This is a registered charity which was originally set up privately with significant help from the former Wiltshire County Council and Malmesbury Town Council. It was built on the pioneering work of the Barnes Trust – a council trust which administered the money bequeathed by the late Mr C H Barnes. Mr Barnes, a Malmesbury man, died in 1978. His trustees raised further money for many local purposes, including the first minibus for the handicapped. After complying with lengthy legal requirements, the residue from the trust funds formed the opening balance of the new charity – Malmesbury Community Trust.

The trust is administered by nine trustees and the Clerk to the Trustees. The trustees meet normally four times a year to discuss policy and consider bids for grants from the charity.

The aim of the charity is to allocate sums of money from the charity to those in need in Malmesbury and the surrounding villages. The funds are intended, primarily, to benefit the elderly according to the following priorities:

Priority one - A life-threatening emergency. In such case the clerk and two trustees can agree an immediate grant up to £500.
Priority two -   The elderly and other vulnerable individuals.
Priority three - Institutions for the elderly.
Priority four -  Deserving projects within the community.

An application form can be obtained from Phil Rice - the clerk to the trustees who is. You can contact him on 01666 824007 / 07979 694981 or philrice@lineone.net