2023 AGM/Minutes
Wikimedia UK's (WMUK) 2023 AGM and community day took place on Saturday 1st July. It was held online over Zoom, with Eventbrite ticket-holders having received a meeting link before the event. The Zoom meeting opened at 9.45 am with formal proceedings starting at 10 am.
10.00 am - Welcome and introduction to the AGM (Monisha Shah, Chair)
MS welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced herself as the chair.
Approval of 2022 AGM minutes
There were no comments on the 2022 AGM minutes. The members approved the 2022 AGM minutes.
Board report
MS thanked LCR and her staff team for everything they have done during the 2022 - 2023 financial year, and thanked the board and members for their support. She also expressed her gratitute to donors and funders of the charity without whom our work would not be possible.
The Chair gave a summary of board activities over the year highlighting the creation of a new Community Development Committee.
She flagged key achievements including reaching nearly 8000 participants and training over 1000 new editors. She noted that, of those who responded to our annual survey, 100% of community leaders said they would recommend Wikimedia UK to their friends.
MS thanked our partner organisations who had hosted a Wikimedian in Residence during the year, including the British Library, Global Systems Institute, Khalili Collections, National Institute for Health Research, National Library of Wales, Science Museum and the
University of Edinburgh.
In conclusion, MS expressed her optimism about the work and partnerships of the charity, and added her appreciation to the Wikimedia Foundation for awarding us our first multi-year grant for 2023 - 2025.
10.15 am - Finance report (Marnie Woodward, Treasurer)
MW thanked all in attendance. She reported that it had been a positive year in terms of the charity’s finances, with new project funding and donors. She added her thanks to WMF for awarding Wikimedia UK a two year grant. She also thanked all members and donors for their support over the past year.
MW mentioned our substantial Gifts in Kind income, which mainly represents the salary costs of Wikimedians in Residence, paid by host institutions. She also noted that our reserves level meets the target for the year, and that our budget for the new year reflects increased fundraising, particularly from restricted grants. In conclusion, she advised members to kindly look at the finance report for the past year and feel free to give feedback where necessary.
10.20 pm - Activity report (Lucy Crompton-Reid, Chief Executive)
LCR thanked everyone for giving up their time to attend the meeting. Before talking about Wikimedia UK’s work and impact over the year, she reflected on some of the external challenges to our programme and to all staff and volunteers; including Covid-19, the invasion of Ukraine, ongoing train strikes and the death of Her Majesty the Queen.
LCR talked to our three main programme themes, highlighting key partnerships and projects within each. Within our Knowledge Equity programme she noted partnerships with the University of the Arts and the Khalili Collections, alongside research into the representation of non-Western art on Wikimedia, as well as bias in coverage of different religions. LCR noted that universities were starting to engage with us again, with course numbers back to pre-Covid levels. She also noted her involvement as a founding member of MILA (the Media and Information Literacy Alliance) and Daria Cybulska’s role in Ofcom’s working group for media literacy evaluation. Finally, LCR noted our success in securing funding for a new climate residency at the University of Exeter’s Global Systems Institute, as part of our Climate and Environment theme.
LCR talked about some changes in the staff team, including a restructure of the programmes team during which two long standing programme coordinators were promoted to manager roles. She thanked Davina Johnson, Finance Director from 2015, for all her work for the charity, and wished her all the best in her retirement.
10.30 am - Resolutions and Elections: Explanation of process (Sharon Mitcheson, Teller)
SM explained how voting works and read out the motions and resolutions that have been presented for voting. She reminded the group that members who voted by proxy are not eligible to vote today.
10.35 am - Questions and Answers (MS, Chair)
MS introduced Sammy Tarling who is standing for election. Sammy Tarling (ST) spoke to the group about their background and experience - as a member of the Wikimedia movement since secondary school, and as a software engineer - and their motivations for joining the board.
10.55 am - VOTING OPENS (and a Break)
BREAK
11.15 am - VOTING CLOSES
11.15 am - Questions on AGM Reports (Chair/Treasurer/CEO)
MS asked for questions and contributions on the AGM reports:
One member present called for greater participation and mentioned that it would be nice to have more members attend the meetings in the future. MS acknowledged this but also noted that many people involved as volunteers for Wikimedia did not necessarily want to engage in the governance side.
11.30 am - Honorary Member Awards
Honorary members were announced. The following person was awarded honorary membership at the 2023 AGM:
Lorna Campbell
LC thanked LCR and the board for the honour and expressed her thanks and belief that she’ll continue to contribute to the WMUK. MS also congratulated LC.
11.45 pm - Announcement of results of elections and resolutions (Teller)
SM announced that ST has been unanimously elected to the board. MS welcomed ST and mentioned that she looks forward to working with them.
11.50 am - Thanks and closing remarks (Chair)
MS thanked all the members who will be stepping down from the board after today, Kelly Foster, Jane Carlin and Marnie Woodward. She also congratulated the new trustee on their appointment.
12:00 pm - End of AGM