I’ve just sent another email to my Google UK contact letting her know that we are now bidding for 2009. She said she forwarded my email about sponsorship for our 2008 bid, but I never heard back from whoever she forwarded it to. Maybe second time lucky though.

I also just sent an email to the director of the Oxford Internet Institute and the master of Balliol (who set up the OII) to see if they would be interested in cooperating with us on this. I’m not optimistic but it seemed worth a shot. (I’m a Balliol post-grad student so the master is at least vaguely aware of my existence...)

Good luck with Jim Knight. Have you contacted the mayor’s office as well? They may just be interested.

Fingers crossed.

Tom

From: wikimediauk-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org [mailto:wikimediauk-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf Of Gary Kirk
Sent: 15 December 2007 04:51
To: Wikimedia UK mailing list
Subject: [Wikimediauk-l] Wikimania 2009: assistance from the government?

Jim Knight, the schools minister briefly wrote to me saying he "looks forward to hearing more" - I explained a little, and pointed him to someone in his office who I had emailed. I have heard back from neither as yet, and the next time I would expect to would be Monday, I assume. *crosses fingers* :)

The UK/London bid page is at http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania_2009/UK by the way, people :)
I have updated it slightly and added to the London bid page. Please take a look and improve.

Cheers,

--
Gary Kirk