Friends of Cuba Solidarity Campaign
Summer 2010
Please help us to continue our campaigning work, become a Friend of Cuba Solidarity Campaign today
An appeal by CSC Director Rob MillerAt its Annual General Meeting in June 2010, CSC launched a new initiative ‘Friend of Cuba Solidarity Campaign’ to help with the ongoing campaigning work of the organisation. Many people have already signed up as well as a number of trade union organisations, and I hope that after reading this article other supporter will consider joining too.
Becoming a ‘Friend of Cuba Solidarity Campaign’ is a great way of supporting Cuba. You will be contributing to the core work of CSC, directly helping our efforts to defend Cuba’s sovereignty and campaign against the illegal US blockade.
As a campaigning organisation CSC receives no grants and relies completely on fundraising and the generosity of our supporters. I hope that you will agree that we generally do an excellent job of raising funds and awareness for special projects, specific campaigns and for material aid projects in Cuba, such as over £26,000 for Cuban doctors working in Haiti. But as I am sure you are aware it is so much more difficult to raise funds to cover those everyday costs involved in running an organisation like CSC, such as office administration, staffing, phonecalls and postage.
That is why we are appealing directly to you, our existing members and friends, to ask if you would now consider becoming a ‘Friend of Cuba’.
‘Friends of Cuba’ will receive free annual membership of CSC as well as a 20% discount on all CSC sales and resources, special invitations to ‘partner’ events such as the Cuban National Ballet, and invitations to special concerts and films. We will also send a ‘Friends Christmas pack’ once a year with a special selection of goods from our sales catalogue.
We need 100 people to join us in this exciting new project. One hundred special supporters to help us with this guaranteed core funding that is so essential for our work.
We are asking a ‘Friend of Cuba Solidarity Campaign’ to contribute a minimun of £200 per year. I know this is a lot of money to ask, but I also know that we have to ask in the hope that some people will be able to help us in this way. At the end of the day, all of us in the Cuba Solidarity Campaign do a great job of solidarity with Cuba. I believe that we run an effective campaign against the blockade and in defence of Cuba’s sovereignty.
We have also been at the forefront of the campaign for justice for the Miami Five. As Olga Salanueva, wife of Rene Gonzalez one of the Miami Five, said
“It was CSC that was one of the first amongst the international solidarity campaigns to offer its support. CSC was the first to work with parliamentarians and Trade Unions on the issue and it was CSC that encouraged us to work with Amnesty International on the campaign.”
We need your help now to continue our campaigning work effectively. Please do consider becoming a Friend of Cuba Solidarity Campaign. We have enclosed a form with this edition of CubaSí, or you can get one by contacting the national office.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly to discuss this initiative on 0208 800 0155 or director@cuba-solidarity.org.uk
I look forward to hearing from you, and I look forward to you joining us as a ‘Friend of Cuba Solidarity Campaign’.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all Cuba Solidarity Campaign members and affiliates for their steadfast support for Cuba and CSC over the years.
Rob Miller
Director
Friend of Cuba Solidarity Campaign supporters
Benjamin Zephaniah, poet
“I am a proud patron of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign and I am a proud friend of Cuba. We do what we do to support a small nation that is fighting to defend its sovereignty. We do what we do to gain justice for the Miami Five, to help with hurricane relief, and to support Cuban medical teams wherever they go in the world. Join us. Help us to continue this work. We need you because the Cuban people need us. Please support our work. Any Friend of Cuba is a friend of mine”
Angela Smith, former minister
“I am proud to be a member of the ‘Friends of Cuba’. It is a direct and effective way of helping the people of Cuba. By supporting the campaigning work of CSC we can together make a real difference in our efforts to defend Cuba against the ongoing threat posed by those who want to see an end to the social gains of the Revolution.
Campaigning work costs money and it is vitally important to ensure that CSC has the regular income to maintain its ability to campaign for Cuba, against the blockade and in support of the Miami Five.
I urge you to join and look forward to seeing you at ‘Friends’ events in the future”
Tony Benn
“Cuba has inspired millions across the world who are still living in poor conditions enforced by US policies. We all have so much to learn from Cuba. I urge you if you can to support ‘Friends of Cuba’.
Keith Sonnet, CSC Chair and Deputy General Secretary Unison
“For many years CSC has done an excellent job of campaigning for Cuba. It has also raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for material aid projects in Cuba and beyond such as the hurricane relief effort and over £20,000 for the Cuban medical teams in Haiti. But CSC also needs core funding - a regular income to make sure that such work continues. ‘Friends of Cuba’ is a great idea and a fabulous way to support the ongoing work of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign. Please join us if you can”
