Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Elevate Together ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our website, attend our events, subscribe to our newsletter, or interact with us in any other way.

We are a Community Interest Company registered in England and Wales (Company No. 15557869) and we are the data controller responsible for your personal data.

2. Who We Are

Elevate Together is a community interest company bringing neighbours, ideas, and opportunities together so everyone can help shape the future of Barking & Dagenham.

3. Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following types of personal information:

3.1 Information You Provide

• Name and contact details (email address, phone number, postal address)
• Information provided when subscribing to our newsletter
• Details provided when registering for events or activities
• Donation information and payment details
• Communications and correspondence with us
• Feedback, surveys, and questionnaire responses
• Volunteer registration information

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Technical data such as IP address, browser type, and device information
• Usage data including pages visited and time spent on our website
• Cookie data and similar tracking technologies

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• To provide you with information about our services, events, and activities
• To send you our newsletter and other communications you have requested
• To process donations and maintain donor records
• To administer and manage event registrations
• To respond to your enquiries and provide support
• To improve our website, services, and user experience
• To comply with legal and regulatory obligations
• To protect our community interests and prevent fraud
• To analyse website usage and improve our digital presence

5. Legal Basis for Processing

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), we rely on the following legal bases:

• Consent: Where you have given us clear consent to process your personal data for specific purposes, such as receiving our newsletter.
• Contractual necessity: Where processing is necessary to fulfil a contract with you, such as event registration.
• Legitimate interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests as a community interest company, provided these are not overridden by your rights.
• Legal obligation: Where we need to comply with legal requirements.

6. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your data with:

• Service providers who assist us in operating our website and delivering our services
• Payment processors for handling donations securely
• Email service providers for newsletter distribution
• Legal and regulatory authorities when required by law
• Partner organisations with your explicit consent

All third-party service providers are required to maintain the confidentiality and security of your personal information and are only permitted to use it for the purposes specified by us.

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption for data transmission
• Secure storage systems with restricted access
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Staff training on data protection and confidentiality

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Our retention periods are:

• Newsletter subscribers: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion
• Event registration: 3 years after the event
• Donation records: 7 years for financial and tax purposes
• General enquiries: 2 years from the date of correspondence

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

• Right of access: You can request a copy of your personal information.
• Right to rectification: You can request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to erasure: You can request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Right to restrict processing: You can request that we limit how we use your data.
• Right to data portability: You can request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format.
• Right to object: You can object to processing based on legitimate interests.
• Right to withdraw consent: Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@elevate-together.co.uk. We will respond to your request within one month.

10. Cookies

Our website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device. We use:

• Essential cookies: Required for the website to function properly
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website
• Preference cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external websites operated by third parties. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these websites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any external websites you visit.

12. Children's Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

14. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data, please contact us first so we can address your concerns. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection:

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: