The Malling Memorial Institute Sometimes known as The Clout or Clout Institute Registered Charity Number: 302878 ## Annual Report and Financial Statements For the year ended 31 December 2024 ## Chair The Rev David Green The Vicarage 138 High Street West Malling ME19 6NE ## Banking: The NatWest Bank The CAF Bank 3 High Street 25 Kings Hill Avenue Maidstone Kings Hill Kent Kent ME14 1HJ ME19 4JQ ## : Independent Examiner Mr Andrew Cornish 10 King Street, West Malling, ME19 6QT 1 Malling Memorial Institute - Annual Report 2024 ## The Malling Memorial Institute ## Annual Report January to December 2024 ## Reference and administrative information ## Background The Malling Memorial Institute was officially opened as a building in 1908. Established by Albert Clout in memory of his late brother Richard, the Clout Building (as often known) was used as a venue for children and youth with a club for boys on certain evenings, a library on the ground floor and a shooting range in the wooden hut behind the building. The stated aims and purposes of the MMI were for: “the intellectual and physical improvement and recreation of the youth of West Malling and near neighbourhood, and also to support the propagation among them of the principles of the Established Church of England (it being distinctly understood that persons benefitting by the Institute need not necessarily belong to the Church of England).” Today, the Charity advances its objects by using the Clout Building for offices which are rented at competitive market rates and thus provide an income to the Charity to both maintain the building (which is listed Grade II) as our primary asset and source of income, but also and chiefly to make grants to local projects and individuals that are seeking to support children and young people, or by making grants directly to the children and young people themselves. We seek to make grants to children and young people, individuals or projects that support their intellectual, emotional or physical improvement and recreation, and/or the propagation amongst them of the principles of the Christian faith as expressed by the Church of England. While the project or individual in receipt of grants does not need to be based in the locality, the children and young people who benefit from such activities must be resident either in the ecclesiastical Parish of West Malling or, as a secondary object, the parishes of the Malling Deanery. ## Trustees During the year, the following served as Trustees: Chair: The Rev’d David Green until 11 September 2024 Hon. Secretary Ms Pippa Blythe Hon. Treasurer Mrs Lesley Bays Trustees Mrs Clare Innes (Churchwarden, St Mary’s) Mrs Jane Field from 16 November 2023 Mr John Musker Contact details 2 Malling Memorial Institute - Annual Report 2024 Correspondence is addressed to: The Hon Secretary, Malling Memorial Institute, c/o The Vicarage, 138 High Street, West Malling, ME19 6NE. ## Banking with: NatWest Bank Ltd, 3 High Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1HJ and CAF Bank, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4JQ. ## Independent examiner: Mr Andrew Cornish, 10 King Street, West Malling, ME19 6QT ## Structure, governance and management The Malling Memorial Institute is a corporate body governed by Trust Deed and registered as a charity with the Charity Commission. The appointment of new Trustees is made in line with the Principal Deed, dated 10 February 1909 and made between Albert Clout (1) and Arthur William Lawson, George Watts Stockley, John Tolhurst Mittell, Samuel Lee Smith, Charles Bertram Mercer, James Brennan and Frederick John Allison (2) and subsequent Deeds of Appointment which are more particularly described in a Deed of Appointment made 16 May 1973. ## Trustees, Committee and Property The premises of the Institute and the property thereof are vested in the Trustees by Deed of Grant from Mr Albert Clout. The Trustees are Mr. Clout during his life, with the Vicar and Churchwardens of West Malling, and four other Trustees. The Trustees elect the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer each year. The Committee met three times in 2023. The Charity operates through a Standing Committee between full meetings of the Trustees. This is the only committee required by law. It consists of the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. Standing Committee decisions, where required, are reported back to full Trustee meetings. ## Risk management Policies already in place include Financial Policy and Procedures and, in regard to our building, Fire Risk Assessment and Booking Procedures are in place. The Malling Memorial Institute makes grants to third-party activities involving children and young people. However we do not work directly with either children or vulnerable adults. All organisations who make grant applications are asked to confirm whether they have Safeguarding Policies and their own Public Liability Insurance in place. ## Objectives and activities ## Aims and objectives The Malling Memorial Institute’s Indenture dated 10th February 1909 sets out the aims and objectives of the charity in managing the Grade II listed building, the Malling Memorial Institute, located at 9 High Street, West Malling, ME19 6QH. The building is to be used for “the intellectual and physical improvement and recreation chiefly of the youth of West Malling aforesaid and the neighbourhood thereof and for the propagation among them of the principles of the Established Church of England.” 3 Malling Memorial Institute - Annual Report 2024 ## Main activities While the Malling Memorial Institute building was used historically as a centre for youth activity and training, in the modern era the building has been equipped for use as office space and public meeting rooms for hire, which together bring the charity a regular income. From this regular income, the building is managed and maintained and grants are made to projects whose stated aims align with our charity’s stated aims and objectives; namely that they are projects or opportunities for children and young people in West Malling and the surrounding area, and they must either be for their intellectual or physical improvement or recreation and/or for the propagation of the principles of the Christian faith amongst them. It is understood that those benefitting from grants do not need to be members of the Church of England in order to apply for assistance. Grants can be made to young people directly (for example enabling a young person to take part in an outward bounds excursion by funding or part-funding their place), or to organisations (for example, a local uniform organization) seeking funding for new resources). In all that we do, the Trustees seek to have regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. ## Achievements and performance ## Management of the building In 2024 all five office spaces were rented consistently. The Public Hire Rooms level of use had been impacted negatively by Covid. However, during 2024, the number of bookings began to improve, though still not back to the pre-pandemic level. As a result, the Charity’s income is affected more positively. Some work continued to be carried out on the maintenance and renovation of the fabric. Fortunately, an insurance payment financed some vital repairs. Overall the charity operated at a surplus in 2024 (see financial report for more information). ## Grants During 2024, a total of £4,060 was paid out by the Malling Memorial Institute in grants,to applicants who met the criteria for eligibility (2023: £5,947). The reduction in grant making was down to a more challenging financial climate in which we had to be more careful with the organisation’s resources. We also received fewer grant applications than in previous years. Grants were made to individual young persons and organisations working with children and young people in West Malling and the surrounding area. The grants made were as follows: West Malling PCC £2,000 to assist in the tuition of Choral Scholars, aged 15-18 4 Malling Memorial Institute - Annual Report 2024 Music at Malling Festival £1,000 for their outreach in music education to local schools West Malling CEP School Year Six trip 2024 to Kingswood £600 Kings Hill Girl’s Brigade £460 towards the cost of a weekend camp for twenty three children. ## Public Benefit In the information provided on this page of the Annual Report, the Trustees have profiled the achievements and performance of the Malling Memorial Institute, which enable us to meet the criteria of public benefit. ## Financial Report ## Reserves policy It is the Trustees’ policy to maintain a balance on unrestricted funds, if possible, of at least £10,000 or 12 months’ running and repair costs; whichever is the greater of those two sums, in order to cover emergency situations which may arise from time to time. During 2024, that target was met consistently. ## Financial performance in 2024 The Malling Memorial Institute’s financial affairs in 2024 showed a surplus of income of £7,480.77 The Total Income was £37,541.30, including an insurance claim of £7,790 (2023: £24,297.55) with most of the income received from rental of the office suites. There was complete occupancy for the year. The number of regular and occasional hires of the public room increased in 2024, with an income of £4,475, compared to £2,298 in 2023. The income from public room bookings is gradually returning back up to pre-Covid levels. The Total Costs amounted to £30,060.53 (2023: £27,638.92). Expenditure on several costly repairs and some refurbishment to the buildings was £14,620. Fortunately, slightly more than half of this amount was financed by the insurance payment (Costs in 2023: £10,496). In addition, there were the regular running costs. Gas and electricity tariffs were again expensive, with total payments of £4,662.17 (2023: £4,686.37), compared to £2,350 in 2022. Grants were given away to the value of £4,060. By year end the reserves had increased by £7,480.77 to £29,770.47 ## Serious incidents The Trustees report that in the year ending 31 December 2024, there were no serious incidents or other matters that should have been reported to the Charity Commission but were not. 5 Malling Memorial Institute - Annual Report 2024 This Trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report. It was approved by the Trustees on Thursday 2 October 2025 and signed on their behalf by Clare Innes Mrs Clare A Innes (Chair) 6 Malling Mernorial Institute- Annual Report 2024 The Malling Memorlal Institute 1876. 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