Newsletter/August2009: Difference between revisions

Wikimedia UK Newsletter

August 2009 Issue

Summary: (Summary to go here)

In this month's newsletter:

Charity status update

In our last newsletter we reported that we had received a start up grant from the Wikimedia Foundation. This put us over the £5,000 threshold which meant we could apply for charitable status directly to the Charity Commission, without having to go through the tax authorities. Since then we have been working hard on our application, which is now substantially complete. We are now beefing up our policies and procedures for child protection and conflicts of interest. We have pencilled in early September for completing these policies and submitting the application. In the meantime, we are engaging legal advice to assist us with the application.

Wikipedia Loves Art prizes

Earlier this year, the Victoria & Albert Museum and Wikimedia UK took part in “Wikipedia Loves Art”, a free content photography contest. We have now announced the prize winners:

vavaval (Val_McG & dj_photo) – 142 points
opalartseekers4 - Forever Wiser – 88 points
ukfgr - (the wee pixie & mrsraggle) – 82 points
veronikab – 75 points

Over 30 people attended the Victoria and Albert event, and over 400 photographs were submitted to Flickr. Globally, more than 50 teams from fourteen museums submitted over 5,000 photographs, with London the second highest location. All of these photographs have now been assessed and processed and are now being prepared for upload to Wikimedia Commons and use on Wikipedia.

Many congratulations to the winners and our thanks to all those who took part - we hope you enjoyed it. Thanks also to the organisers including the Digital Team at the V&A, the Brooklyn Museum and Wikimedia New York. If you have any comments about this event or how it could be improved in the future, please let us know.

Schools Project

The Wikimedia UK Schools Project is designed to bring Wikimedia projects into the classroom, to be used as both a teaching tool and a learning tool. It aims to create a set of materials, ranging from workshops, showing how to use Wikimedia projects correctly, to showing students and teachers how to contribute; to materials that teachers can distribute to students in order to allow the students to use Wikimedia projects effectively and correctly in their classroom assignments - whether it be in-class or homework.

Currently, the project is aimed at KS1-5 (Primary School thru Secondary School). Are you interested in helping us out? Join up with the mailing list here, and make yourself known! The project is still in the developing stages at the moment - so you have plenty of time to get involved, shape, and develop this Wikimedia UK Initiative.

Britain Loves Wikipedia

(MP to write)

Workplace Learning Lunches

Planning for the Workplace Learning Lunches initiative is now well underway - we have recruited the presenters we need to provide the sessions. Do you know of any businesses that have "learning lunches" or similar who would be open to one on Wikimedia? If so, please let us know.

Other Chapters' Activities

Wikimedia Australia hosted GLAM-WIKI - "Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums & Wikimedia: Finding the common ground"

Press Coverage

Rorschach test: The uploading of all 10 images has caused lots of discussion both on Wikipedia, and also in the press. In the UK it has been covered by The Guardian, The Independent, as well as BBC Newsnight (3 August).
Statistics: A group based in Palo Alto, California, have analysed the statistics of Wikipedia, and found that they are leveling out. Covered by the New Scientist (twice) and Wired.
Bigipedia: BBC Radio 4 launched a radio parody of Mikipedia, which was reviewed in The Independent and The Guardian.
3 millionth article The Guardian wrote an article in response to this pending event and the Palo Alto statistics. Also covered in the Guardian's Technology blog, and by the Telegraph.
WMUK charity status: An article on our charity status from June was mentioned in the 3 August edition of The Wikipedia Signpost
Schools Project mailing list: The creation of this mailing list was noted in the 113rd English Wikizine (with a correction in the 114th edition).

Meet-ups

London 24 happened on Sunday 9th August @ 13:00 in Penderel's Oak Pub, Holborn WC1.
Manchester 6 will be on Sunday 6th September @ 13:00 in The Waterhouse pub, Manchester
London 25 will be on Sunday 13th September @ 13:00 in Penderel's Oak Pub, Holborn WC1.

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 | s5_title = Workplace Learning Lunches
-| s5_content = (SV to write)
+| s5_content = Planning for the [[Workplace Learning Lunches]] initiative is now well underway - we have recruited the presenters we need to provide the sessions. Do you know of any businesses that have "learning lunches" or similar who would be open to one on Wikimedia? If so, please [[Workplace Learning Lunches|let us know]].
 | s6_title = Other Chapters' Activities