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== Overview ==
== Overview ==
'''Wikimedia UK''' is the local [[:m:Wikimedia chapter|Wikimedia chapter]] covering the [[:wikipedia:United Kingdom|United Kingdom]]. The chapter is incorporated under the name "''Wiki UK Limited''" and uses ''Wikimedia UK'' as its operating name. We [http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Resolution:Approval_of_Wikimedia_UK were approved] as a chapter by the Wikimedia Foundation on 12 January 2009.
'''Wikimedia UK''' is a charitable company incorporated in England and Wales that is authorised by [http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Home The Wikimedia Foundation. Inc] as the local [[:m:Wikimedia chapter|Wikimedia chapter]] for the [[:wikipedia:United Kingdom|United Kingdom]]. The company was founded in November 2008, [http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Resolution:Approval_of_Wikimedia_UK was approved] as a Wikimedia chapter in January 2009, and was granted charitable status by the Charity Commission in November 2011.


Wikimedia UK is a separate organization from the Wikimedia Foundation, and has no control over the contents of Wikipedia or any other projects run by the Wikimedia Foundation. We exist to help collect, develop and distribute freely licensed knowledge (and other educational, cultural and historic content), which we do by supporting the charitable activities of the Wikimedia Foundation.
Wikimedia UK is a separate organization from the Wikimedia Foundation, and has no control over the contents of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Wikipedia] or any [http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Our_projects other projects] run by the Foundation. The [[Articles of Association#Objects|Charitable Objects of Wikimedia UK]] are, for the benefit of the public, to promote and support the widest possible public access to, use of and contribution to Open Content of an encyclopaedic or educational nature or of similar utility to the general public, in particular the Open Content supported and provided by the Wikimedia Foundation.


Wiki UK Limited is incorporated in England & Wales as a "Company Limited by Guarantee". This means that the company has a separate legal identity from the members of the company, and therefore the members can only be sued as a result of something the company has done in limited circumstances.
Wikimedia UK is a charity registered in England and Wales, no. 1144513, and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales, no. 6741827.


The company is owned by its members, each of whom has signed up to a guarantee, whereby they agree to pay up to £1 towards the company's debts should it go into liquidation and be unable to pay all its liabilities. The company is run from day to day by the [[Board]] who are its directors and trustees.
The company is run from day to day by a Chief Executive who heads a [[Staff|small team of staff]].  It is governed by a [[Board|Board of Directors]] who are regarded as trustees for the purposes of charity law.


== Constitution ==
== Constitution ==
The constitution of Wiki UK Limited comprises:
The constitution of Wikimedia UK comprises:


(a) The overriding legislative framework set down in UK Charity and Company law, particularly in the [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2006/ukpga_20060046_en_1 Companies Act 2006] and the [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/Acts/acts1993/ukpga_19930010_en_1 Charities Acts 1993] and [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2006/ukpga_20060050_en_1 2006]
(a) The overriding legislative framework set down in UK Charity and Company law, including the [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2006/ukpga_20060046_en_1 Companies Act 2006] and the [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/Acts/acts1993/ukpga_19930010_en_1 Charities Acts 1993] and [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2006/ukpga_20060050_en_1 2006]


(b) The company's '''[[Articles of Association]]'''
(b) The charity's '''[[Articles of Association]]'''


(c) Any Special Resolutions passed by the company since incorporation. Currently three Special Resolutions have been passed, two at the [[Meetings/2009_AGM/Minutes#Resolutions|2009 AGM]] and one at the [[Meetings/2010_AGM/Minutes#Resolutions|2010 AGM]]:
(c) The '''[[Chapter Agreement]]''', a contract which regulates the relationship between the charity and the Wikimedia Foundation.


* (i) '''[[Meetings/2009_AGM/Resolutions#Requiring_the_permission_of_the_members_to_amend_the_Election_Rules|Requiring the permission of the members to amend the Election Rules]]'''
(d) The '''[[Membership/Rules|Membership Rules]]'''
* (ii) '''[[Meetings/2009_AGM/Resolutions#Requiring_the_permission_of_the_members_to_terminate_or_make_certain_amendments_to_the_Chapter_Agreement|Requiring the permission of the members to terminate or make certain amendments to the Chapter Agreement]]'''
* (iii) '''[[Meetings/2010_AGM/Resolutions#1._A_motion_to_create_a_new_class_of_membership_for_organisations|Establishing a new class of members for organisations]]


(d) Any Rules adopted under [[Articles of Association#Rules|Article 28]] either by the members or the directors, which currently comprise:
(e) A '''[[Meetings/2010 AGM/Minutes#Resolutions|resolution]]''' that was [[Meetings/2010 AGM/Minutes#Resolutions|passed]] at the 2010 AGM creating a new class of membership for organisations, each member organisation being entitled to one vote.


* (i) the '''[[Election Rules|Election Rules]]''' ([[Meetings/2009-01-19|adopted]] by the Board in January 2009)
(f) Certain 'entrenched' rules that require a resolution of the charity's membership in general meeting to change:
* (ii) the '''[[Membership/Rules|Membership Rules]]''' ([[Meetings/2009_AGM/Resolutions#Adoption_of_the_Membership_Rules|adopted]] by the 2009 AGM)
* (iii) the [[Conflicts of interest policy]]
* (iv) the [[Child Protection Policy]]
* (v) the [[Donor Privacy Policy]]
* (vi) the [[Finance Policy]]
* (vii) the [[Volunteer Policy]]


(e) The '''[[Chapter Agreement]]''', signed by the chapter and the Wikimedia Foundation, which obliges each  party to support the activities of the other and forbids either party from doing anything to negatively impact the work or image of the other.  
* the '''[[Election Rules|Election Rules]]'''
* a '''[[Meetings/2009_AGM/Resolutions#Requiring_the_permission_of_the_members_to_terminate_or_make_certain_amendments_to_the_Chapter_Agreement|resolution]]''' that was [[Meetings/2009 AGM/Minutes#Resolutions|passed]] at the 2009 AGM to the effect that the directors may not, except with approval of the membership by special resolution, terminate the Chapter Agreement or amend it in any way such that the charity loses the right to the trademark Wikimedia UK.


(g) Our policies:
The following policies are set and agreed by the board of trustees, with a policy update schedule agreed at the June 2016 board meeting: 
* the [[Acceptable Use Policy]]
* the [[Bullying and Harassment Policy]]
* the [[Confidentiality Policy]]
* the [[Conflicts of interest policy]]
* the [[Copyright Policy]]
* the [[Disciplinary Policy and Procedure]]
* the [[Diversity and Equalities Policy]]
* the [[Donation and grant acceptance]] policy
* the [[Finance Policy|Finance & Fundraising Policy]]
* the [[Grievance Policy and Procedure]]
* the [[Home-Working Policy]]
* the [[Honorary membership policy]]
* the [[IT Security (and sub-Procedure) Policy|IT Security (and Sub-Procedure)]]
* the [[Maternity Leave and Pay|Maternity Leave & Pay Policy]]
* the [[Website Privacy Policy|Privacy Policy]]
* the [[Recruitment Policy And Procedure|Recruitment Policy & Procedure]]
* the [[Remuneration And Pension Policy|Remuneration & Pension Policy]]
* the [[Safeguarding Policy]]
* the [[Safe Space Policy]]
* the [[Sickness Management Policy|S]]<nowiki/>[[Sickness Management Policy|ickness management Policy]]
* the [[Staff Leave Policy]]
* the [[Staff Training and Development Policy|Staff Training & Development Policy]]
* the [[Volunteer And Intern Agreement|Volunteer & Intern Agreement]]
* the [[Volunteer Policy]]
* the [[Whistle blowing Policy]]
Procedures that are essentially operational in nature are within the remit of the Chief Executive.
[[Category:Constitution]]
[[Category:Constitution]]

Latest revision as of 17:36, 4 December 2024

Overview

Wikimedia UK is a charitable company incorporated in England and Wales that is authorised by The Wikimedia Foundation. Inc as the local Wikimedia chapter for the United Kingdom. The company was founded in November 2008, was approved as a Wikimedia chapter in January 2009, and was granted charitable status by the Charity Commission in November 2011.

Wikimedia UK is a separate organization from the Wikimedia Foundation, and has no control over the contents of Wikipedia or any other projects run by the Foundation. The Charitable Objects of Wikimedia UK are, for the benefit of the public, to promote and support the widest possible public access to, use of and contribution to Open Content of an encyclopaedic or educational nature or of similar utility to the general public, in particular the Open Content supported and provided by the Wikimedia Foundation.

Wikimedia UK is a charity registered in England and Wales, no. 1144513, and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales, no. 6741827.

The company is run from day to day by a Chief Executive who heads a small team of staff. It is governed by a Board of Directors who are regarded as trustees for the purposes of charity law.

Constitution

The constitution of Wikimedia UK comprises:

(a) The overriding legislative framework set down in UK Charity and Company law, including the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Acts 1993 and 2006

(b) The charity's Articles of Association

(c) The Chapter Agreement, a contract which regulates the relationship between the charity and the Wikimedia Foundation.

(d) The Membership Rules

(e) A resolution that was passed at the 2010 AGM creating a new class of membership for organisations, each member organisation being entitled to one vote.

(f) Certain 'entrenched' rules that require a resolution of the charity's membership in general meeting to change:

  • the Election Rules
  • a resolution that was passed at the 2009 AGM to the effect that the directors may not, except with approval of the membership by special resolution, terminate the Chapter Agreement or amend it in any way such that the charity loses the right to the trademark Wikimedia UK.

(g) Our policies:

The following policies are set and agreed by the board of trustees, with a policy update schedule agreed at the June 2016 board meeting:


Procedures that are essentially operational in nature are within the remit of the Chief Executive.

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