Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 24th August ’25

1. Introduction

This privacy policy explains how Ardross.org (“we”, “us”, “our” or “the Site”) collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you use our community website. We are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Ardross.org is a local community website serving the Ardross area, providing news, events, and information relevant to our community.

2. Data Controller

Ardross Community is the data controller for this website. Contact: secretary@ardross.org

3. Information We Collect

We collect and process the following types of personal information:

Information you provide directly:

  • Email address – when you sign up for our newsletter
  • Name (optional) – if you choose to provide it when subscribing
  • Messages and correspondence – if you contact us directly

Information collected automatically:

  • Website usage data – pages visited, time spent on site (via cookies, see Section 9)
  • Technical information – IP address, browser type, device information

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

  • Email newsletters – To send you updates about local news and events (only with your consent)
  • Community communications – To inform you about important community matters
  • Website improvement – To understand how visitors use our site and improve our services
  • Legal compliance – To comply with any legal obligations

Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on:

  • Consent – For email newsletter subscriptions
  • Legitimate interests – For website analytics and improvement
  • Legal obligation – Where we need to comply with legal requirements

5. Third-Party Services

We use third-party service providers to help operate our website and deliver our services. These providers may process your data on our behalf, including:

  • Website hosting services – to make our website available online
  • Email service providers – to manage newsletter subscriptions and send community updates
  • Analytics services (if applicable) – to understand how our website is used

All third-party providers are required to handle your data securely and only for the purposes we specify.

6. Data Storage and Security

Your personal information is stored securely and we implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

  • Email list data is stored securely by our email service provider
  • We use SSL encryption on our website
  • Access to personal data is restricted to authorised individuals only
  • We regularly review our security procedures

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy:

  • Newsletter subscribers – Until you unsubscribe or request deletion
  • Website analytics data – Maximum of 26 months
  • Correspondence – Up to 3 years or as required by law

8. 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 personal data
  • Right to erasure – Request deletion of your personal data
  • Right to restrict processing – Request limitation of how we use your data
  • Right to data portability – Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
  • Right to object – Object to our processing of your personal data
  • Right to withdraw consent – Withdraw consent at any time (for consent-based processing)

Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at secretary@ardross.org. We will respond to your request within one month.

Unsubscribing from Emails

You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time by:

  • Clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any newsletter email
  • Contacting us directly at website@ardross.org

9. Cookies

Our website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device.

Types of cookies we use:

  • Essential cookies – Required for the website to function properly
  • Analytics cookies – Help us understand how visitors use our site (if applicable)

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our website is intended for general community use. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately.

11. International Transfers

Your personal data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the UK (for example, where our service providers operate internationally). We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for such transfers in compliance with UK GDPR.

12. Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to other local organisations and services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

13. 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 revision date. For significant changes, we may notify subscribers via email.

14. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Email: secretary@ardross.org

This privacy policy was last reviewed and updated on 24 August ’25