Volunteers and community groups to take centre stage at area board

Next month’s meeting of the Marlborough Area Board will showcase the support that is available for the area’s voluntary and community groups.  The meeting will be preceded by a “market place” of stalls and displays from local groups.

Meeting in Marlborough’s Town Hall on Tuesday, September 25, the board’s normal business will be compressed to allow representatives of support organisations to explain how they can help local groups.

The Town Hall will be open from six o’clock to give people time to visit the “market place” before the meeting begins at seven o’clock.

Among those taking part in this special edition of the Area Board’s series of bi-monthly meetings will be:

•    Sandie Lewis from Wiltshire Council’s Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Support Unit.

•    Simone Lord from GROW and Wiltshire Volunteer Centre. GROW is funded by the Council for the benefit of Wiltshire communities.

•    Ellie Townsend from the Spice Time Credits Initiative will talk about recruiting and rewarding new volunteers.

•    Christine Alexander who is the Aster Communities Development Facilitator.

•    Emma Cooper of Wiltshire Council’s VCS Support Unit will talk about tackling financial exclusion.

•    Sarah Cosentino who works for Wiltshire Council’s Digital Literacy scheme will explain how volunteer Digital Literacy Champions can be recruited.

•    And Andrew Jack, the Marlborough Area Board manager will spell out how groups can apply for Community Area Grants.

The meeting will also hear from two Wiltshire Council representatives: Cabinet Member Councillor Lionel Grundy on the success of recruiting volunteers to help at Wiltshire’s libraries. And Laurie Bell, the service director for communications, will talk on maintaining the legacy of London 2012.

There has been some criticism locally of the poor response in the area to the recent Join in Local Sport campaign.  So this will be a chance to question the council on its plans for the future of development of sports opportunities for the area.

For further information about this Area Board meeting contact Andrew Jack on 01225 713109 or Andrew.Jack@wiltshire.gov.uk