• The UK’s most popular newsbrand creates £1m fund for readers to nominate the good causes closest to their heart

• The people’s paper launches a year-long Sun 50 celebration of ordinary people doing extraordinary things

The Sun was born as a tabloid on 17 November, 1969. That day it pledged that it would be ‘The paper that cares about people. About the kind of world we live in. And about the kind of world we would like our children to live in’.

‘Above all,’ it wrote, ‘The Sun is on the side of the people.’

As it celebrates its 50th birthday, Britain’s best-selling paper launches a major new campaign, inviting readers to nominate the charities that mean the most to them, for the chance to share in a £1m year-long Reader Fund giveaway.

Tony Gallagher, Editor-in-Chief of The Sun, said: “Our strength has always been our ability to mobilise our army of millions of readers to get behind the campaigns that are important to them. They have been enormously generous over the years, from knitting blankets to donating their hard-earned cash. By our best estimate, our readers have raised around £100m supporting our good causes.

“On our 50th Birthday, we are proud to be launching a £1m Reader Fund, inviting them to nominate the charities closest to their heart to receive donations across the coming year. It’s our way of saying, ‘Thanks a million’.”

Nominations will be welcomed from readers across the UK, with particular focus on six charitable areas: Children and Young People, Health and Wellbeing, Veterans, Emergency Heroes, International Aid and Animals and The Environment.

Nominations will be longlisted by The Sun’s editorial team, before approaches are made to the charities to apply for funds for a specific project which could earn them a grant of anything between £2,000 and £20,000, and maybe even more...

Sun columnist and TV presenter Jane Moore will be fronting The Sun50 Reader Fund campaign.

Jane said: “Since 1969, The Sun has been the people’s paper. Standing up for ordinary folk, and shining a spotlight on the extraordinary things they’re capable of achieving for themselves, their loved ones and their communities.

“Across the last five decades The Sun has proudly championed the causes its readers care about - from finding forever families for vulnerable children to changing the law to ensure victims of domestic abuse are provided with safe accommodation. The Sun50 Reader Fund is undoubtedly going to create a whole new generation of inspirational stories as readers nominate the charities that have touched their lives.”

The final recipients will be chosen by a panel of famous faces from The Sun, including Jane Moore, the nation’s agony aunt, Deidre Sanders, political columnist Trevor Kavanagh, legendary Royal photographer Arthur Edwards, Executive Editor Dan Wootton, The Sun’s General Manager Jo Bucci and Help for Heroes spokesman Derek Derenalagi.

Rebekah Brooks, News UK Chief Executive, said: “For 50 years The Sun has been at the heart of the nation’s conversation. As the people’s paper, it has never relented in campaigning against injustices, holding the powerful to account and giving a voice to the voiceless. Always with some fun and wit along the way. I’m excited that The Sun celebrates its 50th birthday as it began, celebrating ordinary people doing extraordinary things.”

The Sun is the UK’s best-selling daily newspaper, read by 2.6m people daily - while The Sun on Sunday is the biggest-selling Sunday newspaper, selling over one million copies.

Digitally, The Sun has topped the online newspaper charts for four consecutive months. More than 33.5 million Brits turned to The Sun’s family of websites and apps for news, showbiz and sport in September.

Readers can nominate their favourite charities to be part of the Sun50 £1m Reader Fund by going to www.thesun.co.uk/50.