UPDATE: Thanks to your unerring generosity, as usually happens at this time, we’ve now secured the sites costs for the foreseeable so we’ll unstick this post shortly (although don’t let that stop you if you were about to pull the trigger). Many of you felt able to contribute and although we can’t single out any individual donations, there were some that bordered on insanely generous and a significant boost has come from an increase in the number of recurring monthly donations that mean that there’s both regular hosting support and a fall back for the future should those recurring donations drop at any point.
Remember, the Afterword, although born out of the death throes of the Word Blog, is not affiliated to ANY outside organisation so it survives entirely on the willingness of its participants to keep..er..participating. Long may we all feel that way. THANK YOU. With a war going on and fuel costs approaching £2 a litre, now seems like the perfect time to stick out the old begging bowl.
As most of you will be aware, The Afterword site is run entirely without costs …except for our internet hosting costs. Any work involved in keeping the site up to date technically and keeping those pesky Russian and North Korean bot viruses off the site is done on a voluntary basis (and believe me they try), as is the small amount of Moderation time involved (compared to other sites, at least). No-one takes or makes any money from the site and we are an ad-free zone.
Considering the high volume of traffic, we get a great deal from our service provider on the hosting charges, but we do still have a monthly fee to meet (it costs roughly £85 a month to keep the site up and running).
Because of your previous generosity, we’ve manged to go over 4 years since we had to issue a call for Donations (we think, and doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun) , but now the site needs you to shed your donation hesitancy to top up the coffers.
Whatever you can spare will help, no matter how small the amount. To donate, please use the DONATE button at the top of the site. This will take you to a PayPal donations page but you don’t need to have a PayPal account to donate. To be clear, no one will ever be restricted from reading or contributing to the site for not being able to donate. If the timing isn’t right for you, that’s no problem.
A few top people already donate regularly by setting up small recurring monthly payments of anything from 50p upwards so that might be a good way of doing it. Entirely your call (although you’ll need a PayPal account to do it, I think)
Regrettably, there’s no way for us to acknowledge the donations individually, but rest assured all contributions to the site, financial or otherwise, help to keep it alive, make it the warm and lovely place it is and are much appreciated.
Feel really guilty it’s been four (!!) years – I will remedy that right now.
A bargain! Where else can a person get to look at lots of little coloured squares for such a low price.
You can scroll past such threads too, without their authors being any the wiser.
A bargain!
What’s a meaningful amount that keeps us chugging along with a bit of freeboard?
20 quid
40
50 ?
I believe there’s a special rate for Disc Jockeys – a grand should cover it (you’ll no doubt fiddle that through on expenses)
I do a monthly donation equal to the cost of the magazine I might buy but probably wouldn’t read. This place is better than a magazine anyway.
Just seventeen of us need to do that to keep things ticking over.
That’s what I do, too. Stupidly, I still buy the magazine. When one of them finally has to go, it’ll be the magazine that gets it in the neck. This place is worth way more to me.
Prompted by Mike H I’ve got the library app working and get Uncut, Mojo, Guitarist, Economist, Wired etc etc free via that.
Bumped up.
Done. You buy yourself something real pretty now, y’hear?
Done. Praise be The Mods.
Done. Thanks to all the volunteers.
I think contributions should be based on Wordle results. I expect a rebate.
Tried to set up a monthly donation thru PP got the try again message 3 times but I will try again and again and again and again………..’til it’s done
Hi, appreciate you trying. As well as already getting some fantastic donations (ie all of them) a couple of folks have set up new recurring donations so hopefully it will work eventually.
Done – and thanks for the timely reminder.
“High volume of traffic”? How high is high?
Done! I’ve sold my rights to Heatstrokes and Bedside Radio to finance this.
Long overdue donation made…
Done.
Cheers all.
Done. Top tip: don’t be afraid to ask again well before the funds start looking a bit low. The sheer pleasure I, and undoubtedly many others, get from this site is enormous.
Done and managed to do it monthly. I visit this place most days and rarely leave without a smile .
Done
Thank you Ainsley and others.
Donated. Thanks admins, mods, whoever you are.
Done
And that’s ‘Done’ from me too.
Congrats to the mods for sustaining us for these nigh on 15 years. Keep up the good work…”You’ve all done very well”
I tried quadruple X many times to set up a monthly donation, no joy
Lump sum donated instead
And thank you Ainsley &Co for your time and energy
Seconded
Thirded!
Fourthted.
Fifthed.
Sixth
Theventhed
Have tried again to donate but continue to get the message “Donations to this recipient aren’t supported in this country”.
I know that I have had the same issue in previous years. Tried via a UK VPN, but that doesn’t get around it – I guess it’s linked to my PayPal account.
Will be back in the UK in June, so will try then or get a relative to donate and pass them the cash.
Its weird – I can successfully donate to most UK charities via PayPal okay, so no idea why its blocked the AW (unless the AW mods know that I am simply donated to launder my ill gotten millions….. )
I get the same thing. Thinking of a way around it.
I could donate from Canada
I was able to up my Paypal standing order via my UK login.
Done, and a big thank you to the Mods
Done – thanks mods.
Ive set up a minimal monthly donation. it isnt much but Im feeling a bit poor, and because its a monthly donation I will forget about it and so over time it will accumulate into a nice pile. Seriously I have been a lurker and rare contributor to the Afterword since the magazine days and am happier knowing that such a place continues to exist.
Good to hear from you CRV.
Done. Thanks folks!
Done. Regular visitor, but The Clash had more hits than I’ve had contributions this last couple of years. I keep meaning to remedy that; maybe this’ll be the spur. And thanks aplenty to the mods and all contributors.
Sorted. Thanks Gents
.Monthly seems to be a great option, letting the Admins plan for a year rather than ad-hoc.
All done ✅ and many thanks to the Admin team for all their sterling work 👍
A modest and probably long overdue addition made to the coffers. Thanks to all who work hard to keep this such a nice place to visit.
Excellent! 🙂
Done. Wouldn’t be the same without The Afterword.
Currently rather cash-strapped, as I’m buying, taxing and insuring a new (to me) car after the weekend. I’ll bung some dosh in the pot later, when things settle down.
Very appreciative of our mods efforts.