Northamptonshire Bird Club Data Protection Policy

Introduction

This policy describes how members’ data is held and used by Northamptonshire Bird Club (NBC). The policy has been agreed by the NBC Committee and forms part of the society’s compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation.

Personal Data Held

In order to provide membership services, NBC holds all or part of the following personal information on a computer:

• Member’s name
• Member’s address
• Member’s email address
• Member’s home and/or mobile phone number. (Optional but kept if provided)
• Date of subscription payment
• Subscription receipt number.
• Amount of subscription received
• Free-form comments about the subscription (eg if several years have been paid in advance)

Uses of Personal Data

The primary purpose of holding this data is for NBC to fulfil its obligation to send members their subscribed newsletter to the address they supplied. Occasionally, other communications regarding NBC business may be sent either electronically or by post. In these cases the communication will only concern the proper functioning of NBC. Examples might be: subscription change or reminder notices or notices of special NBC events. NBC will not use its membership list to supply third parties with address lists or other information unless required to do so under UK law. Nor will NBC use the data for fund-raising or direct marketing.

Storage of Membership Data

The membership data is held in a spreadsheet on a personal computer. The computer is password protected and the data only accessible to the logged on user. The computer is also kept up to date with anti-virus protection. A backup copy is made periodically by sending the spreadsheet to a nominated Committee member via encrypted email or password-protected file on other media. Access to that data is only available to the backup copy holder. The back up data will only be used to restore corrupted or lost primary data or for the maintenance of the Newsletter distribution list. In order to enable query handling, the year end membership details are held in a separate spreadsheet for two years. Thereafter all data is deleted and a note made of that fact.

Access to the Data

Only the nominated manager of the data “Data Manager” (normally the Membership Secretary) and the backup copy holder may access the data and only for official NBC business. If the Data Manager is indisposed the Chairman of NBC may appoint another Committee Member to take on that role. If this happens it will be documented (see Procedures). Members may request in writing access to their own details for their own purposes. Proof of identity will be required before passing this information on. (For example if a request is received the email address or postal address must match those we hold).

Changes to the Data

Members can request changes such as address changes in writing and must include proof of identity such as providing the old address or by sending from the email address we hold.

Deletion of Data

When membership has lapsed the details of the member will be deleted after two years. This is to allow subscribers who have forgotten to renew to catch up. If a member resigns then their details will be removed within one month of receipt of resignation.