Taking heart from the inspiring reports from the Glasgow stall, Wolverhampton Communists held a Freshers Fayre stall at Wolverhampton University.
Requiring 10 signatures ( and four weeks to obtain them) we started our signature collection campaign on 16th September 2008 at 11am ( no need for an early start – it is students!). Placing out our publicity on the smallest table I have ever seen, we sat with hope, anticipation and a dose of pessimism (if that combination is possible). Anyway, hoping for around half a dozen signatures, with the remainder to be collected over the next 4 weeks, we waited. Within 20 minutes our first signature was obtained, a comrade from Norway.
At this point, we were able to open up the second front by sequestrating the adjoining table (the Mauritian Society never turned up) and we displayed much more publicity.
An hour later we had 6 signatures, by lunchtime 11, and when wrapping up at 3.30pm we had collected 19 signatures and become an official Wolverhampton Communist Students Society. Success!
When is the first meeting? was the cry. What campaigns are you involved in? They demanded to know. We took this opportunity to distribute the Communist Parties leaflets and petition opposing the fuel rises and calling for nationalisation. Numerous leaflets, booklets, pens and other freebies were distributed. However, for all those students who signed up to establish a Communist Students Society, they each received a complimentary copy of the highly recommended DVD The Revolution Will not be Televised. Only one student of the 19 had previously seen it and I suspect a public viewing with a speaker will soon follow.
All in all, an excellent, invigorating and productive day which not only gets new enquiries, but also re-charges the batteries. I highly recommend undertaking more stalls. Many thanks for all the help offered by the YCL, much needed for all us old men in Wolverhampton.
Andy Goodall
Wolverhampton Communist Branch Secretary |
