Tower and Town, April 2024 (view the full edition)2023 MAPAG Report(Marlborough Area Poverty Action Group) It is over 10 years since the first meeting of MAPAG, when a group of us met to try to find out poverty levels in the area and to discuss ways in which to alleviate this deprivation. We discovered that Devizes Foodbank had recently set up a weekly coffee morning in the former Christchurch building for distribution of food boxes, offering advice on organisations that may be able to help individuals and families. We continue to network with others who share our aims, namely Love Marlborough Kids Meals, the Community Fridge and Marlborough Area Board. We also attend meetings of the recently established Marlborough Community Support Forum. We are now reverting to 'in person' meetings with partner agencies and other supporters. These are planned for 3 a year; agencies involved consider them valuable for informal networking. We are less involved in holiday activity programmes as Wiltshire Council are now running a programme called FUEL at the Youth and Community centre, providing fun activities and a hot meal during the school holidays. This is free to children where the family is in receipt of benefits. MAPAG continues to support individual children where there is an identified need. This also includes some who are not eligible for free provision. The summer outings have been a great success. This year we spent a day in Weston- Super -Mare and another in the Cotswold Wildlife Park. The feedback was very positive and we hope to arrange three next summer. At Christmas we were able to provide Tesco vouchers for 40 families, distributed through Marlborough St. Mary's Primary School, Preshute School and Kids Meals. For the first time The Parade cinema addition donated vouchers to MAPAG which were given to families so they could experience a Christmas outing together. The Trustees continue to respond to one off applications for funding for particular needs of vulnerable families. Thank you to all who have so generously made donations and made the above possible. We make good use of our Facebook page, ably managed by Claire Humphries. Caroline Thomas, our valued treasurer has worked hard to secure funding through the Marlborough Youth Forum to get a Youth worker in place at the Youth Centre. Sadly our former treasurer, Juliette Plank died at the end of 2023. She was very committed to MAPAG and will be sorely missed. Rachel Rosedale |