I WROTE a few weeks ago about the need to increase sales of the paper to ensure that the Morning Star continues to thrive and survive.  

Coincidentally on the day of the article I had been asked to speak at a meeting of readers and supporters in Scotland to discuss that very issue.  

Scotland has lifted the baton and taken on the challenge to find 100 new daily readers or the equivalent of £20,000 in a mixture of digital/paper sales.  

Readers and Supporters Groups are the ambassadors of the paper and will be pivotal in the success of this campaign. 

It’s the members of these groups who go out into their communities. Many will be active in their trade union and possibly attend trade council meetings.  

Do ensure that whenever you attend a meeting you have a copy of the paper with you.  

Nothing works better than having a copy in your hand to show an article to someone and to mention that no other daily paper would be covering the story with the same angle — supporting the workers. 

Surprisingly, I attended a community cinema in Crawley and managed to sell a copy of the paper to an intermittent reader, one I hope to convince to become more regular.  

If your meetings are online, mention the paper in chat, share relevant articles especially the subscribe to the Morning Star website link: www.morningstaronline.co.uk/subscribe.

This weekend, the paper will be available at the cost-of-living crisis demos organised by the People’s Assembly.  

Several groups responded to our offer of free papers — a great opportunity for new readers to pick up the paper possibly for the first time.  

There’s no better advertisement for the paper than to get it into people’s hands.  

Back to Scotland where Unison has provided the paper to delegates attending conferences over the last two days, thank you for this support.  

Readers in south-west England are staffing a stall with papers at the South West Region TUC AGM — once again, potentially getting the papers into new hands and reminding past readers what they are missing by not reading it regularly.  

Are you involved in a Readers and Supporters Group? Let’s get talking to each other. Contact either myself (bernadettekeaveney@peoples-press.com) or Calvin Tucker (calvintucker@peoples-press.com) in campaigns to see how we can help each other in promoting Reach for the Star in your area.

To subscribe to the printed paper or digital edition visit www.morningstaronline.co.uk/subscribe. Find out more about home newspaper delivery at www.newsteamgroup.co.uk/morningstar or by emailing orders@newsteamgroup.co.uk or phoning 01782 959-532.