Reports/2011/October

Below is the Wikimedia UK monthly report for the period 1 to 31 October 2011. If you want to keep up with the chapter's activities as they happen, please subscribe to our blog, join our mailing list, and/or follow us on Twitter. If you have any questions or comments, please drop us a line on this report's talk page.

Program activities

2012 Activity Plan

Our 2012 Activity Plan was posted to the WMUK wiki on 1 October and has been submitted to the Wikimedia Foundation as part of the planning for the annual fundraiser. This plan is an outline of the work we will do in 2012, and the resources we need to support it. It is an important stage in the development of our 2012 Budget. When we’re asking people for money in this Autumn’s fundraiser, the Activity Plan will show people what we’re hoping to achieve with their donations – so it’s also important for the openness and accountability of our fundraising. We welcome any comments or suggestions on the talk page.

Education projects

Fiona Apps at the UoW fresher's fayre

Dr Mark Graham, and Han-Teng Liao, both from the Oxford Internet Institute, attended WikiSym 2011 on WMUK scholarships this month; they also presented about their work at the Wikimedia Foundation offices.

Fiona Apps, supported by Richard Symonds, held a stall at the University of Warwick Freshers fayre, on 1 October. This resulted in over 70 expressions of interest in forming a Wiki student club.

We have supported a University of Birmingham bid for JISC funding for World War One digital content prioritization; our letter of support is at File:Birmingham JISC support.pdf.

On 24th October, Fiona Apps led a Wikipedia Lounge at The University of Manchester.

GLAM activities

CeriseLovesColours and friend from Paris visit Derby to collect 2nd prize in Multilingual challenge

On October 1st there was a Herbert Art Gallery and Museum Backstage Pass - this was covered in detail in the This Month in GLAM newletter. Also on the 1st, Tom Morris attending Over the Air at Bletchley Park.

On the 7th October, an internal training workshop was held at the British Museum. Then on the 13th October, the British Museum Ice Age art "Behind the Scenes" event was held.

Other events this month included:

• 5th - Martin Poulter spoke on "Common pitfalls in engaging with Wikipedia" at Bathcamp #26, the Innovation Centre, Bath
• 8th - Andy Mabbett talked about "GLAM and QRpedia" at Library Camp UK in Birmingham
• 14th - CeriseLovesColours from France visits Derby for VIP tour and to pick 2nd prize for the Wright Challenge
• 28th - Initial meeting for MonmouthpediA - John Cummings
• A video showing Derby Museum using QRPedia codes was released on Vimeo.

Other activities

• UK Wikimeets this month: Edinburgh meeting (1st), Cambridge meetup (8th), London (16th)
• 3rd-5th - Roger Bamkin speaking at Europeana Tech Conference in Vienna (report here)
• 29th - Trevor Johnson hosted a stand and a training event at RISC OS London Show, Feltham
• Microgrants funded this month include Elections in Europe from User:Number 57 and Copyright law from User:Ironholds

UK press coverage (and coverage of UK projects & activities)

Press coverage of Wikipedia in UK publications this month included:

• Journal: "The Linguist" (vol. 50 no. 5, Oct/Nov 2011, p. 7 covers "Net Challenge" by Andrew Dalby listing the winners in Russia, France, Italy, Indonesia and the Czech Republic
• 1st - continued coverage of QRPedia:
  • How Wikipedia Is Making QR Codes Useful Again, Gizmodo
  • QRPedia: Wikipedia launches QR code tool for museums, PC Advisor
  • QRPedia - simple but effective , i-Programmer
  • Also: Wikipedia Signpost write-up of QRPedia
  • 3rd - Wikipedia codifica tutto, Pubblicita Italia (QRpedia and arty QR codes)
• 5th-7th - several UK media outlets covered the strike of the Italian Wikipedia:
  • Wikipedia closes in Italy after Silvio Berlusconi 'gagging' bid, Independent
  • Wikipedia shuts Italy site to protest Berlusconi "gag law", Reuters UK
  • Italy wiretap law: Wikipedia hides pages in protest, BBC News
  • Wikipedia Shut Italian Site In Protest Over Privacy Law, Huffington Post UK
  • 7th - Die Wikipedia kommt ins Museum, Spiegel on line, Interview with Peter Weiss about QRpedia and GLAM
  • 14th Arriba a Barcelona l’exposició ‘Joan Miró. L’escala de l’evasió, Calalan Wikipedia and QRpedia enable Spanish Art Gallery labelling by Kippelboy
• Wikipedia vandalism:
  • Rugby World Cup 2011: referee Alain Rolland's Wikipedia account sabotaged after Sam Warburton red card, Telegraph
  • Wiki-d lies so mean say North Lynners, Lynn News
  • When I died on Wikipedia, Guardian
• Jimmy Wales
  • 23 October, Jimmy Wales: The internet's shy evangelist, Independent - unfortunately containing a number of inaccuracies.
  • 29 October, Jimmy Wales appeared on The Culture Show, talking to Aleks Krotoski.

Upcoming activities in November

Planned activities in November include:

• 1st - Exec board meeting
• 1st - Fae at PICTFOR meeting on Hargreaves' report on UK copyright changes, blog post
• 10th - Steve Virgin speaking at UK Association of Science & Discovery Centres Marketing Managers Conference - event entitled 'Word of Mouth'
• 12th - Manchester Girl Geeks Editing Day
• 13th - London meetup
• 13th - 18:30-20:00 Sue Gardner Speaking at Imperial College
• 16th - Roger Bamkin speaking at Lillehammer
• 17th - Roger Bamkin on Special Libraries Assoc panel
• 18th - Martin Poulter speaking at ESRC Research Seminar on "Digital Policy: Connectivity, Creativity and Rights", Leicester University
• 19-20th - In-person board meeting
• 19-20th - Brighton Hackathon 2011
• 22nd - 18.00- Liverpool meetup
• 24th - Fae presenting at Open Data in Cultural Heritage workshop hosted by Wellcome Trust & Open Knowledge Foundation

For events in December and onwards, please see Events.

Administrative activities

Board activities

A full board meeting was held on 11 October, focused on the topics of office space; charity status and fundraising readiness. Draft minutes from the meeting are available. A brief board meeting was also held on 16 October discussing the constitution of the Executive Board, and the implementation of our expenses system. You can also find out information about our Board member's recent activities at the report page for the board meeting on 11th October.

Extraordinary General Meeting to change our Objects

On 16th October we held an Extraordinary General Meeting to approve a change of our Objects as part of the process of being recognized by the Charities Commission as a UK charity. The resolution was passed, with 49 supporting, 1 abstaining and no-one opposing.

News from the CEO

For more information on Jon's activities this month, see News from the Office.

A busy first month for me with visits to Coventry to see everyone in action at the Herbert and the Fresher's Fair at Warwick University. Later I spent a few days in the offices of our German sister organisation seeing what we might look like a few years on. We had a successful EGM in London which was a key step on the way to becoming a charity.

In the background a steep learning curve with lots of support from the community, so thanks, you know who you are. An office space has also been found into which I move next Monday with a couple of cardboard boxes. There will be some open days when we get it equipped.

Fundraising

A number of fundraising tests were run this month; the details and their outcomes are described on meta. For more information about our participation in this year's fundraiser, see 2011 Fundraiser.

We received £17,622.69 in donations from 1270 donors via paypal this month, and £658 of monthly donations from via direct debit (including M new direct debits). For more information please see our monthly fundraising report at Fundraising Report - Monthly Totals 2011.

We are currently in the process of assembling our Expense policy, which more clearly sets out the approach that we have already been following with regards expenses incurred by Board, staff and volunteers when on Wikimedia UK business.

Recruitment

Our Chief Exec, Jon Davies, started work on 1 October.

Recruitment started for our permanent Office and Development Manager, with interviews due to take place in November.