Data Protection Policy

There are rules set out in law which all organisations, including community groups, must follow in order to help protect people’s data and privacy. From the end of the Brexit transition period on 31st December 2020, the relevant legislation for organisations in the UK is the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), and the Data Protection Act of 2018.

These changes to the law affect how Whiteparish Garden Club is able to process personal information. During the administration of its programmes of events, Whiteparish Garden Club gathers personal data from a number of sources but mainly members and speakers. This policy outlines the Society’s responsibilities for data handling, the ways in which we safeguard the privacy of all personal data and the rights of individuals under the GDPR.

Whiteparish Garden Club’s Rules and Responsibilities:  The handling of personal data is restricted to designated Club members who need access to the data in order to carry out their duties and who have agreed to adhere to the principles stated in this policy. The Secretary is the first point of contact for any questions relating to Data Protection. The Secretary, together with other members of the Committee, is responsible for how your personal data is handled.

Whiteparish Garden Club Data Protection Principles:

• We only collect and hold essential data which is supplied by you and which we need to operate. This includes title, name, postal address, email address and telephone number(s).

• We lawfully process your personal data in accordance with the GDPR.

• Personal data is used solely in the administration of our society and programme of events, and in communicating with you for these purposes.

• All digital data files are held within password-protected and appropriately secure environments.

• All paper documents are stored with appropriate security.

• We aim to keep our records as accurate as possible and you may update your personal data at any time.

• Data will be retained for no longer than 12 months after a member’s involvement with the Club has ceased.

• Whiteparish Garden Club does not disclose personal data to any third party, except with your explicit consent.

Your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation: We process personal data in accordance with the rights of individuals under the GDPR.

You may contact the Secretary at any time to check what personal data we hold and how we use it. Under the GDPR this is known as a Subject Access Request and Whiteparish Garden Club will respond within 30 days of a request being made.

You are entitled to:

• Obtain a copy of your personal data to check its accuracy and relevance

• Amend your personal data

• Change your consent and your preferred method of communication

• Be informed of any breach in data security, i.e. data loss or unauthorised data usage

• Request that personal data is erased from the Society’s records

• Complain about how your personal data is being used

If you consider that your data is being handled incorrectly, you may also complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Visit www.ico.org.uk for details of how to do this.