Privacy Policy

Introduction

Alive Church is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our Christmas Toy Appeal referral system.

Data Controller

Alive Church is the data controller for the information you provide. You can contact us at:

What Data We Collect

When you submit a referral through our system, we collect:

• Referrer Information: Your name, organisation name, team name, phone number, email address, and secondary contact
• Family Information: Family postcode, duration the family has been known to your organisation, and any additional notes
• Children's Information: Child initials (not full names), age, gender, and any special requirements
• Consent Record: Date and time of your consent to data processing

How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

• Processing toy appeal referrals for families in need
• Matching children with appropriate toys based on age, gender, and requirements
• Contacting you to confirm receipt of referrals
• Notifying you when toy parcels are ready for collection
• Managing collection logistics
• Maintaining records for safeguarding and accountability purposes

Legal Basis: We process your data based on your explicit consent, which you provide when submitting a referral form. You have the right to withdraw this consent at any time.

Data Retention

We retain referral data for one year following the completion of the Christmas Toy Appeal season. After this period, all personal data is securely deleted unless there is a legitimate reason to retain it (e.g., safeguarding concerns or legal requirements).

Who We Share Your Data With

We do not sell or share your personal data with third parties, except:

• Authorized Volunteers: Alive Church staff and volunteers involved in fulfilling and managing toy appeal referrals
• Email Service Provider: Amazon SES (Simple Email Service) for sending confirmation and collection emails
• Hosting Provider: GoDaddy for secure data storage
• Legal Requirements: If required by law or to protect the safety of children

All third-party providers are required to maintain appropriate security measures and only process data in accordance with our instructions.

Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. This includes:

• Secure HTTPS encryption for all data transmission
• Restricted access to personal data (authorized users only)
• Regular security updates and monitoring
• Password-protected admin areas

Your Rights Under UK GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to certain conditions)
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request that we limit how we use your data
• Right to Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a structured format
• Right to Object: Object to processing of your data in certain circumstances
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw your consent to data processing at any time

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at office@alive.me.uk. We will respond to your request within one month.

Right to Complain

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

Cookies and Tracking

Our website uses minimal cookies necessary for the website to function (session cookies for login). We do not use tracking cookies or analytics. Session cookies are automatically deleted when you close your browser.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.