2013 Annual Review/Wiki version/Opening
2012-13 Annual Review
A message from Jon Davies, Chief Executive
| “ | We are now recognised by our international community as one of the leading chapters with a programme that is innovative and, best of all, worth learning from. | ” |
—Jon Davies | ||
Wikimedia UK has travelled a long way since I contributed to the annual report a year ago.
We now have nine staff, a growing number of Wikimedians in Residence (including at some of the UK's most prestigious institutions) and an ambitious programme that I am certain we will be able to deliver.
Best of all we are attracting new volunteers with more meet-ups and activities. With the appointment of our volunteer support organiser I know this will be an area of massive expansion in 2013.
It wasn't until I attended the Chapters Conference in Milan that I realised quite how much progress we have made. We are now recognised by our international community as one of the leading chapters with a programme that is innovative and, best of all, worth learning from.
Behind the scenes we have established a raft of policies and protocols, excellent financial systems, smooth communications systems and started developing positive relationships with our donor base. We have also learnt a lot. Our governance review reported on all we had achieved and offered a range of proposals that we are working on.
Last year I expressed the hope that the community would use our base in London as a place to visit, use the WiFi and drink coffee. This has worked well and visitors have not been confined to the UK. We have entertained members of chapters from all over the world and all the senior staff of the Foundation. Long may this continue.
And in 2014, with London hosting Wikimania, we can look forward to being, for at least a week, the centre of the whole wikiworld.
Thanks to the volunteers, trustees and staff that have made my job so interesting.
A message from Chris Keating, Chair
| “ | All of Wikimedia UK's projects depend on our volunteers, and whatever your role has been over the last year, thank you. | ” |
—Chris Keating | ||
It's impossible to summarise a year in a mere 20 pages. So much has happened, so many projects completed, begun and discussed. So much volunteer time and effort has been put into sharing the sum total of the world’s knowledge with every human being on the planet.
So this, our review of 2012-13, is intended to provide a series of snapshots taken throughout the year, covering the whole range of the work Wikimedia UK does. Some projects you might already know, or even have taken part in - others you may be reading about for the first time.
There's plenty of information about two core areas of our work, where we bring Wikipedia together with people in education and the GLAM sector (galleries, libraries, archives and museums). There are some excellent case studies from the past year, including our EduWiki conference, Wikipedia Takes Coventry and our Wikimedian in Residence programme.
It's important to share details of other things, too. There are sections on membership and fundraising, for example, that show just how our charity's work is paid for and how you can join us. There are also some details of the extensive review of Wikimedia UK's governance conducted by Compass Partnership last November, which has produced valuable recommendations about how Wikimedia UK is run in future.
Most importantly, this review offers an opportunity to highlight the fundamental importance of our volunteers. The Wikimedia movement is based on the collaborative effort of tens of thousands of volunteers worldwide, united by a shared passion for the world's knowledge. All of Wikimedia UK's projects depend on our volunteers, and whatever your role has been over the last year - thank you.
I hope you enjoy the review.