Introduction

At Stepping Stones DS, we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of our supporters, beneficiaries, volunteers, staff, and donors. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you interact with our website, www.steppingstonesds.co.uk (“Site”), in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and all relevant laws applicable in England and Wales. We strive to be transparent, responsible, and respectful in our use of your data.

By using our Site, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any aspect of this Policy, please discontinue your use of our Site.

Who We Are

Stepping Stones DS is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1182787, with our principal office located at Sentinel House, Harvest Crescent, Fleet, Hampshire, GU51 2UZ. For the purposes of data protection law, Stepping Stones DS is the ‘data controller’ of your personal information.

What Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal information:

• Contact Information: Name, postal address, email address, telephone number.
• Donation Information: Donation amounts, payment method, Gift Aid eligibility, transaction details.
• Communications Data: Records of your correspondence with us via email, web forms, or phone calls.
• Event Registration Data: Details provided when signing up for events, volunteering, or fundraising activities.
• Technical Data: IP address, browser type and version, time zone setting, and device identifiers collected via cookies and analytics tools.
• Marketing Preferences: Your preferences for receiving communications from us.
• Images and Media: Photographs or videos from events (with your explicit consent).

We do not knowingly collect or process special category (sensitive) personal data (such as health, race, religious beliefs) unless required for a specific purpose and with your explicit consent.

How We Collect Your Data

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• To process donations and claim Gift Aid where applicable.
• To respond to your enquiries and provide you with information you request.
• To register you for events, volunteering, or fundraising activities.
• To keep you informed about our work, campaigns, and opportunities if you have opted-in to receive communications.
• To improve and personalise your experience on our Site.
• To fulfil our legal obligations as a registered charity.
• For internal record keeping, administration, and data analysis.

We will not use your personal data for automated decision-making or profiling that has legal or significant effects on you.

Legal Bases for Processing Data

We process your personal data in line with the following legal bases:

• Consent: Where you have given explicit permission for a specific purpose (e.g., marketing).
• Contract: When processing is necessary to fulfil a contract with you (such as registering for an event).
• Legal Obligation: To comply with applicable laws and regulations (e.g., retaining donation records for tax purposes).
• Legitimate Interests: For the general administration, fundraising, and delivery of our charitable objectives, balanced against your rights.

How We Share Your Information

We will never sell your personal data to third parties. We may share your information with trusted service providers that help us operate our Site, process donations, or organise events. These providers are required by contract to protect your data and only use it for the agreed purposes.

We may also share your data if required by law, regulation, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Stepping Stones DS and our stakeholders.

How We Protect Your Data

We take the security of your data seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it.

How Long We Keep Your Data

We retain personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. For example, donation records may be kept for six years for tax purposes. When your data is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymise it.

Your Rights

Under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Rectification: You may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Erasure: You have the right to request deletion of your data (“right to be forgotten”) under certain circumstances.
• Restriction: You may request we restrict processing in specific cases.
• Data Portability: You may ask to receive your data in a structured, commonly used format.
• Objection: You may object to processing in some cases, especially for direct marketing.
• Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at enquiries@steppingstonesds.co.uk or write to our Data Protection Officer at Stepping Stones DS, Sentinel House, Harvest Crescent, Fleet, Hampshire, GU51 2UZ.

Cookies and Analytics

Our Site uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance user experience, provide functionality, and gather analytics. You can manage cookies via your browser settings. For more information, see our Cookie Policy.

Links to Other Sites

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before submitting any personal data.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, law, or technology. Any changes will be posted on our Site with the date of revision. We encourage you to periodically review this Policy.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us at:

Stepping Stones DS

Attn: Data Protection Officer

Sentinel House, Harvest Crescent, Fleet, Hampshire, GU51 2UZ

Email: enquiries@steppingstonesds.co.uk