Stevie, Jonathan's right - it was wonderful working with you... and I hope that, if you feel happy to come back and volunteer, I'll enjoy working with you in future too! All the best wishes for the future, Richard Symonds Wikimedia UK 0207 065 0992 Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT. United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects). *Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.* On 25 November 2015 at 15:52, WereSpielChequers &lt;werespielchequers(a)gmail.com > Dear Stevie, > > It was a pleasure working with you during my two years at WMUK. > > My very best wishes for whatever you get up to next. > > Jonathan > > On 25 November 2015 at 13:39, Stevie Benton < > stevie.benton(a)wikimedia.org.uk> >> Hello everyone, >> >> It is with some sadness that I write to let you know that I have moved on >> to pastures new, and finished working for Wikimedia UK in the middle of >> September. I am sorry that I didn't write sooner but have been away on a >> much needed holiday. >> >> Over the last three and a half years I have had the pleasure and >> privilege to work with some incredible people, both staff and volunteers. >> Being able to support the free and open knowledge movement in a >> professional capacity has been exciting, tiring, empowering, stressful, and >> the most incredible experience of my professional life. >> >> Being able to make a contribution to this movement, for which I care >> deeply, has been an honour. I will continue to be involved as a volunteer, >> in the realms of communications, policy and advocacy. >> >> There are too many people who have made such a positive impact on me >> personally and professionally to be able to name and thank them all >> individually. However, I do want to say a special thanks to my outstanding >> colleagues at Wikimedia UK who are the most talented and hard working group >> of people I have ever worked with. I want to also thank the volunteers and >> staff I have worked with closely over the years as Head of External >> Relations, especially in the areas of movement communications, campaigning, >> educational & IP policy, and digital democracy. >> >> I've been lucky enough to meet, and work with, many smart and thoughtful >> people outside our movement and I hope that I've made a strong enough case >> for free and open knowledge for them to remain involved in this mission. >> >> I'd love to continue to hear from you all so do feel free to email me – >> stevie.d.benton(a)gmail.com – or find me on Twitter or LinkedIn and thank >> you all once again for an amazing three and a half years. >> >> With thanks and regards, >> >> Stevie >> >> -- >> >> Stevie Benton >> Head of External Relations >> Wikimedia UK+44 (0) 20 7065 0993 / +44 (0) 7803 505 173 >> @StevieBenton >> >> Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT. United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects). >> >> *Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.* >> >> >> <https://www.avast.com/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> This >> email has been sent from a virus-free computer protected by Avast. >> www.avast.com >> <https://www.avast.com/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> >> <#1513f589658ac00a_1513effb6fd646f0_DDB4FAA8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimedia UK mailing list >> wikimediauk-l(a)wikimedia.org >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l >> WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia UK mailing list > wikimediauk-l(a)wikimedia.org > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l > WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk >

Stevie, you'll be missed. Charles

Thanks for all you've done for WMUK, Stevie. I will miss your cheerful greetings every time I step into the office. I wish you all the best for the future, but hope we'll get a chance to get together some time - in fact, if you do find yourself with a bit of free time, we could make that video of a training session that we always promised, but never found the time to do! All the very best, -- Doug

Dear all Thanks for all your messages to Stevie, which I will forward to his personal email address to make sure that he gets them. I'm sure they will be much appreciated. Andy, I totally understand your concern at the gap between Stevie's departure and the announcement, however it was agreed with Stevie that he would be the one to let everyone know. Plans for his replacement have been on hold while we were awaiting the FDC's recommendations for our annual grant from the Wikimedia Foundation; however I'm now hoping to advertise for a new Communications Co-ordinator in the new year. This post will be at a lower level than Stevie - mainly for financial reasons - and will have a slightly different emphasis. The advocacy work that Stevie was managing brilliantly will now be led by me, but will also involve staff from our programmes team as well as an advocacy working group that is being set up. I don't know specifically what your questions were about the restructure and clearly that took place before I joined WMUK on 7th October, however I can certainly try to answer these if you let me know your concerns? You're welcome to contact me directly on lucy.crompton-reid(a)wikimedia.org.uk, or via this mailing list if you'd prefer. With best wishes Lucy On 29 November 2015 at 23:28, Andy Mabbett &lt;andy(a)pigsonthewing.org.uk&gt; wrote: -- Lucy Crompton-Reid Chief Executive Wikimedia UK +44 (0) 207 065 0991 Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects). *Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.*

On 30 November 2015 at 13:44, Stevie Benton &lt;stevie.d.benton(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: A joy to work with you sir, and the volunteers will be most pleased to aid your replacement in getting up to speed :-) - d.

On 30 November 2015 at 13:56, David Gerard &lt;dgerard(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: Not once he'd left ;-) -- Andy Mabbett @pigsonthewing http://pigsonthewing.org.uk