by Ken Ferguson, Voice editor, and Christine McVicar, distribution organiser
The Scottish Socialist Voice is the only socialist paper written, published and printed in Scotland and has, since 1996, both reported the news and played a significant role in mobilising activity in struggles such as the anti-war movement, the Yes campaign and the ongoing anti-austerity movement.
With the growth in SSP membership in the wake of the indyref we have also expanded the print run of the Voice to ensure that each and every branch of the party can receive supplies of the paper for sale as a key part of their activity.
This expansion is to be greatly welcomed but, as always, it also poses great challenges to those currently part of the team which both produces and, crucially, distributes the Voice to those party activists whose work in selling the paper is absolutely central to our work. That’s why we are making this appeal to Voice readers and SSP members for your help with this work.
Specifically we are keen to meet comrades who would like to write for the Voice or help with the key task of distributing our paper to the growing and widely spread network of branches and ensure that the Voice is sold at both our own stalls but also at public events organised by all parts of the broad progressive movement.
Optimally the work of ensuring the Voice is available for sale would be best achieved by branches agreeing to appoint a Voice organiser who can be an easy point of contact on this key part of our work.
Alongside this we are seeking comrades, in particular women, to help us expand our pool of writers in order to both broaden our coverage and increase the areas we are able to cover.
In particular we need to better reflect and report on the vibrant currents of youth and feminism on our pages and give serious coverage to developments among Scotland’s ethnic communities. The writing opportunities include news features on issues, reviews of event, films books etc or opinion pieces on current issues. Some comrades are understandably nervous about writing but we are happy to offer help and guidance in this process.
These are historic and exciting times for left politics, the ideas of socialism, equality and the future of the planet. The Voice has a key role in reporting and developing these debates and we hope you can help us do that.
• Please email Ken at: kenferguson864@gmail.com or Christine at: christinemcvicar@gmail.com– alternatively, contact Jim McVicar on 07810 205747