Privacy Policy

Overview

This privacy policy sets out how the Conservators of Ashdown Forest and their staff, collect, use and protect any information about you.

The Forest is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

The Conservators of Ashdown Forest may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from 25/05/18.

Why we collect personal data

We will only ever collect, store and use your personal data when we have an identified purpose and reason to do so. We may collect personal data which could include:

• Internal record keeping
• To deal and assist you with the issue, concern or complaint you have raised
• Enforcement matters such as Bye-law breaches
• Statutory information such as commoner’s data
• Legal and regulatory reasons
• Property licences
• Contractual requirements

What personal data do we collect

We will usually collect basic information about you, including your name, postal address, telephone number, and email address.

We may also collect:

• demographic information such as preferences and interests
• records of donations
• ways you’ve helped us through volunteering your time
• records of events you’ve attended
• interactions with the Forest on social media

How long we hold your personal data

We will not hold your personal data longer than is needed in order to deal with, and assist you with your issue, concern or complaint.

Retention periods for records are determined based on the type of record and the nature of the activity and may be changed from time to time based on business or legal and regulatory requirements.

Once personal data is no longer required it will be destroyed as confidential waste and deleted from our systems.

In certain cases we will keep records indefinitely such as property records and Commoners records.

How we store your data

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online, electronically and physically.

All of the personal data we process is processed in the UK. This will be done in accordance with guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Sharing your information

Your data will only be used by the Conservators of Ashdown Forest and their staff for the purposes of keeping you up to date with the topic that you have subscribed to.  Any sharing of personal data is always done:

• on a case-by-case basis
• using the minimum personal data necessary
• with the appropriate security controls in place
• in line with legislation

Information is only shared with those agencies and bodies who have a “need to know” or where you have consented to the sharing of your personal data to such persons.

We may use the information we hold about you to assist in the detection and prevention of crime.

Personal information collected via online forms

We have taken great care to make sure that no-one can intercept personal information about you.

Where we ask you for personal information through an online form or through a social media form, this information will only be used for the purpose indicated and it will be held securely.

Your information will not be used for any other purpose without your permission and will not be kept for longer than necessary. If you are concerned about providing your personal information online, we can arrange alternative means for you to supply information.

Your rights

Under data protection legislation, you have the right:

• to access a copy of your personal data
• to ask for your information to be corrected
• to ask for your information to be deleted or removed where there is no need for us to continue processing it
• to ask us to restrict the use of your information
• to ask us to copy or transfer your information from one IT system to another

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:

• whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website, look for the box that you can click to indicate that you do not want the information to be used by anybody for direct marketing purposes
• if you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing to or emailing us at [email protected]

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen.

If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to us as soon as possible at the address below, or email us at [email protected]. We will promptly amend any information found to be incorrect.

You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the Data Protection Act 1998. If you would like a copy of the information held on you, please write to:

The Data Controller
The Ashdown Forest Centre
Wych Cross
Forest Row
East Sussex RH18 5JP

Enquiries and further information

Should you have any further queries on the uses of your information, or to complain about the use of your information, please contact The Data Controller. You can also contact the ICO for further information:

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

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We update this policy periodically to ensure it accurately reflects our use of personal data.

This Privacy Policy was last updated on 04 May 2023.

Cookies on this site

How we use cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about webpage traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.

Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.