Privacy Policy

Hope Church processes personal data both as a Processor and as a Controller, as defined by the GDPR. This privacy notice informs you the types of personal data that Hope Church holds, the processing we carry out, your rights under data protection legislation, and how to contact us.

Our principles

We are absolutely committed to protecting your privacy, and our legal duties under the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulation.

There are a variety of legal bases by which process personal data.

• Legitimate interest - We process some personal data to enable the church to keep in touch with people and to provide pastoral support to members and regular attenders
• Legal obligations - Some data is held and processed on other lawful grounds, such as employment contracts, safeguarding and vital interests e.g. when it will protect physical integrity or life
• Contracts - This includes contracts of employment and booking forms for events that we run (e.g. Church weekend away, Criss-Cross Holiday Club etc.)
• Informed consent - We gain explicit consent for publishing name and contact details in our Church Directory, and publishing names and images on our website, in email newsletters and at public meetings

We will respect your privacy. You will only be contacted in regard to Hope Church related matters.

What information do we collect?

At Hope Church, we collect different types of information about people for the following main reasons:

• To be able to communicate with members, regular attenders and those who have requested to be kept informed of future events and activities by email and other means
• To be able to offer pastoral support to members and regular attenders
• To be able to register users into events and courses
• To be able to collect donations and claim gift aid
• To be able to process enquires and prayer requests

We collect information on people through “like to know more?” cards, church database, email list & directory forms, bookings and registration forms, children’s health & consent forms, donation/pledge and gift aid forms, children and youth worker application forms, contact us/prayer requests on our website, safeguarding requirements and/or legal proceedings.

We collect the minimum information required to provide the service requested. We will ask you to consent to Hope Church holding and processing certain information we are requesting.

• Church database, email list & directory forms
• For donations – to verify payments and claim Gift Aid
• For children’s health & consent forms – to deal with medical needs or emergencies and for publishing images on website or publicity

For safeguarding and legal proceedings, the information held is governed by law.

Marketing, Research and Automated processing, decision making & profiling

No personal data is shared with a third party for any reason including marketing and research.

Hope Church does not operate automated processing, decision making or profiling.

Who will have access to my information?

Your personal information will be visible to Church Staff and Volunteers (e.g. Trustees, Ministry and Team Leaders, IT Support, Children’s Workers) where there is a justified operational need to do so. Such personnel are only allowed to use that data for Hope Church purposes.

Information will only be transferred to a third party, or outside the EU, on the basis of informed consent, or for the performance of a contract, to protect the data subject or other persons, for important reasons of public interest, or for legal reasons.

How long do Hope Church keep my information?

Different types of information are subject to different retention periods. Specific data retention periods relating to your data can be supplied with a subject access request.

What are my individual rights?

Individuals have the following rights concerning information that Hope Church holds about them:

• Request confirmation that your personal data is being processed
• Request access to a copy of information including the source and recipients of your data
• Request the correction of any information
• Request the deletion/erasure of any information
• Restrict the processing of your data when the accuracy, legitimacy or legality of the data or processing is being investigated
• Object to the processing of your data based on legitimate interests or the performance of a task in the public interest

Rights relating to data portability and automated decision making do not apply as Hope Church does not carry out automated processing or decision making.

You have the right to a copy of all the information we hold about you (apart from a few things which we may be obliged to withhold because they concern other people as well as you).

How can I exercise my rights?

To exercise any of your individual rights, including obtaining a copy of the information Hope Church holds about you, write to the Data Protection Officer at the Hope Church registered address, which is shown on the website, or via the email address office@hopechurch7oaks.org. This is free of charge for electronic copies of information, but an admin fee may be charged for hardcopies of information, or where a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.

If you are not known to the Data Protection Officer your identity will need to be verified before handing over any information. We will reply as promptly as we can and within the legal maximum of one month.

What else should I know about privacy?

Like many websites, Hope Church uses tiny computer files called ‘cookies’ to enhance your browsing experience. We do not identify you through the use of cookies or information sent by your computer except where you have asked us to remember your details. Our pages may contain links to other websites, and you should be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices on other websites.

We ask that people remember to close their browser when they have finished their session. This is to ensure that others cannot access personal information and correspondence if they share a computer with someone else or they are using a computer in a public place like a library or Internet cafe. As an individual are responsible for the security of, and access to, your own computer.

Please be aware that whenever you voluntarily disclose personal information over the Internet that this information can be collected and used by others. In short, if you post personal information in publicly accessible online forums, you may receive unsolicited messages from other parties in return. Ultimately, you are solely responsible for maintaining the secrecy of your information.

Any Questions or Concerns?

If you have any additional questions about Hope Church collection and storage of data, please contact us at: office@hopechurch7oaks.org

If you have a concern about the way we are collecting or using your personal data, you should raise this with our Data Protection Officer in the first instance at the above e mail where we will seek to resolve matters. For information the Information Commissioner’s Office is at ico.org.uk/concerns/