Our Privacy Policy

A. Privacy and security of your data

The privacy and security of your personal information is taken very seriously by us at the Donor Conception Network (‘the Network’).

This privacy policy sets out how the Network processes personal data collected by us (that is, information by which an individual, or ‘data subject’, can be identified) in the course of our lawful activities, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, the General Data Protection Regulation and any subsequent legislation (‘the Data Protections regulations). This policy has been put in place to protect your rights under the Data Protection regulations, and it is important that you understand what we will do with your data and are happy with this. If you want to discuss any matter relating to how your data is used, please call us on 020 7278 2608, email us at enquiries@dcnetwork.org or write to Nina Barnsley, The Donor Conception Network, 154 Caledonian Road, London N1 9RD. In some instances, we may be required to have your request submitted in writing.

References to the processing of information includes the collection, use, storage and protection of data. The Network is the ‘data controller’ for the purposes of this policy, and the policy extends to its staff, trustees, volunteers (including ‘welcomers’) and anyone else processing data on our behalf from time to time. Any personal data collected by the Network will only be processed in accordance with this privacy policy.

The Network is committed to ensuring that the privacy and security of data about everyone we engage with is protected. Children of any age have the same rights over the data processed about them, although their ability to understand and to exercise these rights may vary depending on their age and capacity. We therefore ask family members to understand that our obligations are to every individual data subject separately, and to work with us accordingly.

Organisations are permitted to process data if they have a legal basis for doing so. The Network processes data on the basis that:

• Express and informed consent has been given by the person whose data is being processed; and/or
• The Network has a legitimate interest in processing data; and/or
• It is necessary in relation to a contract or agreement which the person has entered into or because the person has asked for something to be done so they can enter into a contract or agreement; and/or
• The Network is under a legal obligation to process data.

Where the Network is relying solely on consent as the basis for processing data, we are required to obtain your explicit consent and you can modify or withdraw this consent at any time by notifying us in writing, although this may affect the extent to which the Network is able to provide services to or interact with you in future.

Where consent is sought in relation to a child under the age of 16 years of age, we will ask that someone legally responsible for them provides such consent.

The Network may change this policy from time to time and any such changes will be published on our website. Notwithstanding any change to this policy, we will continue to process your personal data in accordance with your rights and our obligations in law.

This policy is effective from 21st May 2018.

B. What data do we collect?

We collect the data necessary for the Network to pursue its charitable objectives, including but not limited to advancing education about donor conception treatment and assisting and supporting those considering or affected by it, together with fundraising and marketing, running events, keeping our service users and supporters informed of our activities, and the effective running of the Network as an operational and fundraising charity through its professional staff, trustees and volunteers. Data collected and processed may include, but not be limited to:

• Names and contact information such as telephone numbers, email and postal addresses of members, subscribers or others with whom we have contact
• Details relating to service users and their families (collectively referred to in this policy as ‘service users’) necessary for the Network to be able to provide the support and assistance requested, including those of a sensitive personal or medical nature
• Details about purchases or items borrowed from our library
• Donor and volunteer records and preferences, including, where necessary, bank or payment details and tax status in order to process payments and claim Gift Aid
• Such other information that is relevant and necessary for the Network to carry out its activities, charitable purposes and legal obligations.

Such data may be collected, for example, when you provide it through our website by making a donation, becoming a member or subscribing to our newsletter or submitting an enquiry, when you request assistance or make an appointment as a service user, when you fill in your details on a pledge card or Gift Aid form, when you tell us about yourself if you apply to work for the Network as a volunteer or employee or when you otherwise provide us with personal data in some other way.

C. What we do with the data we process

The Network uses the data collected to maintain accurate internal records of our engagement with service users and their families, event participants and supporters, volunteers, staff and others. These records facilitate our activities run in line with our charitable objects, including providing support and assistance to service users, facilitating local group events and conferences, providing services through our library, working with volunteers and supporters and raising funds and awareness about our work through campaigns and events. We may use your personal information to send you information about the Network and our activities which we think may be of interest to you.

Data may be processed and viewed by the relevant staff, trustees and volunteers in the course of the Network’s activities (all of whom work in accordance with this privacy policy) and sensitive data relating, for example, to medical histories or financial matters, will only be accessible to those who need to process such data in order to provide the relevant service or support to you, the data subject.

We will only share data with trusted third-parties where necessary for us to provide services to you or to communicate with you (such as mailing companies for postal communications or through email campaigns or newsletters), to process payments (if you make a donation online or purchase a product from us, your card information is collected by Total Giving, BT MyDonate, Stripe, GoCardless or PayPal but is not held by the Network) or as stated above, and only once we are satisfied that any such use of data by such third parties will accord with our privacy policy and high standards for data privacy and security. We will not sell or share your personal information with any other charities, businesses or marketing companies without your explicit consent. We will provide data to the relevant agencies if we are under a legal obligation to do so, or to prevent or assist in the investigation of a crime or to help safeguard a vulnerable person.

Where we suggest the names of counsellors, clinics, lawyers or other service providers, we do not pass on your details to them and it is for you to make contact and engage with them thereafter. We cannot take responsibility for any aspect of your engagement with such third-parties, the advice they give or any act or omission resulting from reliance upon such advice.

Data will be retained only for as long as is permissible in law and is reasonable and necessary for us to engage with you as a service user, member, subscriber, supporter, volunteer or member of staff. Accordingly, the length of time for which we will retain your data may vary depending on the purposes and legal basis for which we are or have been processing it. To find out what this means in your particular circumstances, please contact us using the contact details given above.

You, as the data subject, may request deletion of your data at any time in writing, subject to any overriding legal requirement for its retention, such as the need, where appropriate, to retain records of our engagement with you, medical records or Gift Aid records for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, for example. We may keep such data on a ‘suppression list’ so we know not to contact you or process your data in future until further notice.

D. Your rights in relation to your personal data

You may request details of personal information which we hold about you. Any such request must be submitted in writing and in order to protect the data we hold, we will need to be satisfied as to the identity of anyone seeking such information or, if appropriate, that they have legal authority to request the data of another person, including a minor. We will provide this information within 30 days of receiving and verifying your written request. A small fee may be payable if an information request is particularly onerous.

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information, but this may inhibit or limit the way in which the Network is able to engage with you. You may, at any time, change your mind about what information we hold about you, or if we continue to hold it at all, subject to any legal obligation the Network has to retain the data.

You are responsible for the accuracy of data you have provided to the Network. If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to us as soon as possible. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.

In the unlikely event that there is any kind of a breach of our duties and obligations under this policy or the Data Protections laws, we will take immediate steps to isolate and rectify the problem. Should the breach be serious one (where there is a risk of, for example, discrimination, damage to reputation, financial loss or loss of confidential information) we have a duty to report that matter to the individuals affected and to the Office of the Information Commissioner.

You can obtain further information about Data Protection and privacy laws by visiting the Information Commissioner’s website at: https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public.

E. Security

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure

In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the data we process. Persons processing data on behalf of the Network do so in accordance with this policy and on the basis that the Network is satisfied that they can and will adhere to our high standards for data protection and security. These include enhanced policies and protocols for the processing of particularly sensitive data.

Any sensitive information that does not otherwise need to be retained (such as credit or debit card details) are redacted or destroyed once used.

Please note that the transmission of information over the internet is inherently insecure, and we cannot guarantee the security of data sent over the internet. You are responsible for keeping any password you use for logging in to access services or our website (if applicable) confidential; we will not ask you for your password (except when you log in).

F. Web browsing and Cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer's hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to users’ needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.

Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie does not give us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us. Most cookies only last for the duration of your visit to our website and are deleted when you close your browser, but some may continue beyond the session until your next visit to enhance your use of the website. These might include, where applicable, the option to ‘Remember my username’ if signing-in to our website.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of our website.

We may also collect and store information about your browsing device, including, where available, your IP address, operating system and browser type. This is anonymous statistical data about your browsing activities and patterns, and does not contain any personal data.

G. Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy policy. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy policy applicable to the website in question.