Skinners' Malmesbury Foundation

The Skinners' Malmesbury Foundation, established in 1996 by the Skinners' Company with an initial £200,000 endowment from the 6th Earl of Malmesbury, embodied the livery company's centuries-old philanthropic tradition of advancing educational opportunities for children and young people. Rooted in values of stewardship, inclusivity, and long-term community benefit, it focused on sustaining voluntary aided schools—primarily within the Skinners' group—as anchors of educational excellence, drawing from historic endowments, Company gifts, and bequests like the Simkin legacy. In March 2025, following a strategic review, its assets and mission were consolidated into the new Skinners' Education Foundation to enhance efficiency while preserving its core ethos.

The Foundation funded core educational provision, school development, administrative/governance costs, and capital needs for pre-selected schools, benefiting pupils, staff, and local communities through sustained institutional support rather than short-term projects. Priorities centered on multi-generational access to quality education in Hackney and Kent regions, including Tonbridge and Malling, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Maidstone, Tandridge, and Mid Sussex.

Eligible entities were exclusively academic institutions—medium-to-large voluntary aided schools affiliated with the Skinners' Company in specified geographies; unsolicited applications were not accepted, with grants decided internally by trustees. Typical awards ranged from £50,000 to £1,000,000 annually, aligned with the June financial year-end, without public deadlines or processes.

Distinctive for its non-competitive, legacy-driven model tied to livery oversight and no support for external charities, projects, seed funding, emergencies, or small grassroots groups, it exemplified targeted, stewardship-focused philanthropy. Post-consolidation, prospective partners should contact the Skinners' Education Foundation.