Privacy Notice

Your personal data – what is it?

Personal data is any information that can identify you as an individual. This might include your name, address, phone number, email, or other details such as photographs or financial information. At St Mary’s we take your privacy seriously and handle all personal data in line with data protection law.

Who are we?

St Mary’s is a place of faith, welcome, and reflection, rooted in tradition but open to all. We celebrate community, creativity, and compassion in everything we do. Whether you come to worship, connect, or simply pause, you are always welcome here. Together, we seek to build a more just and hopeful world. Whether you come to worship, connect, or simply pause, you are always welcome here. Together, we seek to build a more just and hopeful world.

How do we process your personal data?

At St Mary’s, we only collect and use personal data for specific purposes, such as keeping in touch with you, managing church activities, and fulfilling our legal responsibilities. Your information is stored securely, used fairly, and never shared without your consent unless required by law. We regularly review our records to ensure they are accurate and up to date.

Donations and Fundraising

When you support St Mary’s through a donation or fundraising activity, we collect the information needed to process your gift, claim Gift Aid where applicable, and thank you for your generosity. This may include your name, contact details, and payment information. We treat this data with the utmost care, keeping it secure and never sharing it without your consent, except where required by law (for example, with HMRC for Gift Aid claims).

What is the legal basis for processing your personal data?

Under data protection law, St Mary’s must have a lawful reason to collect and use personal data. We process your information on the following bases:
1. Consent — when you have given us permission, for example to receive newsletters or updates.
2. Legal obligation — where we are required to keep records by law, such as for Gift Aid or safeguarding.
3. Contract — where processing is necessary to carry out an agreement with you, such as hiring our venue.
4. Legitimate interest — where it is in the church’s interest to do so, for example keeping in touch with church members, while always respecting your rights and privacy.

Sharing your personal data

We treat your personal data with care and respect. At St Mary’s, we never sell your information and only share it when necessary — for example, with trusted service providers who help us run our activities, or when required by law (such as with HMRC for Gift Aid). In all cases, we ensure that your data is handled securely and used only for the purposes you have agreed to.

How long do we keep your personal data?

We only keep personal data for as long as it is needed for the purpose it was collected. This may vary depending on the type of information, for example, Gift Aid records must be kept for at least seven years to meet HMRC requirements, while safeguarding information is kept in line with national Church of England policies. When data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted or destroyed.

Your rights and your personal data

You have the right to know how your personal data is used and to have control over it. Under data protection law, you can:
Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
Ask us to correct or update your information
Request that your data be erased when it is no longer needed
Restrict or object to how your data is processed
Withdraw consent where you have previously given it
Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you are concerned about how your data is handled
At St Mary’s we are committed to respecting these rights and will respond promptly to any requests.