Privacy notice

Introduction

This Privacy Notice has been written to give a clear explanation of our data processing practices to safeguard you and your personal information.

Life 2009 (“we”) promises to respect any personal data you share with us or that we get from other organisations, and keep it safe. We aim to be clear when we collect your data and not do anything you wouldn’t reasonably expect.

This statement relates to information that may be collected about supporters, volunteers, and employees (current and former). The type and quantity of information we collect and how we use it depends on why you are providing it.

You can change the way we contact you or opt out of communications by:

  • Emailing: GDPR@lifecharity.org.uk
  • Phoning: 01926 312272
  • Writing to: Life (GDPR),  Unit 4, Tancred Close, Leamington Spa CV31 3RZ

Please note that our marketing communications include information about our latest news, fundraising projects, or our vital pregnancy support services. You can choose to opt out of marketing communications that relate to fundraising projects but still ask to receive our general communications.

Supporters

By developing a better understanding of our supporters through their personal information we can communicate with our supporters on what matters to them, make better decisions, fundraise more efficiently, and ultimately continue to provide our vital pregnancy support services.

1. What personal data we collect and how we use it

The type and quantity of information we collect and how we use it depends on why you are providing it.

If you support us – for example, you donate, volunteer, register to fundraise, or sign up for an event – we will generally collect:

  • Your name
  • Your contact details including address, email, or phone number
  • Your credit/debit card details (not stored after payment processed)
  • Details of any events you have participated in or attended
  • The value of your donation or sponsorship
  • If you are registered for Gift Aid
  • Details of your visit to our website or from a social media post (IP or MAC address)
  • Marketing permissions

Where it is appropriate we may also collect:

  • Your date of birth
  • Your bank details for direct debits
  • Information relating to your health and emergency contact details (for example if you are taking part in one of our events)
  • Your reasons for supporting Life. We will never make this question mandatory, and only want to know the answer if you are comfortable telling us

We will use your data to:

  • Provide you with the services, products, or information requested.
  • Administer your donation or support your fundraising, including processing Gift Aid and thanking you.
  • Keep a record of your relationship with us.
  • Ensure we know your communication preferences.
  • Understand how we can improve our services, products, or information.

Understanding our supporters and targeting our communications

We may use profiling and screening techniques to ensure communications are relevant and timely, and to provide an improved experience for our supporters. Profiling also allows us to target our resources effectively, which supporters consistently tell us is a key priority for them. We do this because it allows us to understand the background of the people who support us. This helps us to make appropriate requests to supporters who may be able and willing to give more than they already do. Importantly, it enables us to raise more funds, sooner, and more cost-effectively, than we otherwise would.

When building a profile we may analyse geographic, demographic, and other information relating to you in order to better understand your interests and preferences, so that we can contact you with the most relevant communications. In doing this, we may use additional information from third party sources when it is available. Such information is compiled using publicly available data about you, for example addresses, listed Directorships, or looking at typical house prices in a given area.

Direct Marketing – Use of Legitimate Interest

We would like to continue mailing those have recently donated to or engaged in raising funds for Life over the last three rolling years. These individuals will have been asked to provide us with their communications preferences but may have not yet responded to us. We will continue to contact these individuals (or groups/organisations) in relation to raising funds and updates about how this supports our charitable services, unless we are informed that they wish to opt out of hearing from us. We continue this contact on the basis of legitimate interest for three years, where an opt out will then be presumed where no engagement or further support has been shown from the individual or group/organisation. The type of data that would be processed in order to retain on our mailing list is name, address, and contact information.

This form of processing benefits us through the means of donations received as a result of a mailing. Our services are offered free to the public, therefore this should be seen as a benefit to the general public.

Our Fundraising Team is always looking for new ways to seek donations and reach donors in a less intrusive manner. We will not use this legitimate interest as a step to prohibit future development and Life will continue to seek consent (communication preferences) from all supporters. This collection of consent will be on-going and over time we hope to have communication preference stored on all records. We offer an opt-out on all communications with supporters. When those preferences are provided they are recorded and respected. We are happy to discuss communication options with any supporter when asked.

A minimal number of supporters will find our processing intrusive or object to their use. These complaints to Life are tracked and report to the Board of Trustees in a timely manner.

We aim to make it easy for you to tell us how you want us to communicate, in a way that suits you. Our forms have clear marketing preference questions and we include information on how to opt out when we send you communications. If you don’t want to hear from us, just let us know when you provide your information or contact us by:

  • Emailing: GDPR@lifecharity.org.uk
  • Phoning: 01926 312272
  • Writing to: Life (GDPR),  Unit 4, Tancred Close, Leamington Spa CV31 3RZ

We do not sell or share personal details to third parties for the purposes of marketing. If we run an event in partnership with another named organisation your details may need to be shared. We will be very clear what will happen to your data when you register.

We will not sell or share your details with other charities or organisations (in compliance with the Data Protection Acts). But so we can contact you by post, we do need to securely supply your contact details to our professional mailing house partners.

How and where we collect information about you

We collect information in the following ways:

When you give it to us DIRECTLY

You may give us your information in order to sign up for one of our events, tell us your story, make a donation, purchase our products, or communicate with us. Sometimes when you support us, your information is collected by an organisation working for us (e.g. a professional fundraising agency like Unity Lottery), but we are both responsible for your data at all times.

When you give it to us INDIRECTLY

Your information may be shared with us by independent organisers, such as the London Marathon, or fundraising sites like Just Giving and Much Loved. These independent third parties will only do so when you have indicated that you wish to support Life and with your consent. You should check their Privacy Policy when you provide your information to understand fully how they will process your data.

When you give permission to OTHER ORGANISATIONS to share or it is available publicly

We may combine information you provide to us with information available from external sources. This is known as data- or tele-appending and enables us to contact you in the event that you change your address or phone number, or didn’t provide it to us. We also use this information to gain a better understanding of our supporters to improve our fundraising methods, products, and services.

The information we get from other organisations may depend on your privacy settings or the responses you give, so you should regularly check them. This information comes from the following sources:

Third party organisations

You may have provided permission for a company or other organisation to share your data with third parties, including charities. This could be when you buy a product or service, register for an online competition, or sign up with a comparison site.

Social Media

Depending on your settings or the privacy policies for social media and messaging services such as Meta platforms and X (previously Twitter), you might give us permission to access information from those accounts or services.

Website

The content of our website pages are for your general information and use only. They are subject to change without notice.

Like most websites, we use cookies to help us make our site – and the way you use it – better. Recent government legislation means we are obliged to seek your agreement to the use of cookies when you visit our website. We collect standard internet log information and details of visitor behaviour patterns. We do this to discover information such as the number of visitors to the various parts of the site. We collect this information in a way which does not identify anyone. We do not make any attempt to find out the identities of those visiting our website. We will not associate any data gathered from this site with any personally identifying information from any source.

If you leave a comment on our website you may opt in to saving your name, email address, and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.

If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.

When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.

If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after one day.

Embedded content from other websites

Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.

These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.

E-commerce customers

We have an online shop on our website, where you can buy items such as Christmas cards. We use a platform called WooCommerce to support the online shop and you can read their privacy policy here: WooCommerce Privacy Policy

We use a payment provider called PayPal as well as Stripe and you can read their privacy policies here: PayPal Privacy Statement and Stripe Privacy Policy

We use Royal Mail Click and Drop to fulfil our online orders and you can read their privacy policy here: Royal Mail Group Ltd Privacy Notice

We retain your information to process your payment and fulfil your order, then one day the order is fulfilled, your personal information is no longer retained.

Information shared with the payment provider to process payments includes:

  • Name
  • Email
  • Address
  • Phone
  • City
  • County
  • Unique payment identifier
  • Payment provider identifier

Information available publicly

This may include information found in places such as Companies House and information that has been published in articles or newspapers.

How we keep your information safe and who has access

We ensure that there are appropriate technical controls in place to protect your personal details. Our online forms are encrypted and our network is protected and routinely monitored.

We undertake regular reviews of who has access to information that we hold to ensure that your information is only accessible by appropriately trained staff, volunteers, and contractors.

We may use external companies to collect or process personal data on our behalf. When this is the case, we do comprehensive checks on these companies before we work with them, and put a contract in place that sets out our expectations and requirements, especially regarding how they manage the personal data they collect or have access to.

We do not sell or share your details with other charities or organisations (in compliance with the Data Protection Acts). However, so that we can contact you via post, we do need to securely supply your contact details to our professional mailing house partners.

We may need to disclose your details if required to the police, regulatory bodies, or legal advisors.

We will only ever share your data in other circumstances if we have your explicit and informed consent.

How we keep your information up to date

Where possible we use publicly available sources to keep your records up to date; for example, the Post Office’s National Change of Address database and information provided to us by other organisations as above. We will not purchase new addresses on data subjects, but may use the information provided to mark records as Gone Away.

We appreciate it if you let us know if your contact details change.

How long is the information retained for

We are required to retain certain financial information for up to seven years. This includes details such as name, address, and gift donations. If Gift Aid is claimed, we are required to retain the information and submit to HMRC as necessary to process the Gift Aid claim.

Sharing your story

Some people choose to tell us about their experiences using Life’s services to help further our work. This may include them sharing sensitive information related to their health and family life, in addition to their biographical and contact information.

We will monitor the types of people who are involved (demographic information) to ensure that the views we hear are representative of all people who use our services.

If we have the explicit and informed consent of the individuals (or their parent or guardian if they are under 18) this information may be made public by us at events, in materials promoting our campaigning and fundraising work, or in documents such as our annual report.

Children

We occasionally collect and manage information from children, and aim to manage it in a way which is appropriate to the age of the child. Information is usually collected when children attend our events or fundraise for us.

Where possible and appropriate, we will seek consent from a parent or guardian before collecting information about children. Our events have specific rules about whether children can participate, and we‘ll make sure advertising for those events is age appropriate.

Data Care Statement

To comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 and General Data Protection Regulations we need your consent before we take or use any interview material or photographs of you. When agreeing to media-related coverage participants should sign they agree to the following conditions:

  • I give my consent for photographs, audio, and or/film recordings and interview material featuring me obtained by Life to be used to promote the work of Life.
  • I understand this material will be stored securely and used in perpetuity. I understand I may withdraw my consent at any time, I understand that Life reserves the right to continue to use old publications with my images/material, until such time as they need re-printing.
  • I understand that if I wish to withdraw my consent I must inform Life in writing. I understand Life may use my photographs, recordings, or case studies in the following ways: publicity, such as the Life newsletter, posters, and leaflets; on Life’s website/s; on Life social media accounts or other electronic media such as Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, and press releases, which may subsequently appear in the local or national media.
  • I understand that once my photo/words are published and in circulation (for example in newspapers or on the internet) they may be copied and used by others.

Volunteers

Application stage

We will ask you for your personal details including:

  • Name
  • Contact details
  • Date of birth
  • Previous volunteering experience
  • Other information relevant to the role being applied for

We also ask for you to complete health screening information to help us ensure role suitability and to assess if any reasonable adjustments and support can be offered to remove barriers from volunteering with us. Our volunteering team and line managers where relevant will have access to this information.

Conditional offer checks

If we make a conditional offer to volunteer, we may ask you for information so that we can carry out pre-checks for certain roles. We are required to confirm the identity of our volunteers and seek assurance as to their trustworthiness, integrity, and reliability. You may be asked to provide:

  • Proof of identity
  • Proof of qualifications
  • Details to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (if required)
  • Details of referees that will be contacted
  • Bank details – to process out of pocket payments
  • Emergency contact details

We will also ask you, on a voluntary basis, to provide information enabling us to monitor how we are progressing against our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion goals.

How long is the information retained for

If you are unsuccessful at any stage of the process, the information you have provided will be retained for one year from the closure of the application process.

Upon a volunteer’s resignation we retain their electronic records for a period of six years. Any associated documentation is kept for a duration of one year.

Job applicants, current and former employees

What personal information we collect and how we use it

We are the data controller for the information you provide during the application and employment process.

All information you provide during the process will only be used for the purpose of processing your application, or to fulfil legal and regulatory requirements if necessary. The information you provide will be held securely by us and/or our data processors, whether the information is in electronic or physical format.

We do not collect more information than we need to fulfil our stated purposes and will not retain it for longer than is necessary. At any point you have the right to request access, correction, or deletion of your personal information held by us. You can contact us to do so by:

  • Emailing: GDPR@lifecharity.org.uk
  • Phoning: 01926 312272
  • Writing to: Life (GDPR),  Unit 4, Tancred Close, Leamington Spa CV31 3RZ

Application stage

We will ask you for your personal details including:

  • Name
  • Contact details
  • Work experience
  • Education
  • Referees
  • Answers to questions relevant to the role you have applied for

Our HR Team and the recruitment panel will have access to this information. We will also ask you, on a voluntary basis, to provide information enabling us to monitor how we are progressing against our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion goals.

Conditional offer/employment check

If we make a conditional offer of employment, we will ask you for information so that we can carry out pre-employment checks. We are required to confirm the identity of our staff, their right to work in the UK, and seek assurance as to their trustworthiness, integrity, and reliability. You will be asked to provide:

  • Proof of identity and right to work in the UK
  • Proof of qualifications and/or professional membership
  • You will be asked to complete a criminal records declaration (for relevant roles)
  • Details to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (for relevant roles)
  • Details of referees and your consent for us to contact them
  • Bank details to process salary payments
  • Emergency contact details
  • Pension details and nominated beneficiaries for pension contribution refunds and life assurance payments in the event of your death

How we keep your information safe and who has access

We use third party data processors to provide elements of our employment services such as payroll services, pension, Occupational Health, and to store personnel records. We have contracts in place to regulate the way they hold and process your personal information. They will not share your personal information with any organisation apart from us, except with your consent or as required by law. It will be held securely and retained for the period we instruct.

A full list of our third-party data processors can be requested by contacting us as above.

How long is the information retained for

If you become an employee of Life, the information you provide during your job application and information about you provided by you or generated during your employment will be retained as part of your employee file for the duration of employment plus six years following the end of employment, with the exception of safeguarding training records which are held for 15 years following the end of the tax year in which you leave, and information which must be retained for longer than six years to comply with the provisions of the Health & Social Care Act 2008. This includes criminal records declaration, fitness to work, records of any security checks and references, and data relating to your health and wellbeing, attendance at work, performance, capability, and conduct.

We use this information to administer payroll, pensions, training and appraisal, monitor equality, diversity and inclusion, and manage your access to various services such as IT and buildings. We are legally obliged to collect, retain, and disclose certain information about you.

If you do not join us as an employee, the information you have provided as a job applicant will be retained for six months from the closure of the recruitment campaign.

Life outlet CCTV – Use of legitimate interest

Life maintains video surveillance technology on some of our outlets to deter and assist in the prevention or detection of crime. We will process this information under the basis of legitimate interests in circumstances where any individual would reasonably expect us to be using their information. Life will still protect the rights and interests of all individuals, ensuring that processing remains lawful, fair, and necessary, without causing harm and where there is no less intrusive way to achieve the same result.

Video surveillance systems operate continually and many be monitored at night by staff responsible for the security of patients and the premises. Access is restricted and would only show live images in areas deemed necessary.

Images are stored for 30 days and are then automatically deleted. Stored images may be reviewed within those 30 days if there is evidence that an untoward incident has occurred or is suspected. These images will be reviewed by designated members of staff only and may be retained if considered necessary.

Life is the data controller who maintains and controls all the CCTV equipment and monitors, as well as the storage and deletion processes.

A minimal number of visitors would find our processing intrusive or object to the use. Any of these complaints to Life will be investigated and responded before being reported to the Board of Trustees.

How you can access and correct the information we have

You have a right to ask us to stop processing your personal data and, if it’s not necessary for the purpose you provided it to us for (e.g. processing your donation or registering you for an event), we will do so. Contact us by:

  • Emailing: GDPR@lifecharity.org.uk
  • Phoning: 01926 312272
  • Writing to: Life (GDPR),  Unit 4, Tancred Close, Leamington Spa CV31 3RZ

You can find out if we hold any personal information by making a ‘subject access request’ under the Data Protection Acts. If we do hold information about you we will:

  • Give you a description of it
  • Explain why we are holding it
  • Inform you who it could be disclosed to
  • Let you have a copy of the information in an intelligible form

To make a request, please put it in writing addressed to Life (GDPR),  Unit 4, Tancred Close, Leamington Spa CV31 3RZ.

We cannot accept these requests by email in order to ensure that we only provide personal data to the correct person. If there are any discrepancies in the information, please let us know and we will correct them.

If you have any questions, please send these to GDPR@lifecharity.org.uk

For further information, please see the Information Commissioner’s guidance here.

Changes to this Notice

We may change this Privacy Notice from time to time.  If we make any significant changes in the way we treat your personal information we will make this clear on Life’s website or by contacting you directly.

Last updated April 2024