General Data Protection Regulation Policy

Privacy of personal information

The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which came into force in May 2018 requires us to inform you of our policy for collecting and processing your personal data.

Why we hold your data
We need to send newsletters, details of forthcoming events and meetings and to process the renewal of your membership. We also need, where appropriate, to claim from HMRC Gift Aid on your subscription and donations; this is the only third party to whom we disclose extracts of your information.

What data we hold about you
Preston Historical Society is what is known as the “Controller” of the personal data you provide to us. We hold details of your name, address, email address, possibly your telephone number and, where applicable your Gift Aid election. We will remove your personal information from our systems after the end of the year in which your membership ceases. The only exception to this is where there is a statutory retention period such as that for Gift Aid claims.

Occasionally other personal data may be collected from sources such as attendance lists at events, documentation of personal achievement awards, and records of sales including publications.

Where we hold your data
Your information is held on the Membership Secretary's private, password protected, computer to which no other person has access. A back-up copy of the database files is made regularly in case of computer failure. These security copies are also held by the Membership Secretary in a secure location under his/her control.

Access to your data
Full access to your data is only available to the Membership Secretary. Extracts of email and some postal addresses are given, when required, to the Newsletter distributors to allow circulation of the newsletter and other notices.

What are your rights?
You have the right to:

• Request a copy of your information (known as a Subject Access Request)
• Request rectification or erasure of information
• Request a restriction on the processing of your information
• Object to processing of your information
• Complain to the Information Commissioner's Office about the way the Society processes your information.

If you require further information about the use of your data or would like to exercise any of the above rights please contact the Membership Secretary at info@prestonhistoricalsociety.org

Will this privacy policy be updated?
The Preston Historical Society regularly reviews its policies, including its privacy policy, and may make changes from time to time.