Constitution

Constitution Articles of Association — Vision, Mission and Values — Staff — Board of Trustees — Chapter Agreement — Membership Rules — Election Rules

Overview

Wikimedia UK is the local Wikimedia chapter covering the United Kingdom. We were founded on 5 November 2008, and we were approved as a chapter by the Wikimedia Foundation on 12 January 2009.

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 registered charitable company that is incorporated in England & Wales as a "Company Limited by Guarantee" (Registered Company No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513.). This means that the company has a separate legal identity from the members of the company, and except where they are also on the Board (See the articles of association) they have no further liability for the company’s debts beyond the amount of their personal guarantee (See the articles of association).

The company is controlled by its voting members under company law, for the purposes set out in the Objects of the charity (and not for the private benefit of those members). Each member 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 a Chief Executive, who heads up our Staff. In managing the company’s resources and activities the Chief Executive is required to follow the strategic direction and company policies which are governed by the Board whose members are its directors and who are regarded as its 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, particularly in the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Acts 1993 and 2006

(b) The company's Articles of Association

(c) Any Special Resolutions passed by the company since incorporation. Currently three Special Resolutions have been passed:

• (i) Requiring the permission of the members to amend the Election Rules
• (ii) Requiring the permission of the members to terminate or make certain amendments to the Chapter Agreement
• (iii) Establishing a new class of members for organisations

(d) Any Rules adopted under Article 28 either by the members or the directors, which currently comprise:

• (i) the Election Rules (adopted by the Board in January 2009)
• (ii) 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
• (viii) the Staff Policies. These documents are subject to review in January 2015 by the Chief Executive and approved by the Board of Trustees. They will also be reviewed in response to changes in relevant legislation, contractual arrangements, good practice or in response to an identified failing in their effectiveness.
  • (a) Bullying and Harassment Policy
  • (b) Conflict of Interest Policy
  • (c) Confidentiality Policy
  • (d) Data Protection Policy
  • (e) Disciplinary policy and procedure
  • (f) Diversity and Equalities Policy
  • (g) Finance (and Expenses) Policy 2012
  • (h) Grievance Policy and Procedure
  • (i) Home Working Policy
  • (j) Maternity Leave and Pay
  • (k) Sickness Management Policy
  • (l) Staff Training and Development
  • (m) Time off in Lieu Policy
  • (n) Volunteer and Intern Agreement
  • (o) Whistle blowing Policy
• (ix) the Copyright Policy
• (x) the Participation policy
• (xi) the Donation and grant acceptance policy
• (xii) the Representing Wikimedia UK policy
• (xiii) the IT Security Policy (and subpolicies)
• (xiv) the Recruitment Policy
• (xv) the Volunteer Conflict of Interest Policy
• (xvi) the Website Privacy Policy

(e) The Chapter Agreement, signed by Wikimedia UK 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.