the paper at least once a week!