The Vitacress Conservation Trust Privacy Statement
INTRODUCTION
The Vitacress Conservation Trust (VCT) is a registered charity (No. 1115192) set up to focus on environmental initiatives associated with salad and watercress crop production and is committed to creating and building a Conservation Trust that really does make a difference, improving and protecting some of the special habitats we are privileged to work in and around and making them better understood by, and accessible to, the public – especially our local schools.
To achieve these objectives we interact with organisations and individuals and as such are committed to protecting your privacy and security as detailed in this Privacy Statement.
If you have any questions in relation to this Statement please write to the VCT Chair, Professor Gail Taylor, c/o University of Southampton, Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Life Sciences Building, Southampton SO17 1BJ or Telephone 023 8059 2021.
DATA PROCESSING ACTIVITIES
- Collection and Usage
1.1. The VCT collects personal details data such as: name, home/work address, email address and telephone number for communication purposes related to relevant conservation work including but not limited to:
- Maintaining a database for communications associated with events
- Mailing groups for Meeting Committees (i.e. Bourne Rivulet Initiative and Upper Itchen Initiative Groups; Technical Advisory Panel)
- Research applications
- Competition and raffle entries
The VCT will only use information for the purpose or purposes it was collected for.
1.2. The information is collected by representatives of the VCT, which includes but is not solely limited to:
- VCT Trustees
- Vitacress employees
- University of Southampton employees
1.3. Personal information is collected through “opt-in” requests received by the VCT feedback forms; competition entries, research applications etc.
- Storage
2.1. Personal details for events are stored in a database which is held on the computer server of Vitacress Limited and administered by the VCT Administrator who is an employee of Vitacress Limited. A number of measures are in place to ensure the data is secure, protected and unauthorised access or disclosure prevented. This data will be stored for as long as it is required for the purposes it was collected for.
2.2. Personal details for members of sub groups formed by the VCT are stored in mailing groups for that respective committee and shared with the group members through various communications including meeting calendar invitations and circulation of agendas, minutes and papers. These groups are set up and maintained by the VCT Administrator and group members can unsubscribe at any time.
2.3. Applications for research posts are shared with the Trustees and each Trustee is responsible for ensuring any documents containing personal details, e.g. CVs are confidentially destroyed and removed from electronic storage within 3 months if the individual is not appointed and within 3 months of completion of a project for those who are appointed. Research contracts containing personal data are held on file indefinitely.
2.4. Competition and raffle entries will be held for 2 weeks after the closing date and destroyed confidentially.
2.5. Any personal data received from website enquiries will be held for 3 months pending confirmation of an “opt in” request to be added to the VCT’s database.
MARKETING
Marketing communications include general news and information about the VCT charity; events, activities and sub-groups; products and services offered by third parties which may be of interest.
Those requesting marketing information will be given the choice as to whether to receive these messages via email, post or phone.
SHARING DATA
The VCT sometimes receives personal data about individuals from third parties. For example, if we are partnering with another organisation (e.g. you provide your information to another charity / organisation we are collaborating with on a conservation project; the VCT is jointly organising an event with another organisation). The VCT will only share information when absolutely necessary and for the purposes that you have provided the data to us.
The VCT will Never sell your personal data. If you have opted-in to communications the VCT may contact you with information about our partners or third party products or services but these communications will always come from a Trust representative.
The VCT cannot always guarantee that, and will not be responsible for, data that has been passed on by other third party contacts e.g. meeting invitations.
YOUNG PEOPLE
One of the objectives of the VCT is to work with local schools. The VCT works in close partnership with the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust to host visits to its farms. These are organised and managed by the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust who have sole responsibility for any personal data processing in relation to these visits. No data whatsoever is obtained by the VCT that relates to young people.
LEGAL RIGHTS
Under the GDPR we are obligated to inform you that you have legal rights as individuals as to how we process your personal data. You can find out more about these rights here.
You can unsubscribe or change the way in which the VCT communicates with you at any time by contacting the VCT Administrator on the below contact information:
Email: vct@vitacress.com
Phone: 01264 732009
Mail: Vitacress Conservation Trust, c/0 Lower Link Farm, St Mary Bourne, Nr Andover SP11 6DB
COMPLAINTS
You can complain to the VCT directly by contacting our Chair, Professor Gail Taylor, c/o University of Southampton, Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Life Sciences Building, Southampton SO17 1BJ or phone 023 8059 2021.
If you are not happy with our response, or you believe that your data protection or privacy rights have been infringed, you can complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office which regulates and enforces data protection law in the UK. Details of how to do this can be found at www.ico.org.uk.
LINKS TO OTHER SITES
The VCT website contains hyperlinks to the websites of other organisation we work closely with. We are not responsible for the content or functionality of any of those external websites (but please let us know if a link is not working).
If an external website requests personal information from you the details you provide will not be covered by the VCT’s Privacy Statement. We suggest you read the Privacy Statement of any website before providing any personal information.
COOKIES
Our website uses Google Analytics which allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors and to see how they move around the site when they are using it. This helps us to improve the way our website works, for example by making sure users are finding what they need easily.
This information is held by Google on their servers, we can access that information and while it shows the activity on our website we cannot identify individuals.
For more information about the cookies used by Google Analytics please click here.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
We only collect personal details such as name, telephone number or email address when it is offered by a visitor via an email link, email form or comment through our website.
CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY STATEMENT
Our Privacy Statement will remain updated and will always be posted on our website.
28 July 2021