Community Sandbox Events

UPCOMING EVENTS

Being an en.wiki admin

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be an admin on Wikipedia? Or been interested in becoming one, but are unsure of the process, or what to expect?

In this session we’ll be talking all about adminship – what it involves, what the process for becoming an admin is like, what kind of commitment it involves, and what the best and most challenging bits are. We recorded an interview with Harry Mitchell, longstanding Wikimedian and en.wiki administrator, and we’ll be screening that interview, as well as having a live Q&A with Harry on the day!

So if you’ve got questions, or are just interested to hear more about what it’s like to have extended rights on-wiki, please join us!

HARRY MITCHELL

25 Jan 2026 | 1 pm

Duration: 1 hr

Register Here →

About Harry Mitchell

Harry Mitchell is an en.wiki admin who does a lot of anti-vandalism work, and is both an administrator and an oversighter.  He’s been an admin for over 15 years, and when he’s not doing that, he’s editing about “military history, architecture, and anything else that piques [his] interest.”

PAST EVENTS

Wikisource Transcribe-a-thon

This event will introduce Wikisource: a community that is building a huge library of freely available texts. Together we will transcribe a pamphlet or paper and explore how 1) contributing to Wikisource can be a rewarding hobby and 2) how transcribe-a-thon events can be part of a campaign to highlight kinds of literature and knowledge.

DR MARTIN POULTER

20 Nov | 6 pm

Duration: 2 hrs

Register Here →

Watch

About Dr. Martin Poulter

Dr. Martin Poulter is a trainer for Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikisource who helps professionals, students, and newcomers to share open knowledge. He has held Wikimedia-related placements at the Khalili Foundation, the Bodleian Libraries and the educational charity Jisc.

Wikimedia projects and smell-related content: ideas on where, how, and why to add it

Mulled wine and oranges, the piney scent of indoor spruce, cloves and other spices … no it’s not a description of a new scented candle, but some of the smells that come to mind for people who celebrate Christmas in the UK! Join editor Lucy Moore a Seasonal Sandbox Session to explore how smell-related information can enrich Wikimedia Commons and Wikidata!

The session will involve a short introduction to why olfactory experiences are essential for human knowledge, as well as demonstrations of how to add scent and smell to Wikidata, and ways to incorporate it into Wikimedia Commons. The session also includes open time for editing, using either a suggested list or your own ideas. Incorporating smell-related data is not widely used across projects yet, so there’s lots of potential for new ideas and contributions. Interested? You can find more information here and here, or on this TikTok.

LUCY MOORE

10 Dec | 6 pm

Duration: 1.5 hrs

Register Here →

About Lucy Moore

Lucy Moore is an experienced Wikipedia editor, who mostly edits about women. She got interested in smell in 2023 and has been promoting its inclusion in Wikimedia projects since then. You can see her describe some of her editing here.

Using Duplicity: Create Missing Wikidata Items From Wikipedia

This session will introduce the Wikidata tool Duplicity, which helps identify Wikipedia articles that do not have a Wikidata item, and match them to an existing item or create a new one.

Participants will learn how Wikipedia and Wikidata are connected, how to use the Duplicity tool to find missing Wikidata items, how to create accurate, well-sourced items directly from the tool, and best practices for item creation and linking articles across projects.

The session will be hands-on and beginner-friendly, with time to explore the tool together and make real contributions. It’s ideal for editors who are curious about Wikidata but unsure where to start, or for anyone who wants to improve Wikidata coverage using content that already exists in English Wikipedia.

JOSEF ANTHONY

30 Aug | 5pm (UTC+1)

Duration: 1 hr

Register Here →

Watch

About Joseph Anthony

Josef Anthony is a Wikimedia volunteer and contributor with experience in Wikidata, Wikipedia, and technical projects within the Wikimedia movement.

How To Calmly Edit In Controversial Areas

Editing in controversial areas can be daunting. In this session, I’ll talk about strategies to avoid conflict, bring these articles through the ‘good article’ or ‘featured article’ process and if conflict does arise, which dispute resolution process works best at resolving the issues. Examples will be drawn from climate and health-related editing.

FEMKE NJISE

6 Sep | 11 am

Duration: 1 hr

Register Here →

Watch

About Femke Njise

Femke Nijsse is an experienced editor who has worked on a range of tricky and sometimes controversial topics, from climate change and net zero to contested illnesses. She’s helped several of these articles make it through the Good Article and Featured Article processes.

Wikimedia UK joins forces with Black Cultural Archives to enhance access and knowledge sharing of Black British history

The Wikimedia Foundation has confirmed the six grantees for its final round of grants under The Equity Fund. Having all been previously supported, the chosen organisations will each receive a final “top up grant” to further deepen their work with the movement, and enable their work to help connect and strengthen the Wikimedia projects.

Wikimedia Foundation Equity Fund Grantees

The six grantees are:

  1. The Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN)
  2. Black Cultural Archives (BCA)
  3. Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ)
  4. Create Caribbean
  5. International Centre For Journalists (ICFJ)
  6. The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

Connected Grants

Alongside the six grants, the Foundation will also be providing “Connected Grants” to movement organisations who will pair closely and collaborate with one of the grantees.This connected grant would be a one-year grant to support your group’s collaboration and work with the grantee, including how they can best connect with and get their knowledge equity focused work on the Wikimedia projects.

Wikimedia UK is delighted to be paired with the Black Cultural Archives (BCA), a vital custodian of Black British history, driven by passion, sustained through challenges, and uplifted by community. We will support by:

  • Providing expertise and networks to amplify BCA’s work
  • Offering insights into best practices to help refine BCA’s methods
  • Promoting BCA’s’ open-access resources while helping the organisation develop a sustainable model to engage future generations
  • Assisting in guiding crucial conversations on ethics, digitisation, and licensing 

Partnership and collaboration

This is a powerful knowledge-sharing opportunity, one that will help in navigating strategic challenges and unlock new possibilities in safeguarding Black British history. Wikimedia UK has a strategic commitment to knowledge equity and an extensive track record of collaborating with cultural heritage organisations to share their content and engage staff, volunteers and the public with open knowledge. 

Through this project, the Wikimedia UK team will support Black Cultural Archives in their endeavours to increase access to their important collections; exploring and piloting ethical approaches to knowledge sharing including digitisation and licensing. The work will sit within the portfolio of Wikimedia UK’s experienced Topics for Impact Programme Coordinator, supported by the Director of Programmes and Evaluation and Chief Executive.

The European Destubathon: A drive to improve Wikipedia’s shortest articles.

User:Dr. Blofeld has been editing Wikipedia for nearly 20 years. As well as being a prolific writer, Dr. Blofeld has organised many editing drives to encourage others to improve Wikipedia in the spirit of friendly competition. The European Destubathon concluded earlier this year in April, and Dr. Blofeld already has his sights on The World Destubathon which began on 16 June and runs until 16 July. Prizes for both contests were provided by the Open Knowledge Association (OKA). As Dr. Blofeld prepares for The World Destubathon, we caught up with him about how the European contest went.

Running over 30 miles a week and keeping very fit has given me a lot of renewed energy and enthusiasm and makes me more motivated to run something on a large scale to improve everything. Over half of all articles on Wikipedia are still ‘stubs’ – pages with sometimes just a sentence or two about a subject. The idea behind a Destubathon is to encourage Wikipedia editors to focus on these articles. With the OKA and Wikimedia UK prepared to provide prize money, it felt the right time to give running contests another shot.

With first-hand experience of translating a lot of articles into English from other European language Wikipedias, I know how much of a gap there is in quality and breadth of content. So I wanted to run something to benefit European countries and bring together Wikipedia editors to focus on some of the shortest articles about Europe. I simply set up the contest based on the African Destubathon model and then sent out invitations to past contestants and challenge contributors. Participants were asked to focus on articles with 1,500 characters of readable prose or less (only 200–300 words) and self-report what they had been working on. Prizes for the most articles improved on individual countries added extra motivation.

4,046 articles were produced for The European Destubathon. Over 1,200 articles were on women’s biographies. 441 articles were submitted for the WMUK prize for most British destubs alone, though there were many more done than this in the main list. I was pleased to see destubs for countries which rarely get attention. Andorra stood out in particular due to a few editors expanding stubs I once created like 15 years ago!

I found the contest far easier to run than previous contests due to no scoreboard. I averaged about 3 hours a day patrolling, not a problem for me, but a prize could always be given for helping judge articles if people interested in running contests can’t commit to that.

It was clear that Wikipedia’s editors have a lot of enthusiasm for a targeted approach like this, and there seems to be joy in particular at seeing a diversity of topics and colourful flags coming in. Over one hundred people registered for the competition. While the competition covered articles about Europe, it was open to anyone globally, so we had participants from the US, India, and New Zealand. After pausing for a breather I started work on a sequel: The World Destubathon. This time stub articles related to anywhere in the world and cleanups of longer articles are eligible! I’m looking forward to seeing the results.

Celebrate the beauty of our planet: Wiki Loves Earth 2025 is here!


We’re excited to announce the launch of Wiki Loves Earth 2025, the global photography competition dedicated to showcasing the stunning natural landscapes and protected areas around the world. Since its inception in 2013, Wiki Loves Earth has celebrated the beauty and diversity of our planet, encouraging photographers of all levels to share their most captivating images of national parks, nature reserves, and UNESCO World Heritage sites.


Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or an enthusiastic beginner, this is your chance to contribute to the Wikimedia Commons community and help document the world’s natural wonders. From lush forests and towering mountains to pristine lakes and vibrant wildlife, your photos can inspire awareness and conservation efforts worldwide.

For the first time, England will be participating in this year’s competition alongside Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

By taking part in Wiki Loves Earth, you can help celebrate and showcase the beauty of the United Kingdom’s varied landscapes and wildlife, have your photos seen and recognised at an international level, contribute to open and free knowledge, and provide a visual document of the changes happening in the natural environment in the UK.

Last year, nearly 5000 images were submitted in the UK, many of which have been used to illustrate articles across all language Wikipedias like this one on the German Wikipedia and this one on the English Wikipedia. 

While many of the places you can photograph will be open to the public, please do check if they are accessible before travelling as some areas may be closed and interacting with wildlife may be discouraged at particular times of the year.

You can submit as many images as you want, and as long as you are the photographer and the photos are uploaded in June and July it doesn’t matter when they were taken. There are prizes at both country and international level for the winners. Judges will determine the winners of the contest by taking into consideration the following criteria (in no particular order):

  • Technical quality (sharpness, use of light, perspective etc.);
  • Originality;
  • Usefulness of the image for Wikipedia.
Llyn y Fan Fach Brecon Beacons National Park. Keith Lawson 11, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

If you’re looking for some inspiration or just want to have a visual feast, you can see last year’s winners from Wales here and Scotland here. 

There are prizes available, including £100 for the winning photograph of a place in the UK.

Read more about Wiki Loves Earth 2025 and how to participate in your nation below:

Wikimedia UK and the Royal Society host workshop on information literacy and future health emergencies

As part of Wikimedia UK’s work in the area of information literacy, in late 2023 we partnered with the BBC and the Royal Society to plan, programme and host a two day invitation-only workshop with high level policy makers, broadcasters, academics, practitioners and other stakeholders working in the field of information literacy.

The topic was ‘Building resilience to future emergencies and disinformation through adult media literacy’, and the aim was to develop a set of recommendations for policy makers and organisations working in related fields. Wikimedia UK brought our extensive network within information literacy and worked closely with the Royal Society to shape the agenda, while also acting as hosts and facilitators for the event which our Chief Executive, Lucy Crompton-Reid, chaired alongside the BBC’s Ros Atkins.

We are delighted to share the summary note from the workshop here.

Building adult community resilience to disinformation during health emergencies through information literacyDownload

Trans + History Week Edit-a-thon

By Gemma Coleman | Wikimedia UK Wales Programme Coordinator

On 9th May 2025, Wikimedia UK proudly collaborated with WMLGBT+ and the National Library of Wales on a Trans + History Week Edit-a-thon hosted by Cardiff Central Library. The aim was to celebrate the contributions of Trans people here in Wales by improving the coverage of notable Trans people and events on different Wikipedia projects.

We had a range of editors attend, from those very new to Wikipedia who wanted support building their Wiki skills, to more experienced editors wanting some advice on articles they were currently working on. One attendee, Keira, said:

“This was the first time I’d met other Wikipedia editors, and everyone was so friendly and lovely! I learnt a lot, and it’s got me excited to contribute more!”

Bilingual editing

The editathon was facilitated and attended by both Welsh and English speakers so we were able to work together on articles on both Wicipedia and English Wikipedia and some editors also updated Wikidata too. 

The mix of language abilities mean some less confident Welsh speakers were able to tackle some smaller edits in Welsh that they wouldn’t have felt confident making on their own. Having other Welsh speakers on hand meant they could easily check spelling, grammar and the best way to translate terms, improving their own Welsh skills and ensuring the quality of the language used on Wicipedia.  

Gender and historical figures

Whilst we munched on welshcakes and tea, we talked about our experiences editing Wiki. A contributor shared an article draft about an individual whose gender identity lacks historical consensus, yet this complexity was only briefly addressed.  The editor believed this lack of consensus deserved greater emphasis based on the source material but had found that even small attempts to incorporate this nuance were quickly being undone by other editors. 

We talked about challenges in clearly and fairly recording gender identity of historical figures. We also talked about different ways editors could work well with other wiki editors to create unbiased articles that fairly represent the prominence of opposing points of view as per Wikipedia’s Neutral Point of View policy.

What we achieved

Over the afternoon, 5 brand new articles were created (3 in Welsh and 2 in English) and another 3 articles were improved to ensure the lead images and pronouns used throughout reflected the subject’s most recently expressed self-identification, as per Wikipedia’s Manual of Style:/Biography guidelines. Some attendees also then went on to join a related online editathon run by WMLGBT+ starting that evening.

Want to join in?

If you couldn’t join us but would have loved to, there are lots of ways you can still get involved.

Useful resources

Train the trainer 2025 – Expressions of interest now open

Are you a passionate Wikipedia editor? Would you like to learn how you can share your passion for Wikipedia editing (and contributing to other free open knowledge Wikimedia projects) by running Wikipedia editing events to train new editors and communities? If so, our next Train the Trainer (TtT) course is taking place July to August 2025 and will equip you with the skills and resources needed to deliver successful Wiki editing events to support the UK wiki community. We would love to hear from you if you’re interested in taking part. 

About the TtT course

Our flagship TtT course trains volunteers who are keen to deliver Wikipedia editing events. Volunteer trainers play a key role in the delivery of Wikimedia UK programmes and contribute to Wikimedia projects being free from systemic and systematic bias and recognised as a vital source of reliable knowledge and information.

They support other editors to be part of Wikimedia projects creating a welcoming and supportive environment to facilitate contribution to open knowledge projects. They train new and existing editors and communities across the country, in-person, online or in hybrid sessions. Trainers deliver events fielded to them by Wikimedia UK and build relationships within their own communities to deliver Wiki editing events.

Wikimedia UK Train the Trainer session

The TtT training will equip candidate trainers with the skills, experience and resources to deliver a standard ‘Introduction to Wikipedia’ edit-a-thon and other Wiki editing events. In advance of the in-person sessions in August, participants will complete a four week WikiLearn course, starting 14th July, with a commitment of approx 1-2 hours per week. There will also be the opportunity to have access to the experience and knowledge of accredited trainers who have been delivering Wikimedia editing events. 

Get involved

Expressions of interest are welcomed from all. However, we are actively seeking and would particularly welcome applicants from Black, South Asian and minority groups; women; and members of the LGBT+ community. We are also keen to hear from trainers from Wales and Central England.

The in-person training will take place in Birmingham. We encourage people to participate in-person, however hybrid is also possible. We have a budget to cover travel and accommodation costs, and will provide lunch and refreshments.

Attendance at all events and completion of the Wiki learn course are essential. 

Course content and key dates

  • 14th July onwards – Four week WikiLearn self led course.
  • Thursday 14th August 2025 /18:00-20:30/online: Introductory Session.
  • Saturday 16th August 2025 /10:00-16:00/in-person: Train the Trainer Day 1.
  • Sunday 17th August 2025 /10:00-16:00/in-person: Train the Trainer Day 2 – Practice skills and meeting existing community of trainers.

What you could expect from us

  • Full training and support to deliver a standard ‘Introduction to Wikipedia’ edit-a-thon and similar events.
  • Access to event materials.
  • Ongoing support and mentorship.
  • Volunteer expenses where appropriate.
  • Job references upon request.

What we would expect from you

  • Familiarity with and a desire to increase your knowledge of the Wikimedia Projects, particularly Wikipedia.
  • Full attendance at the training course.
  • To complete the online self led course (1-2 hours per week).
  • To lead training for a minimum of 2 events per year. This would be a mixture of third party events which we would field to you, and those you would organise yourself. Please note that we do receive requests for training to be delivered within office hours.
  • To be responsive to communication from Wikimedia UK staff and fellow volunteers and Event Organisers, including in advance of the event.
  • To complete basic reporting, including returning sign up information.
  • To represent Wikimedia UK well during the time in which you are volunteering.
  • To adhere to our Safe Spaces policy, and the Code of Conduct.

How to apply

Places are limited to make sure that each participant gets individual attention and feedback, so please apply via the following forms to express your interest. Call for interest will close on 19th May. We will be interviewing candidates the week beginning 26th May.

If you would like to see this content in a different format, or need an alternative way to submit your application, contact rupal.karia@wikimedia.org.uk 

Candidate Trainers Application Form

Further information

The Wikimedia UK Volunteer Trainer Role description.

Community Sandbox Sessions

By Dr. Sara Thomas – Programme Manager, Wikimedia UK

Do you have an idea for a Wiki-learning session?  Have you found something that you’d like to share with other Wikimedians, or an idea that you’d like to try out?  And would you like some help from Wikimedia UK in sharing it? 

In response to feedback from the community around having opportunities to improve Wiki-skills, and connecting with other community members, and as part of the overall training package for 2025, we’re excited to introduce a new strand of event programming, called Community Sandbox Sessions.

We’re looking to programme up to 6 virtual events over the next year, which would be open to all members of the UK community, and supported by Wikimedia UK.  We’re asking community members to propose sessions that you’d like to lead.

Session suggestions

The type or format of any event is open; but we’d like to encourage proposals which go beyond the traditional Wikipedia editathon – for example: 

  • Here’s a cool Wikidata tool I’ve found, let’s try it out
  • Wikisource transcribe-a-thon
  • A talk on how to run backstage pass events
  • Here’s how I got this article to Featured Article status
  • Let’s add images from this collection to Wikipedia
  • A mobile meeting where we take pictures of our local area for Wikimedia Commons
  • Minoritised language work – eg: adding Wikidata labels
  • Building a worklist & finding reliable sources for future events

Dates and times

Events can take place throughout the year, and can also be on an evening or weekend.  Suggested duration is an hour, but longer (or shorter!) events could be considered.  We’re suggesting that these events are online in the first instance, to reach the widest possible audience, and all events should of course be run in line with the Wikimedia UK Safe Space policy.  

Support WMUK can offer 

  • Advice on refining your format
  • Setting up of Event Registration 
  • Event promotion through UK listings & mailing lists
  • Hosting on the WMUK Zoom account / Google Meet
  • Friendly space support from a WMUK staff member (or volunteer) during the event 

This is very much an experiment, and we hope that the format will allow community members to share knowledge and skills, and get to know other UK Wikimedians, as well as test out new ideas!  If you’d be interested in running a session, please submit a proposal here.

Deadline

The initial deadline for submitting proposals is Tuesday 20th May. 

If you have any questions, please contact sara.thomas@wikimedia.org.uk.

Join Wikimedia UK – Chair of the Board of Trustees

We are currently seeking a new dynamic and visionary Chair of our Board of Trustees to lead our organisation into its next chapter. We are grateful to our outgoing Chair, Monisha Shah, for her impactful tenure over the past four years. She leaves the charity well-positioned with strong finances, a robust five-year strategic plan, motivated staff and secure core funding.

Ideal candidate

The ideal candidate for this role will bring significant leadership experience within the public or nonprofit sectors, coupled with a strong understanding of charity governance, financial oversight, and strategic planning. Excellent communication skills and a commitment to inclusivity, open knowledge, and the values of Wikimedia UK are essential. Experience in areas such as cultural heritage, education, or climate is desirable.

About the role

The Chair will shape our strategic direction, ensuring effective governance and representing Wikimedia UK externally. Key responsibilities include chairing quarterly board meetings and the AGM and acting as the main liaison with the Chief Executive. 

Time commitment

The expected commitment is at least a day per month, mostly online but with some in-person engagements in London. Reasonable expenses will be reimbursed. The initial appointment will be for two-years, with the possibility of extension by mutual agreement.

How to apply

For more information including how to apply, download the recruitment pack here.

Deadline

The deadline for applications is Sunday 18th May 2025.

This is a unique opportunity to lead a forward-thinking charity. As Chair, you will work alongside a dedicated Board and talented staff to make a meaningful impact in the lives of millions across the U.K. and beyond

Monisha Shah to Step Down as Chair of the Wikimedia UK Board of Trustees

We will soon be honouring Monisha Shah’s impactful tenure as she steps down from her role as Chair of our Board of Trustees at the end of June 2025. We deeply appreciate her support, insight and expertise over the past four years. Monisha’s leadership throughout her time with us has been instrumental in guiding Wikimedia UK through a period of strategic growth, increased community engagement, and strengthened governance.

A message from Monisha Shah

“Wikimedia UK is an outstanding example of how fantastic people – trustees, staff colleagues, volunteers – working together with integrity and commitment can ensure that a small charity has a huge impact. The work that it does is important, now more than ever. It has been my privilege to chair WMUK  and to support its core missions. I will miss working with this talented group of people who stand firmly for knowledge equity and information literacy and this distinguished Board who have the courage and commitment to stand alongside them. I wish Wikimedia UK all the best in its future endeavours”.

A message from Lucy-Crompton-Reid – Wikimedia UK Chief Executive

“It has been a real privilege to work closely with Monisha over the past four years, and to learn from her significant experience in charity governance and organisational leadership. I have greatly valued Monisha’s professional but pragmatic approach, her unswerving commitment to the charity and her personal warmth and humour. I wish her all the very best in her future endeavours”. 

Looking Ahead: Recruitment for a New Chair

We have started the process of recruiting for a new Chair. This is a pivotal leadership role, responsible for guiding our organisation’s strategic direction, ensuring strong governance, and representing Wikimedia UK to our community and stakeholders. We are seeking an inspiring leader with a passion for open knowledge and experience in charity governance.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply before the deadline on 18 May 2025.

More info and how to apply

Celebrating Monisha’s Tenure 

During her time, Monisha has been a champion of Wikimedia UK’s mission, helping to:

  • Strengthen organisational governance and financial resilience
  • Expand strategic partnerships and community initiatives
  • Increase visibility and impact of Wikimedia projects across the UK
  • Support a diverse and inclusive organisational culture

We sincerely thank Monisha for her dedication, vision, and leadership. Her contributions have laid a strong foundation for Wikimedia UK’s future success. We look forward to welcoming a new Chair to lead our organisation into its next chapter soon.

About Wikimedia UK

Wikimedia UK is a registered charity dedicated to supporting Wikimedia projects and promoting open knowledge and information literacy. Our mission is to enable people in the UK to engage with open knowledge and access reliable information in order to develop their understanding of the world, and make informed decisions about issues that affect them. We work in partnership with organisations from the cultural and education sectors and beyond to unlock content, remove barriers to knowledge, develop new ways of engaging with the public and enable learners to benefit fully from the educational potential of the Wikimedia projects.

Stay Connected

For updates on the board transition or to learn more about our work, please contact us at info@wikimedia.org.uk.