THE newly formed People’s Republic of Brighton and Hove group is to sell merchandise as part of a fundraising drive.

T-shirts, badges, stickers and passport holders are all in the production pipeline for the republic, which was formed immediately after this month’s general election.

Organisers have said the money will go towards Liberty, FareShare and the Brighton Open Air Theatre.

They aim to support groups working in areas such as civil rights, poverty and the arts that the UK government is “trying to undermine”.

The group has announced three events planned for the near future starting with the Official Peripatetic Picnic in Preston Park on Sunday from 1pm.

This will be followed by the People’s Republic Singalong at Latest Music Bar in Manchester Street on Thursday, June 4 at 7.30pm, costing £5 a night with all proceeds going to Brighton Open Air Theatre. There will be a cabaret night at the Rialto Theatre in Dyke Road on Saturday, July 4.

A demo of the republic’s national anthem has also been made with plans to have it recorded by a local choir for wider release.

The group now has more than 15,000 members and has received messages of support from city MPs Caroline Lucas and Peter Kyle.

The republic is keen for residents to form sub-groups around potential campaigns and have started to receive requests from group members with expertise to become republic ministers.

Peter Styles, minister for miscommunication, said: “This started as a joke and is rapidly becoming something which actually improves the quality of lives on the ground.

“A significant amount of money has been raised, as well as people’s spirits.”

The Brighton Open Air Theatre, which the group is raising money for, was the dream of writer and producer Adrian Bunting, right, who died of cancer aged 47 in May 2013.