2015 AGM/AGM Notice

Notice of 2015 Annual General Meeting

Thank you for being a member of Wikimedia UK - the charity promoting and supporting Wikipedia, its sister projects and open content here in the UK.

Over the past 12 months the charity has undergone some significant changes, and has had some challenging times as well as some exceptional successes. The charity is undergoing a shift to transform the way we work so that we can bring volunteering right into the heart of the charity.

Volunteer Strategy Gathering

You are invited to attend our second Volunteer Strategy Gathering which will take place on 25 July 2015 at Top Office Machines, 133 Bethnal Green Road, E2 7DG, starting at 10:30 and finishing by 15:00.

The purpose of the day is to get a better understanding of how Wikimedia UK works with its members and the volunteer community to improve our efficiency and impact. There will be a short presentation about our new project planning process, designed to ensure we have ambitious and sustainable projects. This will be followed by sessions discussing our proposed structures and mechanisms for interacting with and engaging volunteers.

Details of the gathering can be found here: http://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Volunteer_Strategy_Gathering/July_2015

Annual General Meeting

The 2015 Annual General meeting of Wikimedia UK will be held at Top Office Machines, 133 Bethnal Green Road, E2 7DG on Saturday 25 July, starting at 15:00. Details can be found here.

The agenda will be as follows:

1. Welcome, and introduction to the AGM

2. Approval of 2014 AGM minutes (https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/2014_AGM/Minutes)

3. Board Report

4. Finance Report

5. Activity Report

6. Resolutions (https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/2015_AGM/AGM_Resolutions)

7. Explanation of election procedure

8. Questions to candidates and election

9. Discussion of reports and the work of the charity

10. Announcement of election result

If you are unable to attend the AGM, you have the right to appoint another person as your proxy to attend and vote on your behalf. It's important to us that we have active members who express their views, so please make use of your voting rights, whether or not you are able to come. Voting papers and proxy forms will be sent to members by post well before the date of the AGM.

To ensure you receive your papers, please check that the home address we have on record for you is correct:

Street address: {contact.street_address}

Address line 2: {contact.supplemental_address_1}

Address line 3: {contact.supplemental_address_2}

City: {contact.city}

Post code: {contact.postal_code}

If the address is incorrect, please update it by following the link at the bottom of this email no later than Friday 10 July.

Resolutions

Members will be asked to consider and vote on a variety of motions:

1. Motions to amend the Articles to:

a. Enable non-trustees to become full members of board committees

b. Relax the requirement that the board may delegate powers only to a committee of two or more trustees

c. Clarify the power of trustees to make decisions via an online vote

d. Reduce the main board quorum

e. Clarify that the board may delegate the task of approving membership applications

2. A motion to improve the Election Rules

3. A motion to appoint, as directors, the people elected at the AGM

4. A motion to note the Annual Report and Accounts

5. A motion to set membership fees

6. A motion to appoint auditors

7. A motions to improve membership procedures

8. A motion to set a formal process to give members notice of deadlines for proposing resolutions to an AGM

9. A motion to set a clear procedure on how resolutions may be amended

These can be viewed and discussed at http://uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/2015_AGM/AGM_Resolutions. The deadline for amendments to proposed motions in 23:59 on 3 July 2015, after which only minor changes may be made.

Invitation for candidates for election to the Board

As part of the AGM an election will be held to fill any vacancies that may arise on the Board of Trustees. members wishing to submit nominations can find more detail by clicking here.

A skills audit of the board has identified the following areas in which strategic and governance skills and experience would be particularly useful: GLAM, education, and volunteer management/engagement. Also of interest would be strategic experience in media and communications, fundraising, HR, and software/technology project management.

Successful candidates for the board could come from a wide range of backgrounds including the public, educational, charity or commercial sectors, or from the open knowledge or Wikimedia movements. We seek diversity of gender, age, location and outlook, but all candidates should be able to demonstrate a track record of effective performance, strategic thinking and sound judgement.

Board members legally act as the charity's Directors and Trustees. The criteria and duties are set out at http://uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/Board#Duties - please check that you are eligible and accept these duties before putting yourself forward for election.

Candidates should be members of the charity, or have their application to join pending, at the date of nomination. You can apply to join at https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Membership.

To nominate yourself as a candidate, send an email to tellers@wikimedia.org.uk by 23:59 on 10 July 2015, with the following information:

a statement that you would like to nominate yourself to serve as an elected director and trustee of Wikimedia UK and that you fulfil the legal criteria for appointment

• Your full name
• Any previous names
• Your date of birth
• Your business occupation
• The names of any other UK companies which you have been director of in the last five years.

You should also enclose a candidate statement of no more than 300 words. This will be sent out with the ballot paper to the voters and published on charity's website. You can explain your motivation and experience in any way you like, but it would be sensible to keep in mind the points mentioned on the 'becoming a trustee' page (https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Board/Becoming_a_trustee).

During the election only your name and your candidate statement will be made public. If you are successful the other details will be filed with Companies House as a public record. You will also be asked before taking up your position to file your usual residential address with the charity, but this will be kept confidential.

Candidates who are not (yet) members of the charity will need to be proposed and seconded by members by no later than the closing date for nominations given above. Proposers and seconders may indicate their support either by separate email to the address above, or by a signed statement in writing lodged with the charity. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that any required support is received by the charity before the time limit.

We'd love to see as many of our members and volunteers as possible at either or both of these events to help us plan our activities for the future. There is no need to book.

Board of Trustees, Wikimedia UK Teller: Richard Tattersall of UHY Hacker Young LLP, our auditors.