The May newsletter has been published at
http://uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/
Newsletter/May2009 and is copied below for your convenience:
Summary: Whilst our application to HMRC has not yet been successful,
we're after your views on the proposed New Chapters' Agreement, your
suggestions for a Wikimedia UK conference next year and your ideas
for initiatives to start! We also bring you updates on Wikipedia
Loves Art, Other Chapters' Activities, Meet-ups and Press coverage.
In this month's newsletter:
1. HMRC Application Status
2. New Chapters' Agreement
3. Wikimania 2010 (and beyond!)
4. Initiatives
5. Wikipedia Loves Art
6. Other Chapters' Activities
7. Meet-ups
8. Press coverage
HMRC Application Status
As you are probably already aware, the UK Tax Authorities have
rejected our application to be recognised as a charity for tax
purposes, arguing that the production of an encyclopedia does not
consist of "promoting education". The Board continue to believe that
our purposes are charitable and are looking into ways of appealing
this decision. We are currently in the process of drafting and
sending a letter of appeal to the HMRC, along with seeking legal advice.
New Chapters' Agreement
The Wikimedia Foundation has released the latest version of the
Chapters' Agreement, which binds all chapters of the WMF. The new
version includes many changes, and WMUK wants to hear what it's
membership thinks of the changes! Got any comments or ideas for the
agreement? Let the Board know by emailing board(a)wikimedia.org.uk or
the mailing list (wikimediauk-l), and we will put together a response
not only from the Board, but the community at large!
Wikimania 2010 (and beyond!)
Unfortunately the UK wasn't successful in our bid to bring the 2010
Wikimania Conference to Oxford. Wikimania 2010 will be held in
Gdansk, Poland and we hope that as many UK participants will be able
to attend and support the conference. The chapter sends its thanks
out to all those volunteers who helped in creating the bid. Despite
this, the chapter has already made a name for itself having been
approached by the Greater Manchester Tourist Board in supporting a
future Wikimania Bid and any conferences that we may wish to hold
within Manchester.
Currently our goal is the running of a Wikimedia UK conference next
year in conjuntion with our AGM. The location for the 2010 AGM has
not been set, and members are invited to send in suggestions for
where they believe would be able to host such a conference. For more
information, or if you have any ideas for WMUK's involvement in
conferences or wish to help out with any of the above contact our
Conferences Director at conferences(a)wikimedia.org.uk
Initiatives
Wikimedia UK is currently soliciting ideas for Initiatives for the
chapter to pursue! Under the helm of our new Initiatives Director,
Zeyi He [
http://uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/Board#Zeyi_He], we are looking
to develop and take forward as many initiatives as we can - and we
need your input and assistance in making as many of these work as
possible. The Board is looking at a minimum of 3 completed
initiatives before the next AGM - so if you have any ideas, you can
either list them on the Ideas page [
http://uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/
Initiatives/Ideas], develop them on the Proposals page [http://
uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/Initiatives/Proposals], or contact our
Initiatives Director at initiatives(a)wikimedia.org.uk!
Wikipedia Loves Art
The chapter supported the "Wikipedia Loves Art" [http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WLART] photography contest in
February and since then the participating museums have been hard at
work checking each photograph for compliance with the copyright rules
and awarding bonus points for particularly good images. They have now
started to announce winners [
http://www.flickr.com/groups/
wikipedia_loves_art/] and we hope to be able to announce the winners
from the Victoria & Albert museum shortly.
Other Chapters' Activities
A mailing list has been started for Wikimedians in Ireland [https://
lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaie]. Additionally,
several events have been or will be held in conjunction with museums
- at the start of May WM Argentina held Wikipedia invade el Museo de
La Plata [
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Wikipedia:Wikipedia_invade_el_Museo_de_La_Plata], and next month the
Netherlands chapter, Vereniging Wikimedia Nederland, will be running
Wiki Loves Art [
http://www.vrijebeelden.nl/].
Meet-ups
London 21 - 17th May 2009
See Wikipedia's Page [
http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:WP:LONDON21] on
London 21 for more information on the topics discussed!
Upcoming UK Meetups
* London 22 [
http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:WP:LONDON22] -
Sunday 14th June @ 13:00 - Penderel's Oak Pub, Holborn WC1
Press coverage
A few highlights of press coverage this month: an Irish student's
Wikipedia hoax duped newspapers into circulating a fake quote (AFP)
[
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/
ALeqM5gQV2LU_QhL5w_BcPY5B6pvuUUMGg], and en:User:Stifle participated
in a live radio debate on NewsTalk Radio (Ireland) on the 9 May.