Tower and Town, March 2019

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Marlborough Area Development Trust

So, what exactly is the Trust and how did it come about?

Marlborough Area Development Trust was formed in 2000, as 'a non-profit-making voluntary organisation working in, with and for the community'. Kennet District Council wanted to support community groups financially and to facilitate projects. There weren't many charity-type models to choose from, so we plumped for the Development Trust concept with a formal constitution and a board of directors.

And what does it do?

There are two kinds of project MADT facilitates. The first are those that are brought to us by other groups or individuals in the community who have a great idea but need help to make it happen - we have worked in partnership with Action for the River Kennet (ARK) for example. The second type of project is the home-grown variety that comes from within the board or membership of MADT. Examples from the past include setting up an online business directory when the TIC was closed down and introducing the popular Free WiFi service for Marlborough High Street.

What are the sort of things that you are currently working on?

Our main focus currently is developing support for 'Digital Making' (see separate web site at www.makerspace.marlborougharea.org). We are entering an age driven by a range of new technologies. Equipping both adults and young people for this changing society and world of work is therefore becoming ever more vital, especially in the context of essential digital skills. We have two key strands of activity: developing support and resources to encourage the combination of new digital technologies with craft and engineering expertise - with a long-term aim to develop a local 'Makerspace' as a key resource; providing Digital Making education support for both adults and under-18's, much of which is happening in collaboration with youngsters and staff at St John's.

By way of example, this work has included running meetings of a Marlborough Maker Group where interested individuals can meet and share their digital making ideas, and developing and selling online low-cost Digital Making Kits.

And what of the future?

An economically thriving and socially cohesive community of the future will need to accept and embrace the rise of new technologies. This focus of our current activity hopes to raise the profile of digital making and get more people involved.

Martin Cook

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