Privacy Policy - Life Church

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Life Church (lifechurchsouthmansfield.co.uk) collects, uses, shares, and protects personal data, and describes your rights under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). We are committed to handling your information lawfully, fairly, and transparently.

2. Who we are and how to contact us

Data Controller: Life Church, South Mansfield, United Kingdom.

If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]
Website: lifechurchsouthmansfield.co.uk

3. Data Protection Officer (DPO) / Data Protection Lead

Life Church is not required to appoint a statutory Data Protection Officer. We have designated a Data Protection Lead as your point of contact for privacy matters.

Data Protection Lead: Data Protection Lead, Life Church
Email: [email protected]

4. Personal data we collect

The personal data we collect depends on how you interact with us and our website. It may include:

Identity and contact details: name, email address, phone number.
Communication data: messages sent via contact forms or email, prayer requests.
Event and ministry data: registrations, attendance, volunteering interests, safeguarding-related information where necessary.
Donation and finance data: Gift Aid declarations, donation records, and related HMRC information.
Account and preference data: newsletter subscriptions, cookie preferences.
Technical and usage data: IP address, device identifiers, browser type, pages visited, timestamps, and other diagnostic data collected via cookies and similar technologies.
Special category data (only where relevant and provided by you or created in the course of ministry): religious beliefs, health information (e.g., dietary or accessibility needs for events), and safeguarding information.
Children’s data: limited data for children and young people participating in relevant ministries or events, collected with appropriate consent from a parent or guardian.

5. How we collect your data

Directly from you: when you contact us, register for events, sign up to our newsletter, submit prayer requests, make donations, volunteer, or participate in church activities.
Automatically: through cookies and similar technologies when you use our website.
From third parties: payment providers (for donation confirmations), service providers supporting our website and communications, and, where appropriate, safeguarding agencies or referees for volunteers.

6. Purposes and legal bases for processing

We only process personal data when we have a lawful basis. Depending on the context, we may rely on:

Consent (UK GDPR Art. 6(1)(a)): for example, sending newsletters, using non-essential cookies, publishing testimonials, or processing special category data where explicit consent is required.
Contract (Art. 6(1)(b)): to provide services you request, such as managing event registrations or handling conference bookings.
Legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c)): fulfilling Gift Aid and tax requirements, safeguarding and risk management duties, and responding to lawful requests from authorities.
Vital interests (Art. 6(1)(d)): processing information to protect someone’s life or prevent serious harm.
Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)): administering and improving our website, managing general enquiries, promoting and supporting our ministries, ensuring network and information security, and keeping records proportionately. We balance these interests against your rights and freedoms.

Special category data (UK GDPR Art. 9):

Explicit consent (Art. 9(2)(a)).
Not-for-profit bodies with a religious aim (Art. 9(2)(d)) for members, former members, or those with whom we have regular contact in connection with our purposes, with appropriate safeguards.
Vital interests (Art. 9(2)(c)).
Substantial public interest (Art. 9(2)(g)) including safeguarding of children and individuals at risk, and preventing or detecting unlawful acts, in line with UK law and guidance.
Employment, social security, and social protection law obligations where applicable (Art. 9(2)(b)).

7. How we use your data

To respond to enquiries, prayer requests, and pastoral care needs.
To organise and administer events, small groups, ministries, volunteering, and rotas.
To send newsletters and updates where you have opted in.
To manage donations, Gift Aid, and related accounting and reporting.
To maintain safety and safeguarding, including handling concerns or incidents.
To operate, secure, and improve our website and communications.
To comply with legal, regulatory, and risk management obligations.

8. Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to make our website work, to remember your preferences, and—where you consent—to help us understand how our site is used. Categories include:

Strictly necessary cookies: required for core functionality (these do not require consent).
Performance/analytics cookies: help us understand site usage to improve content and performance (used only with your consent).
Functionality cookies: remember choices to personalize your experience (used only with your consent where they are not strictly necessary).

You can manage your cookie preferences via your browser settings and, where provided, our cookie controls. Disabling cookies may affect site functionality. Cookie lifetimes vary: session cookies expire when you close your browser; persistent cookies typically last from a few days up to 24 months unless you delete them sooner.

9. Children and vulnerable individuals

We process children’s data only where necessary for ministries or events and with appropriate consent from a parent or guardian, or as otherwise permitted by law. We apply additional safeguards, collect only what is necessary, and limit access to authorised personnel.

10. Sharing your data

We do not sell your personal data. We may share data with:

Service providers acting as processors who supply website hosting, email delivery, IT support, event management, analytics (where consented), and secure data storage. They are bound by contracts to protect your data and act only on our instructions.
Payment and donation facilitators for processing donations and Gift Aid claims.
Safeguarding bodies, law enforcement, regulators, insurers, or legal advisers where necessary for safeguarding, legal claims, compliance, or risk management.
Other churches or ministries only with your consent or where otherwise lawful (for example, transferring your details for an event you signed up to jointly host).

11. International data transfers

Your personal data may be transferred outside the UK where our service providers operate internationally. If data is transferred to a country without an adequacy regulation, we implement appropriate safeguards, such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA) or the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, plus supplementary measures where necessary. You can request more information about our transfer safeguards by contacting [email protected].

12. Data retention

We keep personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this policy, including to meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Typical retention periods are:

General enquiries and contact form submissions: up to 24 months from last contact.
Newsletter subscriptions: until you unsubscribe, then up to 12 months for suppression records.
Event registrations: up to 12 months after the event unless a longer period is needed for legal or safeguarding reasons.
Volunteer records and rota management: for the duration of your service and up to 6 years after it ends.
Donation and Gift Aid records: 6 years after the end of the relevant tax year (or longer if required by HMRC).
Pastoral care records: up to 6 years after last contact unless a longer period is necessary for safeguarding or legal reasons.
Safeguarding records: retained in line with statutory guidance and best practice, typically for an extended period and not less than 75 years where appropriate.
Website logs and security records: typically up to 12 months, unless required longer for security or legal purposes.
CCTV (if used at premises): normally 30 days unless retained longer in connection with an incident.

Where retention periods end, we securely delete or anonymise data.

13. Your rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:

Access your personal data and receive a copy.
Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data.
Erase your data in certain circumstances (“right to be forgotten”).
Restrict processing in certain circumstances.
Object to processing based on our legitimate interests and to direct marketing.
Data portability for information you provided to us where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
Withdraw consent at any time, where processing is based on consent (this does not affect processing carried out before withdrawal).
Not be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing, including profiling, that produces legal or similarly significant effects on you. We do not carry out such processing.

To exercise your rights, contact [email protected]. We may need to verify your identity. We will respond within one month, subject to permissible extensions for complex requests.

14. Marketing communications

We send email newsletters and updates only with your consent. You can unsubscribe at any time using the instructions included in our emails or by contacting [email protected]. We maintain suppression lists to respect your choices.

15. Data security

We apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including secure hosting, access controls, encryption in transit, regular software updates, staff training, and policies for data handling and incident response. While no system is completely secure, we work to prevent unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or loss of personal data.

16. Third-party links

Our website may contain links to third-party sites or services. Those sites have their own privacy policies and we are not responsible for their content or practices. We encourage you to review their privacy information before providing personal data.

17. Complaints and contact details for the ICO

If you have concerns about how we use your data, please contact us first at [email protected] and we will try to resolve the issue. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

Address: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: ico.org.uk

18. International users

Our website is intended for use in the United Kingdom. If you access it from outside the UK, you do so on your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws where they apply.

19. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or other factors. Changes take effect when posted on this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

20. Effective date

Last updated: 2 January 2026