Annual Conference 2012/AGM Notice
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. Now a registered charity, we are one of the top Wikimedia chapters worldwide, with a permanent staff and close links with prestigious organisations such as the Open Rights Group, Creative Commons, the British Library, the British Museum and several major universities. This year has also seen significant growth in Wikimedia UK: our income has doubled to £1,000,000, and our membership is nearly 400.
Our Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday 12th May 2012 at the Science Museum, London. There will be a full programme of events starting at 9:30 and finishing at 17:30, including speakers, panel discussions and the business of the AGM itself at 13:30. We'd love to see as many of our members there as possible to hear what we have achieved and help us plan our activities for the future.
Travel to the Science Museum is relatively simple, and is explained on the Museum's page at http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visitmuseum/gettinghere.aspx. So that we can plan for the right number of people, if you are attending, it would help us if you could register your interest for the event in the 'attendees' section at http://uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiConference_UK_2012.
The official AGM will run from 13:30 to 15:00 and cover the annual report, election of a new Board of Trustees and several motions. We're particularly interested in having new candidates for the board. If you're interested, read on!
Being a board member will take approximately four hours per week, although this can vary. The Board generally meet by phone once every month, with one meeting in person every three months. Trustees take a lead in chapter projects outside meetings. However, there is no requirement to dedicate a certain amount of time to the chapter or to have any particular skills - just disclose what you can bring to the table and let the members decide!
Board members legally act as the chapter's Directors and Trustees. The eligibility 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. If you have any questions you are welcome to contact the office, or a board member, or to take your own legal advice.
To nominate yourself as a candidate, simply email tellers
wikimedia.org.uk by 17:00 on 12 April 2012, with the
following:
- a statement that you would like to nominate yourself to serve as a director and trustee of Wikimedia UK and that you fulfill the legal criteria for appointment
- Full name
- any previous names
- date of birth
- business occupation
- the names of any other UK companies which you have been director of in the last five years
During the election only your name will be made public. If you are successful these other details will be filed with Companies House as a public record. You will also be required to file your usual residential address with the Company Secretary, but this will be kept confidential.
You may also enclose a candidate statement of up to 300 words if you wish. This will be sent out with the ballot paper to the voters and published on the Wikimedia UK wiki. Alternatively, you may send this separately to the Tellers before 17:00 on 12 April. The Tellers will confirm receipt and acceptance of the nomination. Candidates can withdraw their nomination any time before the results of the election are announced.
Resolutions
Following the election of the board, the AGM will discuss several formal motions as follows:
- A motion to set membership fees
- A motion to appoint, as directors, the people elected
- Two motions to approve the annual accounts
- A motion to appoint auditors
There will also be several other motions proposed, which are currently being discussed and drafted at http://uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/Annual_Conference_2012/AGM_Resolutions. The deadline for motions is 17:00 on 12 April, after which the page will be locked and the motions circulated. If you would like to propose any motions yourself, please get involved in editing the page, or email chairwikimedia.org.uk to discuss the motion with the Chair.
We look forward to seeing you at the AGM!
Regards,
James Farrar & Richard Symonds
Tellers
Wikimedia UK