Reading Humanists – Privacy Policy

Purpose for Holding Data To enable Reading Humanists (we, us, our) to administer our membership and to communicate with our members, contacts and, where appropriate, their parents or guardians (you, your), we hold personal data (the Data) in the form of spreadsheets.

Lawful Basis for Holding the Data The lawful basis for holding the Data is your agreement for us to do so when signing and returning our membership application/renewal form and/or our parent/guardian’s consent form (the Forms), our event sign-up sheet or via exchange of emails.

Methods of Holding the Data  Data is held by us in encrypted spreadsheets (the Membership Database & The Accounting Database) which are shared via Google Drive, a password protected file-sharing service hosted by Humanists UK of whom we are a partner group. Backup copies are kept in an encrypted format and are held by the Data Controller. The Membership Database & The Accounting Database are accessible only to members of our committee who need access to perform their Reading Humanists role, and in the case of the accounting database, to any auditor or independent examiner appointed by our committee from time to time.

Arrangements for Members & Guardians Data held is only that which you have provided on the Forms together with the date you first joined, your membership of any special interest groups, subscriptions, donations, contributions in kind and communications sent. If any other data is needed by us it will be collected by voluntary, anonymous survey. Normally membership is defined by those who have paid annual membership fees to us, but in certain circumstances, e.g. during the Covid-19 pandemic, no fees are requested and all contacts are treated as members.

Arrangements for Contacts You are a contact if you have indicated that you wish to receive communications from us. Normally we will hold only your name, email address and the date of your request on our membership spreadsheet. Until your details are removed from this list you will continue to receive email communications from us. You may ask for your details to be corrected or removed from the contact list at any time by emailing reading@humanistgroups.org.uk.

Sharing and Use of the Data It is our policy not to share the Data with any third party except:

  1. where you are aged less than 18yrs, your parent or guardian
  2. contact data (i.e. names, email addresses, and whether you are a paid-up member) are used by MailChimp who send mailings to contacts and/or members on our behalf. MailChimp is a trusted service provider used by many Humanist Groups in the UK. Its privacy policy is compliant with EU and UK data protection legislation.
  3. If Reading Humanists ceases to exist, the data may be passed to Humanists UK whose privacy policy will apply.

Data Controller The Data Controller is our committee Membership Secretary, or if none is currently serving, the Chair. You may, at any time, free of charge and by writing to us at the address given on emails from us, or by emailing us at reading@humanistgroups.org.uk, elect to receive, in printed or electronic format, a copy of your Data held by us or request its correction or deletion.

Complaints You have a right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you object to the way that your Data is held or used.

Revised 24/05/2021 AM