privacy policy

INTRODUCTION

Rahma (Mercy) is committed to protecting your privacy and security. This policy explains how and why we use your personal data, to ensure you remain informed and in control of your information.

Going forward Rahma (Mercy) will ask its supporters about how you want to hear from us. This means you'll have the choice as to how you want to receive these messages and be able to select from email, phone, SMS or post.

This is due to a change to the rules which govern how we can communicate with you and a new regulation on personal data (the General Data Protection Regulation) coming into force in May 2018.

You can decide not to receive communications or change how we contact you at any time. If you wish to do so please contact Supporter Services by emailing info@rahmamercy.org.uk or writing to Rahma (Mercy) Supporter Services, 56 Hartington Road, Leicester, LE2 0GN or telephoning 0116 251 6959 (Lines open 10am - 6pm, Mon - Fri).

We will never sell your personal data and will only ever share it with organisations we work with where necessary and if its privacy and security are guaranteed.

QUESTIONS ON THE ABOVE?

Any questions you have in relation to this policy or how we use your personal data should be sent to info@rahmamercy.org.uk or addressed to The Data Protection Officer, 56 Hartington Road, Leicester, LE2 0GN

ABOUT US

Your personal data (i.e. any information which identifies you, or which can be identified as relating to you personally) will be collected and used by Rahma (Mercy) (charity no. 1097682) in England. For the purposes of data protection law, Rahma (Mercy) will be the controller.

WHAT INFORMATION WE COLLECT

Personal data you provide

We collect data you provide to us. This includes information you give when joining or registering, placing a donation or pledge or communicating with us. For example:

  • personal details (name, date of birth, email, address, telephone etc.) when you join as a member or supporter;
  • financial information (payment information such as credit/debit card or direct debit details, and whether donations are gift-aided. Please see section 8 for more information on payment security); and
  • details of your interests and preferences (such as campaigns, the ways you support us or types of projects you enjoy).

Information created by your involvement with Rahma (Mercy)

Your activities and involvement with Rahma (Mercy) will result in personal data being created. This could include details of how you've helped us by volunteering or being involved with our campaigns and activities.

If you decide to donate to us then we will keep records of when and how much you give to a particular cause.

Information we generate

We conduct research and analysis on the information we hold, which can in turn generate personal data. For example, by analysing your interests and involvement with our work we may be able to build a profile which helps us decide which of our communications are likely to interest you. Section 6 (Research and profiling) contains more information about how we use information for profiling and targeted advertising.

Information from third parties

We sometimes receive 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 we're collaborating with on a project). Also, as explained in Section 11 (Cookies and links to other sites), we may use third parties to help us conduct research and analysis on personal data (and this can result in new personal data being created).

We may collect information from social media, or if you post on one of our social media pages.

Occasionally, we may collect information about certain supporters (e.g. particularly well known or influential people) from public sources. This could include public databases (such as Companies House), news or other media. We don't do this to everyone, and it is the exception not the rule.

Sensitive personal data

We do not normally collect or store sensitive personal data (such as information relating to health, beliefs or political affiliation) about supporters and members. However there are some situations where this will occur (e.g. if you volunteer with us or if you want to pay Zakat). If this does occur, we'll take extra care to ensure your privacy rights are protected.

Accidents or incidents

If an accident or incident occurs on our property, at one of our events or involving one of our staff (including volunteers) then we'll keep a record of this (which may include personal data and sensitive personal data).

Volunteer

If you are a volunteer (whether for specifically Rahma (Mercy), or if you are helping us for other reasons - for example you work for another organisation which is running an event with us) then we may collect extra information about you (e.g. references, criminal records checks, details of emergency contacts, medical conditions etc.). This information will be retained for legal reasons, to protect us (including in the event of an insurance or legal claim) and for safeguarding purposes.

HOW WE USE INFORMATION

We only ever use your personal data where it is necessary in order to:

  • enter into, or perform, a contract with you;
  • comply with a legal duty;
  • protect your vital interests;
  • for our own (or a third party's) lawful interests, provided your rights don't override these.

In any event, we'll only use your information for the purpose or purposes it was collected for (or else for closely related purposes).

Marketing

We use personal data to communicate with people, to promote Rahma (Mercy) and to help with fundraising. This includes keeping you up to date with our news, updates, campaigns and fundraising information. For further information on this please see Section 5 (Marketing).

Administration

We only ever use your personal data where it is necessary in order to:We use personal data for administrative purposes (i.e. to carry on our charity work). This includes:

  • receiving donations (e.g. direct debits or gift-aid instructions);
  • maintaining databases of our volunteers, members and supporters;
  • fulfilling orders for goods or services (whether placed online, over the phone or in person);
  • helping us respect your choices and preferences (e.g. if you ask not to receive marketing material, we'll keep a record of this).

Internal research and analysis

We carry out research and analysis on our supporters, donors and volunteers, to determine the success of campaigns and appeals, better understand behaviour and responses and identify patterns and trends. This helps inform our approach towards campaigning and make Rahma (Mercy) a stronger and more effective organisation. Understanding our supporters, their interests and what they care about also helps us provide a better experience (e.g. through more relevant communications).

Supporter research and profiling

We evaluate, categorise and profile personal data in order to tailor materials, services and communications (including targeted advertising) and prevent unwanted material from filling up your inbox. This also helps us understand our supporters, improve our organisation and carry out research. Further information on profiling can be found in Section 6 (Research and profiling).

DISCLOSING AND SHARING DATA

We will never sell your personal data. If you have opted-in to electronic marketing, we may contact you with information about our partners, or third party products and services, but these communications will always come from Rahma (Mercy) and are usually incorporated into our own marketing materials (e.g. advertisements in magazines or newsletters).

We may share personal data with subcontractors or suppliers who provide us with services. For example, if you order something from the Rahma (Mercy) Shop, your name and address will be shared with the delivery company. However, these activities will be carried out under a contract which imposes strict requirements on our supplier to keep your information confidential and secure.

Occasionally, where we partner with other organisations, we may also share information with them (for example, if you register to attend an event being jointly organised by us and another charity). We'll only share information when necessary and we'll make sure to notify you first.

MARKETING

Rahma (Mercy) will ask its supporters to “opt-in” for most of our electronic communications. This includes all our electronic marketing communications (the term marketing is broadly defined and, for instance, covers information about projects and Rahma (Mercy)).

This means you'll have the choice as to how you want to receive these messages and be able to post, phone, email, text.

You can decide not to receive communications or change how we contact you at any time. If you wish to do so please contact Supporter Services by info@rahmmercy.org.uk or writing to Rahma (Mercy) Supporter Services, 56 Hartington Road, Leicester, LE2 0GN or telephoning 0116 251 6959 (Lines open 10am - 6pm, Mon - Fri).

What does 'marketing' mean?

Marketing does not just mean offering things for sale, but also includes news and information about:

  • our charity, campaigns and project work;
  • our role in educating the public;
  • Rahma (Mercy) benefits and offers;
  • volunteering opportunities and how you can help;
  • appeals and fundraising (including donations and also competitions, raffles etc.);
  • appeals and fundraising (including donations and also competitions, raffles etc.);
  • products, services and offers (our own, and those of third parties which may interest you);
  • leaving a legacy; and
  • taking part in projects (e.g. Water Wells).

When you receive a communication, we may collect information about you respond to or interact with that communication, and this may affect how we communicate with you in future.

NEWSLETTERS AND MAGAZINES

Newsletters and magazines are provided as a benefit to our supporters. We send these out to all our members (unless you specifically ask us not to) and you can choose to unsubscribe from general marketing communications without giving up your subscription to these. However, please be aware that these do include advertisements, competitions and fundraising information.

FUNDRAISING

As a charity, we rely on donations and support from others to continue our work. From time to time, we will contact members and supporters with fundraising material and communications. This might be about an appeal, a competition we're running, or to suggest ways you can raise funds (e.g. a sponsored event or activity, or even buying a product if we will receive some of the proceeds).

We may use third parties (known as affiliate marketers) to carry out fundraising on our behalf. For example, we may use an affiliate to call supporters (who have agreed to be contacted by phone) about a campaign or appeal.

RESEARCH AND PROFILING

This section explains how and why we use personal data to build profiles which enable us to understand our supporters, improve our relationship with them, and provide a better supporter experience.

Analysis and grouping

We analyse our supporters to determine common characteristics and preferences. We do this by assessing various types of information including behaviour (e.g. previous responses) or demographic information (e.g. age or location).

By grouping people together on the basis of common characteristics, we can ensure that group is provided with communications, products, and information which is most important to them. This helps prevent your inbox from filling up, and also means we aren't wasting resources on contacting people with information which isn't relevant to them.

Profiling to help us understand our supporters

We profile supporters in terms of financial, political and practical support. For example, we keep track of the amount, frequency and value of each person's support. This information helps us to ensure communications are relevant and timely.

If, based on information that has been provided to us (such as geographical location, demographics, or previous donations), it appears an individual might be willing and able to provide more support we may contact them to see if they wish to do so.

On occasion, we may also combine information about particular supporters with external information (such as directorships listed on Companies House, or news about an individual which has featured in the media) in order to create a more detailed profile about a particular individual.

We collect information on preferences and interests so that we know what material you are mostly likely to be interested in.

We will also obtain information about you from other sources, much of which is available on public and private databases. We do this to enhance and fill-in any gaps so that we can understand our supporters better, send you the most relevant communications and target our resources effectively. Examples of information we'll obtain are details of other charities you may support, newspapers you read, shopping habits, financial products, leisure interests and indicators of financial status such as house value. In some cases we will obtain likely indictors of interest or financial status based on your postcode rather than at an individual level. This information won't be specific to you, but probable characteristics based on your postcode.

Anonymised data

We may aggregate and anonymise personal data so that it can no longer be linked to any particular person. This information can be used for a variety of purposes, such as recruiting new supporters, or to identify trends or patterns within our existing supporter base. This information helps inform our actions and improve our campaigns, products/services and materials.

YOUNG PEOPLE

Photographs, pictures, stories and competitions in our magazines and newsletters

We want young people to join in good work, and there are opportunities in our magazines for readers to share their photos, stories and pictures. If we publish your child's picture, photo or story, we'll usually include their first name and age with it. If they write an article or story for us, we might also include their surname alongside it.

If your child enters a competition and is one of the lucky winners or runners-up, we'll publish their name and winning entry alongside the other winners.

Parental permission: If your child is under 16 then we'll need permission from you as their parent or guardian for them to enter one of our competitions or to share a picture, photo or story with us.

Information for parents

We take great care to protect and respect the rights of individuals in relation to their personal data, especially in the case of children. If your child is under 16, we'll only use his or her personal data with your consent. This means that, for example, if your child wants to have his or her name or picture featured in one of our magazines, we'll need you to confirm you're happy for us to do so.

Marketing and fundraising

We won't send marketing emails, letters, calls or messages to under 16 year-olds and, in order to donate to Rahma (Mercy) or order things from us online, you need to be an adult.

Our magazines sometimes include competitions or ideas about how to raise money (e.g. sponsored activities), but they are mostly just about our projects, Rahma (Mercy), and ideas for things to do.

We won't use young people's personal data for marketing purposes and we won't profile it.

HOW WE PROTECT DATA

We employ a variety of physical and technical measures to keep your data safe and to prevent unauthorised access to, or use or disclosure of your personal information.

Electronic data and databases are stored on secure computer systems and we control who has access to information (using both physical and electronic means). Our staff receive data protection training and we have a set of detailed data protection procedures which personnel are required to follow when handling personal data.

Payment security

All electronic Rahma (Mercy) forms that request financial data will use the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol to encrypt the data between your browser and our servers.

If you use a credit card to donate or purchase something on-line we will pass your credit card details securely to our payment provider STRIPE. Other payment methods (e.g. donations via phone) are handled in a similar manner. Rahma (Mercy) complies with the payment card industry data security standard (PCI-DSS) published by the PCI Security Standards Council, and will never store card details.

Of course, we cannot guarantee the security of your home computer or the internet, and any online communications (e.g. information provided by email or our website) are at the user's own risk.

CCTV

Some of our premises have CCTV and you may be recorded when you visit them. CCTV is there to help provide security and to protect both you and Rahma (Mercy). CCTV will only be viewed when necessary (e.g. to detect or prevent crime) and footage is only stored temporarily. Unless it is flagged for review CCTV will be recorded over.

Rahma (Mercy) complies with the Information Commissioner's Office CCTV Code of Practice, and we put up notices so you know when CCTV is in use.

STORAGE

Rahma (Mercy)'s operations are based in the UK and we store our data within the European Union. Some organisations which provide services to us may transfer personal data outside of the EEA, but we'll only allow them to do if your data is adequately protected or with your permission.

For example, some of our systems use Microsoft products. As a US company, it may be that using their products result in personal data being transferred to or accessible from the US. However, we'll allow this as we are certain personal data will still be adequately protected (as Microsoft is certified under the USA's Privacy Shield scheme).

How long we store information

We will only use and store information for so long as it is required for the purposes it was collected for. How long information will be stored for depends on the information in question and what it is being used for. For example, if you ask us not to send you marketing emails, we will stop storing your emails for marketing purposes (though we'll keep a record of your preference not to be emailed).

We continually review what information we hold and delete what is no longer required. We never store payment card information.

KEEPING YOU IN CONTROL

We want to ensure you remain in control of your personal data. Part of this is making sure you understand your legal rights, which are as follows:

  • the right to confirmation as to whether or not we have your personal data and, if we do, to obtain a copy of the personal information we hold (this is known as subject access request);
  • the right to have your data erased (though this will not apply where it is necessary for us to continue to use the data for a lawful reason);
  • the right to have inaccurate data rectified;
  • the right to object to your data being used for marketing or profiling; and
  • where technically feasible, you have the right to personal data you have provided to us which we process automatically on the basis of our legitimate interests or the performance of a contract. This information will be provided in a common electronic format.

Please keep in mind that there are exceptions to the rights above and, though we will always try to respond to your satisfaction, there may be situations where we are unable to do so.

If you would like further information on your rights or wish to exercise them, please email info@rahmamercy.org.uk or write to The Data Protection Officer, 56 Hartington Road, Leicester, LE2 0GN

We can provide you with a template subject access form which includes guidance on how to make your request (and will help us respond more quickly). Please contact us for a copy of this.

Complaints

You can complain to Rahma (Mercy) directly by contacting our data protection officer using the details set out above. If wish to make a complaint (including a complaint about fundraising activity) which does not directly relate to your data protection and privacy rights, you can do so in accordance with our charity's complaint policy.

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

COOKIES AND LINKS TO OTHER SITES

We don't use cookies or any type of local storage

Our website contains hyperlinks to other websites. 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 by using the 'Contact us' link at the top of the page).

If an external website requests personal information from you (e.g. in connection with an order for goods or services), the information you provide will not be covered by Rahma (Mercy)'s Privacy Policy. We suggest you read the privacy policy of any website before providing any personal information.

When purchasing goods or services from any of the businesses that our site links to, you will be entering into a contract with them (agreeing to their terms and conditions) and not with Rahma (Mercy).

CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We'll amend this Privacy Policy from time to time to ensure it remains up-to-date and accurately reflects how and why we use your personal data. The current version of our Privacy Policy will always be posted on our website.

This Privacy Policy was last updated on 21-03-2022.