 The Trust was formed in 2001 at the AGM of the New Mechanics' Institution Preservation Trust, a group with the primary aim of preventing the destruction and disuse of Swindon Mechanics' Institute, and since then it has become a vocal campaigner in the town for a variety of topics.The Civic Trust applied for registered charity status in 2002.Operating under the motto "Working together to create a better Swindon", the trust issued questionnaires to all candidates for the 2006 local elections to be held in May, canvassing them on their views of how to improve, develop and promote Swindon and published the answers on their website.