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Privacy Policy for the Whitewater Benefice

This privacy policy is issued by the PCC of Hook, and covers the use of iKnow Church (https://wwbenefice.myiknowchurch.co.uk/) and the Whitewater Benefice website (https://www.whitewaterchurches.co.uk/). Both iKnow Church and the Whitewater Benefice website are implemented by the PCC of Hook on behalf of the PCC of Hook and PCC of HMR. A paper copy is available from the Whitewater Benefice Office by request.

We are committed to protecting your privacy. We aim to ensure that all information you give us is held securely and is only used in a manner you have consented to or would expect.

1   UK GDPR

The UK General Data Protection Regulation (“UK GDPR”) governs how we process any personal data. Personal data is any information which can be used to identify a living individual. Identification can be by the information alone or in conjunction with any other information held. UK GDPR covers the details we keep – the information you have given us and for what purpose, for how long we keep it and how we remove it. It may also result in having to give permission to use data for a specific purpose.

A data controller is the person or organisation who determines the purpose for which, and the way, any personal data is processed. The data controller is responsible for establishing practices and policies in line with the regulations.

The Whitewater Benefice data controllers are the PCC of Hook, the PCC of Heckfield with Mattingley and Rotherwick (HMR) and the Rector. The data controllers decide how your data is processed and for what purposes.

Please contact the Whitewater Benefice Office to:

  • view all the data we hold about you
  • ask us to remove all your data and unsubscribe you from specific / all uses of your data

To exercise all relevant rights, queries or complaints please in the first instance contact the Whitewater Benefice Office, London Road, Hook, RG27 9EG. Telephone 01256 760169. Email office@whitewaterchurches.co.uk

You can contact the Information Commissioners Office on 0303 123 1113 or via email https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/email/ or at the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire. SK9 5AF.

1.1   What data do we collect about you?

Personal data, or personal information, means any information about an individual from which that person can be identified. It does not include data where the identity has been removed (anonymous data).

We may collect, use, store and transfer different kinds of personal data about you which we have grouped together as follows:

  • Identity Data includes first name, maiden name, last name, username (or similar identifier), marital status, title, date of birth, gender, photograph, audio or video footage and any other biographical information you may provide us.
  • Contact Data includes billing address, delivery address, email address and telephone numbers.
  • Financial Data includes bank account and payment card details.
  • Transaction Data includes details about payments to and from you and other details of events, products or services you have purchased from us or gifts you have donated to us.
  • Technical Data includes internet protocol (IP) address, your login data, browser type and version, time zone setting and location, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform and other technology on the devices you use to access this website.
  • Profile Data includes your username and password, purchases or orders made by you, your interests, preferences, feedback and survey responses.
  • Usage Data includes information about how you use our website, events, products and services.
  • Marketing and Communications Data includes your preferences in receiving marketing from us and our third parties and your communication preferences.

Some of this data may be personal data or special category data which can be used to identify you. Examples of personal data include, but are not limited to, your name, address, email address and telephone number, etc.

Some of this information may be considered to come within the definition of Special Categories of Personal Data – this includes for example religious beliefs, or details about your health or special needs.

We may also collect, use and share Aggregated Data such as your usage data. Aggregated Data may be derived from your personal data but is not considered personal data at law as the data does not directly or indirectly reveal your identity. For example, we may aggregate data to count the number of people attending a Sunday service (counting those in church and those on Zoom), or to count the number of visitors to our website.

We will only collect and record data which is relevant to the purpose for which you have given it.

1.2   How do we collect your data?

We may collect data from you when you interact with the Whitewater Benefice. Your data may be collected through direct interaction:

  • When you give us your details for example by completing a form, sending us an email or face to face
  • When you sign up for weekly notices via email
  • when you make a donation, either online or in one of the churches
  • when you (or your child) attend or sign up for an event
  • when you interact with us online eg use iKnow Church or the website (www.whitewaterchurches.co.uk)
  • when you join one of our WhatsApp or Facebook groups or follow our Facebook page

We may also collect data indirectly such as technical data when you interact with our website.

1.3   How do we process your personal data?

The Whitewater Benefice complies with its obligations under UK GDPR by keeping personal data up to date; by storing and destroying it securely; by not collecting or retaining excessive amounts of data; by protecting personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access and disclosure and by ensuring that appropriate technical measures are in place to protect personal data.

We use your personal data for the following purposes: -

  • To enable us to provide a voluntary service for the benefit of the public within the Benefice and surrounding parishes;
  • To administer membership records including the electoral roll;
  • To fundraise and promote the interests of the churches;
  • To manage our employees and volunteers;
  • To maintain our own accounts and records (including the processing of gift aid applications);
  • To inform you of news, events, activities and services running in the Whitewater Benefice;
  • If you are a member of a team or on a rota, to allow your team leader to contact you with respect to the roles & responsibilities of that team (providing you have consented to your email address being used);
  • To share your contact details with the Diocesan office so they can keep you informed about news in the diocese and events, activities and services that will be occurring in the diocese and in which you may be interested.
  • If you make donations to us and have signed up for gift aid, your details will be shared with HMRC

In addition:

  • Your details in iKnow Church will be visible to ministers, admin staff and church officers. If you are a member of a team or home group, your contact details will also be visible to your team leader.
  • Hook Parish and HMR Parish share data for administrative purposes
  • Your contact details may be displayed in our weekly newsletters (both printed or on our website https://www.whitewaterchurches.co.uk) and in our magazine. For example: your details may be displayed if they have been given in the context of running an event, or if they have been given for inclusion in the contact details for the church and/or safeguarding contacts details. If you have not given the details to the benefice office for inclusion, we will check with you before sharing your contact details.
  • Photographs of members of the Whitewater Benefice or visitors to an event may be taken. Whilst we do try to identify everyone and get consent for photographs to be used in publicity materials (e.g. the Whitewater Benefice Magazine or the Website), there are times when we may publish photographs without consent or where the consent has been rescinded.If you would like photographs removed from our website please email: support@whitewaterchurches.co.uk or contact the Whitewater Benefice office.
  • We may also collect, use or share aggregated data – such as statistical or demographic data, this may be numbers at an event or service (which may be broken down by numbers of children/adults) or the numbers of people who access the website
  • We may use products and services from third-party suppliers to manage events, campaigns or mailings, to carry out surveys or for storage of your personal information on our behalf. You can find out more about the suppliers that we use by contacting us on office@whitewaterchurches.co.uk. We screen and monitor these companies to get the appropriate protection of your privacy and security. Your personal information may only be used in accordance with data protection legislation, under strict instructions from the PCC of Hook Parish and/or the PCC of Heckfield, Mattingley & Rotherwick

1.4   What is the legal basis for processing your personal data?

Under UK GDPR we need to identify a lawful basis to process your data, this can be any one of the following and will depend upon the reason we need to collect your data:

(a) Consent: this is so that we can: keep you informed about news, events, activities and services; process your gift aid donations; keep you informed about diocesan events which might interest you; for those who volunteer, to allow contact by activity leaders;

(b) Contract: the processing is necessary for carrying out obligations under employment, social security or social protection law, or a collective agreement;

(c) Legal obligation: the processing is necessary for you to comply with the law (not including contractual obligations).

(d) Vital interests: the processing is necessary to protect someone’s life.

(e) Public task: the processing is necessary for you to perform a task in the public interest or for your official functions, and the task or function has a clear basis in law.

(f) Legitimate interests: the processing is necessary for your legitimate interests or the legitimate interests of a third party, unless there is a good reason to protect the individual’s personal data which overrides those legitimate interests.There is no disclosure to a third party without consent.

1.5   Your rights and your personal data

Unless subject to an exemption under UK GDPR, you have the following rights with respect to your personal data:

  • The right to request a copy of your personal data which the Whitewater Benefice holds about you;
  • The right to request that the Whitewater Benefice corrects any personal data if it is found to be inaccurate or out of date;
  • The right to request your personal data is erased where it is no longer necessary for the Whitewater Benefice to retain such data;
  • The right to withdraw your consent to the processing at any time
  • The right to request that the data controller provide the data subject with his/her personal data and where possible, to transmit that data directly to another data controller (known as the right to data portability) [Only applies where the processing is based on consent or is necessary for the performance of a contract with the data subject and in either case the data controller processes the data by automated means].
  • The right, where there is a dispute in relation to the accuracy or processing of your personal data, to request a restriction is placed on further processing;
  • The right to object to the processing of personal data [Only applies where processing is based on legitimate interests (or the performance of a task in the public interest/exercise of official authority); direct marketing and processing for the purposes of scientific/historical research and statistics]

2   About our use of your data

2.1   How do we store your data?

We take the security of your data very seriously. Your data may be stored in a number of ways:

  • Paper copies: If we have paper copies of your data, which we need to keep (this may include paper forms you have given), they will be kept in locked storage.
  • On computer: we may store your data on a password protected computer.
  • In a secure database: We may store your data on a secure database provided as part of the iKnow Church computerised administration supplied by iKnow Church, a trading name of Edit Websites Ltd, Solihull, UK. This data is restricted to specific members of the church in specific roles, see below for details.

2.2   Sharing your data

2.2.1   Internal third parties

We may share a subset of your data with other members of the Whitewater Benefice in order to facilitate the administration of the Whitewater Benefice, this may include ministers, administrative staff, and church officers. Anyone with access to any personal data will have signed up to a code of conduct to ensure they are aware of their obligations to your data. Any members who do require copies of a subset of data, will ensure any data is appropriately protected, and any of your personal data is held ONLY for as long as required for that specific purpose.

Additionally, our treasurer, will use a subset of your data, and uses Donations Co-ordinator & Finance Co-ordinator (from Data Developments) to manage finances and to managing the Gift Aid donations (which will also share data with HMRC in order to claim back gift aid).

2.2.2   External third parties

We will avoid sharing your data unless there is a reasonable reason for doing so. There may be occasions where your data may need to be shared, but we will tell you about it.In practice, the only organisation that we might share your data with are:

  • the Winchester Diocese and central institutions of the Church of England in accordance with our obligations under ecclesiastic law and safekeeping
  • service providers acting as processors based in the UK who provide IT and system administration services
  • iKnow Church (our computerised administration & communication supplier)
  • Church Edit (our web hosting provider)
  • Electronic marketing such as Mailchimp & Zoho Mail (our email provider)
  • Professional advisers including lawyers, bankers, auditors, pensions advisers and insurers based in the UK who provide consultancy, banking, legal, insurance and accounting services
  • HM Revenue and Customs, regulators and other authorities based in the UK who require reporting of processing activities in certain circumstances
  • Zoom who provide online video conferencing services, that we use for meetings, courses, services, training and events
  • Disclosure and Barring services when checks are carried out

2.3   How long do we hold your data?

A core principle of UK GDPR legislation is that we only keep data for as long as it is needed for its original purpose, and will be determined by the information we are holding.

We keep data  in accordance with the guidance set out in the guide “Keep or Bin: The Care of Church Records” which is available from the Church of England website (see https://www.churchofengland.org/about/libraries-and-archives/records-management-guides)

Your personal data will be stored during the period of our active relationship (which is reviewed annually). Once we no longer require your data or if you request that we delete your data, we will take all reasonable steps to destroy it or erase it from our systems. However, there may be statutory reasons e.g. Gift Aid declarations and associated paperwork needs to be retained for up to 6 years after the calendar year to which they relate; or other reasons beyond our control for storing data beyond our active relationship, e.g. Parish registers (baptisms, marriages, funerals) and data related to safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults is held permanently.

2.4   iKnow Church

We use an online computerised administration system which is designed to help us administer the Whitewater Benefice and help provide all elements of pastoral care to our members and the community.

The Benefice iKnow Church URL is: https://wwbenefice.myiknowchurch.co.uk

Members of the Whitewater Benefice may be provided with access to a user account, which they can use to provide us with information (including personal information), update preferences etc. Some members may have additional responsibilities based on their roles which will enable them to manage tasks and specific user data required for that task.

If you are not a member of the Whitewater Benefice, but you interact with us e.g. you may use our facilities or you may be getting married in one of our churches, you can have a visitor account in iKnow Church, this will enable you to view (and update) your contact information (and to see the information we hold about you).

The iKnow Church computerised administration system should bring benefits to everyone as we can stay in touch with you much more easily and you can provide us with information in a quick and efficient way.

If you want more information about iKnow Church please email us at support@whitewaterchurches.co.uk

The iKnow Church Privacy Policy is available here: https://iknowchurch.co.uk/privacy-policy

If you have an account with iKnow Church and would like us to delete your account from iKnow Church please email us at support@whitewaterchurches.co.uk

2.4.1   Information about children

Whilst information relating to children is not considered to be special category information, it is information that is given specific protection. Where the child is under the age of 13 we will always ask for the consent of parents before allowing the child to set up an account in iKnow Church and ensure that the parent is able to access and administer the account.

We may keep an attendance register of all those who are at events where children are present; we hold these in line with Church of England Safeguarding records retention guidelines. This may also include emergency contact details for a parent or carer.

2.4.2   Special category information

Special category information is personal data which is more sensitive, this includes data revealing your religious beliefs, health or sexuality. We will ensure any handling by us is lawful, fair and transparent and you are aware of what special category information and for what reason we are processing that data.

2.5   Whitewater Benefice Website

Our website is implemented via Church Edit (Edit Websites Ltd), and is at https://www.whitewaterchurches.co.uk

We include on the website, contact details (including those for safeguarding), details of events, photographs etc, and whilst we aim to have permission there may be times when this is either not possible or consent has been rescinded. If you want any content (including contact details or photographs) removed or updated please email us at support@whitewaterchurches.co.uk

The Church Edit Privacy Policy is here: https://www.churchedit.co.uk/about/privacy-notice

Our website may, from time to time contain links to third party websites, applications, and plugins. Clicking on those links may allow third parties to collect or share data about you. We do not control any of these third party websites/applications and are not responsible for their privacy policy. When you leave our website, we encourage you to pay attention to any privacy notices on any websites you visit.

2.6   Cookies

Like many websites, cookies are used both on iKnow Church and on the Whitewater Benefice website, to enhance your user experience by retaining your personal settings and collecting anonymous traffic data. To find out how to delete cookies or adjust their settings please visit https://www.allaboutcookies.org/

2.7   Email Privacy

2.7.1   Mailchimp

We are using a software package called Mailchimp for creation, sending and tracking of email newsletters. You can view the Mailchimp privacy policy at http://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/.

Mailchimp will collect your email address and optionally other information, but will not pass on or sell your details to anyone else.

2.7.2   Zoho Mail

We are using a software package called Zoho Mail to host the Whitewater Benefice email addresses, which take the form @whitewaterchurches.co.uk. You can view the Zoho Mail privacy policy at https://www.zoho.com/privacy.html.

2.7.3   Use of your email address

Any email address you supply as part of a registration for our web site, as input to a form on our website, when using iKnow Church or when signing up for us to send you emails, will only be used for emails as appropriate from the Whitewater Benefice.

2.7.4   Emails to us

If you chose to send us information via email, we cannot guarantee the security of this information until it is delivered to us.  If you need to send information securely via email please contact support@whitewaterchurches.co.uk and we can give you guidance on how this can be achieved.

2.7.5   Emails from us

Emails from the Whitewater Benefice will be sent from @whitewaterchurches.co.uk or from no-reply@iknowchurch.co.uk.

If you are not getting emails from us, for example if you have subscribed to our email weekly notices and you do not get an email from us, please check your junk email folder. You may want to add our email addresses to either your safe senders list or to your contacts, to ensure you get future emails from us. If you are using an email client which supports vCards or vcf files, you can click on the attachment in the confirmation email to add our email address into your contacts.

2.7.6   Removal of your email address

You can unsubscribe from any email sent from Mailchimp. You can also email us at support@whitewaterchurches.co.uk and we will remove all your details, including your email address from Mailchimp and additionally if requested remove your details from iKnow Church.

2.8   Social Media

We use a variety of social media across the Benefice (including but not limited to Facebook and WhatsApp).  Social media can be useful and has its place in helping advertise what we do. 

We include on our Social Media posts, details of events, photographs etc, and whilst we aim to have explicit consent, there may be times when this is either not possible or consent has been rescinded.  If you want any content removed or updated please email us at support@whitewaterchurches.co.uk.  By participating in one of the church WhatsApp groups, you consent to sharing your phone number with all other participants in the group and will be asked to follow a WhatsApp code of Conduct Policy.

Whilst we as a benefice, can commit to not disclose personal data, with social media we all bear a responsibility to ensure that we post appropriately.  We need to be aware of the privacy implications and ensure that we take care with any personal data and have appropriate consent for the information being shared.  What this means is that we should consider what and how much personal data do we share.  Admins will have the right to remove any posts which are deemed to contravene our privacy policy.

Facebook’s Privacy Policy is here: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/

WhatsApp’s Privacy Policy is here:https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/privacy-policy

2.9   Data Processing and third parties

As part of our church administration work, it may be necessary to use third party applications. There may be times when this requires your data to be held by a third party and would be impacted by the third party’s data policy. We do screen any third party applications on your behalf for security and privacy, and if that third party application is holding your data, we will endeavour to ensure you are made aware. When we introduce a new application we may need to ensure we have a Data Processing Agreement with those suppliers. A list of the current third parties is given in section 2.2.8

3.0   Audio-visual recordings

3.1   Photographs

During services we may take photographs which we may use for publicity purposes, website, social media or just to include on the wall of our churches to show the life of our church.

If the photographs are taken from the back of church, it is not usually possible to identify people.  If the photographs are showing people's faces and are either in church or taken over coffee, we do attempt to get consent before we use them.  However, it possible that even if you consent to having your photograph taken, you want to rescind your consent.  If that is the case please contact us, and we will remove them.

3.2   Videos, recording and streaming

We record some of our services from St John's Church, Hook.  This is usually our main Sunday Morning Service but may include other Services (usually will be any shown on the website with a Zoom link).

This lets us:

  • share our services online via Zoom.  This is a valuable outreach, which lets members of the Benefice and those further afield, join us from home.
  • * our ministry team can review for training purposes

All or part of a recording may also be posted on our website, social media etc, and we will obtain consent from those who are identifiable. 

We are mindful of safeguarding concerns, and during services the images captured are of those leading the service.  If the congregation are in the image, it is the back of their heads.  During some parts of the service, we may also show suitable alternative images - that way for example we may avoid showing the congregation receiving communion.

If you are in the congregation, and want to avoid being recorded, please talk to the sides people or the church warden who will help you, and guide you where best to sit.  If you  have any concerns about the above or would like a copy of the recording, please contact the Incumbent, a churchwarden or the person on the rota covering the streaming.

Since the words and music of most services are copyright of the original authors and composers, recordings should not be copied, modified, forwarded or published without permission of the PCC.

Any recordings or photographs, and any royalties derived from them, remain the property of the PCC.

3.3   For those taking part in service which are recorded

At St John's we may stream or record services.  Any service whose entry in the online calendar contains a Zoom link for participants will be streamed. We do this so that can share our services online via Zoom with those who wish to join us from home.

We may also record the audio, video or both for any service. We do this as follow:

1) for training purposes and to allow you as leaders, preachers, musicians and others taking part to see and hear yourselves

2) occasionally all or part of a recording may be shared on our website or social media etc, but we will obtain consent in advance from those who are identifiable.

If you have any concerns about the above or would like a copy of the recording, please contact the Incumbent, a churchwarden or the person on the rota covering the streaming.

Any recordings or photographs, and any royalties derived from them, remain the property of the PCC.

Since the words and music of most services are copyright of the original authors and composers, recordings should not be copied, modified, forwarded or published without permission of the PCC.

4   General

4.1   Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may make changes to this Policy from time to time.  This Policy was last reviewed & updated December 2024.

4.2   No Guarantees

While this Privacy Policy states our standards for maintenance and non-disclosure of your Data and we will make efforts to meet them, there may be factors beyond our control that may result in disclosure of your data. As a consequence, we disclaim any warranties or representations relating to maintenance or non-disclosure of your Data.

4.3   Questions

If you have any questions about this policy or need technical support with iKnowChurch, our websites or our emails, please feel free to email us:  support@whitewaterchurches.co.uk

or email the office: office@whitewaterchurches.co.uk

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