Privacy Policy

1. What is this all about?
2. Who is handling my data?
3. How can I contact the Moorland Association?
4. What is the Moorland Association’s legal basis for processing data?
5. What information do we collect?
6. What about sensitive personal data?
7. How do we use this information?
8. Who do we share and disclose information with?
9. What marketing do we do?
10. How do we build profiles?
11. How do we protect young people?
12. How do we protect your data?
13. Where do we store your data and for how long?
14. What are your rights?
15. How do I make a complaint?
16. What about cookies and links to other websites?
17. Who reviews this document and when?

1. What is this all about?

We are required to provide you with this information under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This policy explains how we handle your personal data (i.e. any information which identifies you, or which can be identified as relating to you personally) and what you can do if you have any concerns.

2. Who is handling my data?

For the purposes of data protection law, the Moorland Association (Company Registered in England and Wales: 8977402) is the Data Controller. We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (Registration number Z9180337).

3. How can I contact the Moorland Association?

Write: The Moorland Association, PO Box 75, Leyburn DL8 9AQ.
Ring: 01904 922717

4. What is the Moorland Association’s legal basis for processing data?

Under the following provisions of the GDPR:

The processing is necessary for the performance of a contract. Examples of when this applies include: membership, or purchasing an event ticket, we are required to process your personal data to send you these items.
It is in the legitimate interest of the data controller (the Moorland Association). You can tell us you would like to opt out at any time. We may need to process personal data for our legitimate interests (such as the management and administration of our organisation and the improvement of our services) and that doing so will not interfere with your privacy rights. We use people’s data in ways they would reasonably expect and which have minimal privacy impact. Safeguards have been put in place to ensure we achieve the correct balance between our interests and yours. Examples of when this applies include: when you support us through donations and surveys.
In line with the existing Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 we will continue to seek your consent to electronic marketing. Examples of when this applies include: our e-newsletter and our online surveys.

5. What information do we collect?

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

personal details (name, address, email, telephone etc.) when you join as a member or associate member.
financial information (payment information such as credit/debit card or Direct Debit details).
details of your interests and preferences.

6. What about 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 may occur (e.g. if you have an accident at one of our events).

If this does occur, we’ll take extra care to ensure your privacy rights are protected.

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 - Ref 1).
If you are a volunteer (whether for specifically Moorland Association, 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.

7. How do we use this information?

We use information:

that you have given to us (e.g. your name, address, interests, event bookings, donations, complaints, bank account details) on paper or electronic format.
provided via cookies on our website as explained in Section 16 (What about cookies and links to other websites?).
we have collected from third parties as explained in Section 10 (How do we build profiles?).

In order to:

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

We use personal data primarily to allow us to:

perform our contract with you.*
to enable us to comply with legal obligations.**
pursue legitimate interests of our own or those of third parties***, provided your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests.
to provide you with information you have consented to.****
The situations in which we will process your personal information are listed below. We have indicated by asterisks the purpose or purposes for which we will process your personal information, as well as indicating which categories of data are involved.
Setting up new Moorland Association memberships.*
Sending our membership renewals.*
Sending you invitations to events by post.*
Sending you invitations to events by email.****
Collating names of people attending events.***
Sending thank you letters by post.****
Sending you newsletters by email.****
Responding to queries emailed to our website.****
Confirmation of permission to access study sites.****
Processing your donations.*
Complying with health and safety obligations.**
Performing our obligations under membership contracts.*
Fulfilling orders for goods or services (whether placed online, over the phone or in person).*
Recording your choices and preferences (e.g. if you ask not to receive marketing material, we’ll keep a record of this).****

Some of the above grounds for processing will overlap and there may be several grounds which justify our use of your personal information.

8. Who do we share and disclose information with?

We will never sell your personal data. We may contact you with information about our partners, or third-party products and services, but these communications will always come from the Moorland Association and are usually incorporated into our own marketing materials (e.g. advertisements in newsletters).

We may share personal data with subcontractors or suppliers who provide us with services. However, these activities will be carried out under a contract which imposes strict requirements on our supplier to keep your information confidential and secure.

9. What marketing do we do?

Our marketing includes news and information. Examples include:

our role in educating the public in conservation of the natural environment.
our events and activities.
products, services and offers (our own, and those of third parties which may interest you).

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

10. How do we build profiles?

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.

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.
We profile supporters in terms of financial, political and practical support. This information helps us to ensure communications are relevant and timely.

You may opt out of this profiling at any time by contacting the Data Compliance Manager:
Write: The Moorland Association, PO Box 75, Leyburn DL8 9AQ.
Ring: 01904 922717

11. How do we protect young people?

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 13 we will require consent from a parent or guardian to process his or her personal data. This means that:

If your child wants to have his or her name or picture featured in one of our publications, we’ll need you to confirm you’re happy for us to do so.
We’ll need permission from you as their parent or guardian for them to share a picture, photo or story with us.
If we publish your child’s picture, photo or story, we’ll usually include their first name and age with it. We’ll need you to confirm you’re happy for us to do so.

12. How do we protect your data?

We employ a variety of physical and technical measures to keep your data safe and to prevent unauthorised access to, 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.
If you use a credit card to donate, purchase a membership or purchase something online we will pass your credit card details securely to our payment provider. Other payment methods (e.g. Apple Pay) are handled in a similar manner. The Moorland Association complies with the payment card industry data security standard (PCI-DSS) published by the PCI Security Standards Council.

13. Where do we store your data and for how long?

The Moorland Association’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 so if your data is adequately protected. We check they are registered with Privacy Shield. Examples include:

Our email distribution provider Mail Chimp
Our members survey provider Survey Monkey
Sometimes we store details on Google Drive
Occasionally we transfer details by Dropbox

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. Examples include:

Our members’ information is archived 3 years after they lapse.
Major donor information is archived after 10 years of inactivity.
Any personal data supplied as part of a wildlife survey may be stored in perpetuity to aid. long-term scientific analysis. However, findings will be aggregated when published to avoid any personal information being disclosed.

These are reviewed on a rolling annual basis by the Data Compliance Manager.

14. What are your rights?

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 be informed about how we use your personal data.
the right to access your personal data.
the right 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 restrict the processing of your personal data.
the right to object to your data being used for marketing and or profiling.
where technically feasible, you have the right to the data portability of the personal data you have provided to us which we processed.

To exercise these rights please contact the Data Compliance Manager:
Write: The Moorland Association, PO Box 75, Leyburn DL8 9AQ.
Ring: 01904 922717

More information about your rights can be found on the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website at www.ico.org.uk

15. How do I make a complaint?

If you wish to make a complaint you can do so by contacting the Data Compliance Manager.

You have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK supervising authority for data protection issues. Details of how to do this can be found at www.ico.org.uk

16. What about cookies and links to other websites?

Our website uses local storage (such as cookies) to provide you with the best possible experience and to allow you to make use of certain functionality.

Our website contains hyperlinks to many other websites. We are not responsible for the content or functionality of any of those external websites. 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 the Moorland Association Privacy Policy. 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 the Moorland Association.

17. Policy review

This policy will be reviewed by the Moorland Association Data Compliance Manager at intervals of no more than two years to ensure it remains up to date and compliant with the law.

This document was last reviewed on 17th January 2025.

Ref 1 - Sensitive personal data (GDPR calls this Special Category Data) includes any of the following: data consisting of racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person's sex life or sexual orientation.

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