Privacy Policy

What is included in this Privacy Policy

1. Who is responsible for your data?

The local church managing trustees are responsible for your personal data in connection with this website and our local activities. In practice, responsibility is delegated to local church officers (for example, minister, stewards, or data‑protection contact).​

If you have any questions about this notice or our use of your personal data, please contact us using the details on our “Find us” page and mark your message “Data Protection”.

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2. What personal data we collect

a) Information you provide via the Contact Us form

When you use our Contact Us form, we collect the information you choose to send us, which may include: your name, email address, telephone number, and any message or enquiry you write in the free‑text box. We use this information only to respond to your enquiry and to follow up any practical or pastoral support you request.

We may keep a record of your message for a reasonable period so we can refer back to what we discussed and respond consistently.

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b) Website usage data and IP addresses (analytics)

When you visit our website, we use analytics tools to help us understand how people use the site and to improve it. These tools collect information such as:

• IP address (which may be treated as personal data under UK law).

• The pages you visit and how long you spend on them.

• The date and time of your visit.

• The website or search engine that brought you to us.

• Basic details about your device and browser (for example, browser type and version, operating system).

We use this information to compile aggregated statistics, see which pages are most useful, and improve the content and performance of the site. We do not use analytics to identify you personally or to track you across other websites.

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3. Cookies and consent

a) What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They help websites work properly, remember your preferences, and collect anonymous statistics about how the site is used.

Our website uses:

• Necessary cookies – required for the site and the cookie‑consent banner to function.

• Analytics cookies – to help us understand how visitors use the site, including storing your IP address and basic usage information.

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b) Cookie consent banner

• When you first visit our website, you will see a banner or pop‑up asking you to accept or manage cookies. This allows you to:

• Accept all cookies.

• Reject non‑essential cookies.

• Adjust your settings (for example, to allow analytics cookies).

• Your preferences are stored in a cookie so that you do not have to set them again every time you visit.

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c) Managing cookies

• You can change your cookie settings at any time by using your browser settings to block or delete cookies. If you disable some cookies, parts of the website may not function correctly.

• If you use an external analytics provider such as Google Analytics, you can also install a browser add‑on to opt out of analytics tracking.

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4. Our legal basis for using your data

• We use your personal data only where we have a lawful basis to do so.​

• For contact form messages, we process your information because it is in our legitimate interests as a church/mission to respond to enquiries, provide pastoral or practical support, and manage our activities, and because you expect us to use your details in this way.

• For analytics and cookies, we rely on your consent where required (for example, for analytics cookies set through the cookie‑consent banner). For necessary cookies, we rely on our legitimate interest in operating a secure, functional website.

• You can withdraw your consent to analytics cookies at any time by adjusting your cookie or browser settings.

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5. How we use your personal data

• We use the data we collect to:

• Respond to your enquiries and messages.

• Provide information you have asked for about our services, activities, and community support.

• Improve our website and understand which content is most helpful to visitors, using anonymous statistics where possible.

• Maintain basic records necessary for running our church/mission and fulfilling legal or safeguarding obligations, where applicable.​

• We do not use your data for commercial profiling or advertising.

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6. Sharing your personal data

• We do not sell or rent your personal data to third parties.​

• We do not pass personal information to third parties for their own marketing or fundraising purposes.​

• We may share your data in very limited situations, for example:

• With trusted service providers who host our website or provide analytics, acting only on our instructions and under appropriate data‑processing agreements.

• With other parts of the Methodist Church (for example, the circuit or district) where necessary for pastoral care, governance, or safeguarding.​

• With public authorities where we are legally required to do so or where it is necessary to protect someone’s vital interests (for example, in a safeguarding situation).​

• In all cases, we aim to share the minimum necessary information.​

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7. International transfers

• Some of our service providers (for example, analytics or hosting providers) may store or process data outside the United Kingdom. Where this happens, we will take appropriate steps to ensure your personal data is given an adequate level of protection, for example by relying on adequacy regulations or standard contractual clauses recognised under UK data‑protection law.

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8. How long we keep your data

• We keep your personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this notice.​

• Contact form messages are normally kept for as long as needed to handle your enquiry and for a reasonable follow‑up period, unless there is a pastoral, safeguarding, or legal reason to keep them longer.

• Analytics data is stored for a period set by our analytics provider, which is typically limited (for example, a number of months or years) and is used in aggregated form.

• When data is no longer needed, we will delete or anonymise it securely.​

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9. Security of your data

• We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or loss. However, no system can be completely secure and you provide information at your own risk.

• If we become aware of a data‑protection incident that may pose a high risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and, where required, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).​

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10. Your rights

• Under UK data‑protection law, you have rights in relation to your personal data, including:​

• The right to be informed about how we use your data.

• The right to request access to the personal data we hold about you.

• The right to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.

• The right, in some circumstances, to ask us to delete your data.

• The right, in some circumstances, to object to or restrict our use of your data.

• The right, in some circumstances, to request that we transfer your data to another organisation.

• The right to withdraw consent where we rely on your consent (for example, for analytics cookies).​

• You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you are unhappy with how we have used your data. The ICO’s website is https://ico.org.uk/.​

• To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details on our “Find us” page.

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11. Changes to this Privacy & Cookies Notice

• We may update this notice from time to time to reflect changes in our website, our ministry, or data‑protection law. Any changes will appear on this page with an updated “Last updated” date.​

"Last Updated" 18 Feb 2026