Hi all,
An update on what I can confirm currently.
1. The legal documents regarding the operation of WER/WMUK have always
been freely and easily available to anyone who wants them through the WMUK
website and on meta without any need to specifically request them from the
Company Secretary or anyone else.
2. Q: "the question is, when will the chapter actually be a functional
organisation that can provide more than just fancy job titles for a
handful of people?"
The WMUK organisation is actually pretty functional already in terms of
outreach work - media, organisations, interviews. David and myself
regularly field enquiries from all around the world (at all hours too!)
The two things it cannot do at the moment are (i) accept non-cash
donations and (ii) accept membership fees which are not paid in cash.
These are, quite clearly, very bad problems to have, but they aren't
preventing the effective work of the organisation. The "fancy job titles"
are anything but as they actually open doors and make us "meaningful" for
those seeking our input / help.
3. Wiki Educational Resources Ltd (the holding company for the Chapter and
which has the contract with the Wikimedia Foundation)is due to have an AGM
in the very near future. At that meeting one-third of the present
Directors are required to retire and may seek re-election alongside any
new candidates from the current membership. That third is of those who
have served the longest (though at present all were elected or re-elected
on the same date - the previous AGM). I have indicated to the other
Directors that I am presently inclined to probably not seek re-election,
though that isn't confirmed at this date.
4. Q: "So the question is: what doors would being able to say "from
Wikimedia UK" open for Wikimania hopefuls?"
We provided an email address for the Wikimania team leader last year
which, sfaiaa, is still operating. If the target recipient should be
changed just let me know.
5. Q: "Can someone here give me the short rundown on Paul's business
background and/or ties to the Wikipedia community?"
Paul has had a longtime connection with Wikipedia and the Wikimedia
community and has the requisite documentation and experience for the job.
6. "James F. spoke at length of the hair-tearing nightmare of even getting
a goddamn bank account for an intended charity in the UK, given the
marvellous new banking regulations designed to make sure we're not
money-laundering."
Yeah, though you would have thought that the banks have decided we are
absolute ne'er-do-wells from the response we've had! Yes, we've lost two
previous treasurers (somewhat careless, accepted) and the current one has
been offline the last month or so due to a family crisis (but I spoke to
him on the phone some minutes ago and will be meeting with him in person
on Wednesday to see what we can get sorted asap). We've also had a
downside in that - aiui - the banks and Charities Commission have actually
*changed* how they view prospective charities during the time we've been
trying to get all this sorted which in some areas has put us right back at
square one. grrr!
7. Q: AGM Date?
Somewhat complicated here ... last year the members of the company OK'd a
date shorter than the required notice (as permitted by the Articles) and
will probably do so again to comply with Companies House etc. *but* what
we'll then do is what we actually planned to do last year (sorry!) and
once the damn bank account situation is regularised (ie opened and ready
to receive funds) is have an EGM at which we will enable a change in the
Directors of the company to take place that won't have to await next
year's AGM.
8. Q:Help Wanted?
Yes, as soon as we have the practical problem of taking money sorted we
need to replace the absent position of someone to maintain the membership
information; to help organise our own public and private events; and to do
all sorts of other useful stuff. We ***really*** want this to be people
who are currently involved with Wikimedia projects - we did add some
requests on the WMUK website which did result in some offers but they
weren't from people currently involved / knowledgeable about the wiki way.
Thanks for your understanding, and apologies that from above the surface
we appear to be serenely doing nothing when we are actually paddling like
hell under the waterline!
Alison
ps. if the level of spam now coming into the wikimedia.org.uk domain is
anything to go by *lots* of people now know about us ;-/