Privacy Policy
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Sittingbourne is committed to respecting your privacy and protecting the personal information that you share with us.
This Privacy Policy explains how personal information submitted through this website may be collected, used, stored and protected. The parish forms part of the Archdiocese of Southwark and handles personal information in accordance with applicable UK data protection law and the data protection policies of the Archdiocese.
1. Who We Are
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Sittingbourne is a Roman Catholic parish within the Archdiocese of Southwark.
The Archdiocese of Southwark is a registered charity, charity number 1173050.
2. Information We May Collect
The information we collect depends on how you interact with the parish and this website. It may include:
- Your name and contact details, including your email address and telephone number.
- Your postal address.
- Information submitted through website contact forms.
- Parish registration or census information.
- Information relating to sacramental preparation or requests.
- Information relating to Baptism, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, Marriage and other parish activities.
- Mass intention requests.
- Hall and venue booking information.
- Donation and Gift Aid information.
- Information you provide when contacting the Parish Office.
- Any other information you voluntarily provide to us.
Some information connected with the life and ministry of the Church may constitute special category personal data, including information which reveals religious belief. Such information will only be processed where there is an appropriate lawful basis for doing so.
3. How We Use Your Information
Personal information may be used where necessary for the administration, pastoral work and charitable activities of the parish. This may include:
- Responding to enquiries and messages.
- Maintaining parish and sacramental records.
- Administering parish registration.
- Organising sacramental preparation and parish programmes.
- Managing hall bookings and parish events.
- Processing donations and Gift Aid declarations.
- Managing Mass intention requests.
- Communicating information about parish activities where appropriate.
- Meeting legal, regulatory, safeguarding and financial obligations.
- Supporting the pastoral mission and charitable purposes of the parish and Archdiocese.
4. Our Lawful Basis for Processing
Depending on the circumstances, personal information may be processed because it is necessary for the legitimate activities of the Church, to comply with a legal obligation, to fulfil an agreement or arrangement with you, because you have given consent, or under another lawful basis permitted by UK data protection legislation.
Where special category information is processed, an appropriate additional condition for processing will also be relied upon.
5. Sharing Your Information
We do not sell your personal information.
Where necessary and lawful, information may be shared with the Archdiocese of Southwark, clergy, authorised parish staff and volunteers, professional advisers, service providers or other organisations involved in delivering parish activities.
Information may also be disclosed where we are required to do so by law, for safeguarding purposes, or to protect the rights and safety of individuals.
6. Third-Party Services
This website may use or link to services provided by third parties, for example for online donations, maps, videos, social media or other website functionality.
When you choose to use a third-party service, that organisation may process your personal information according to its own privacy policy. We recommend that you review the privacy information provided by those services.
7. Keeping Your Information Secure
Reasonable organisational and technical measures are used to protect personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, loss or misuse.
Access to personal information is limited to those who have an appropriate reason to access it in connection with parish or Archdiocesan activities.
8. How Long We Keep Your Information
Personal information is retained only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, and in accordance with legal, regulatory, pastoral and Archdiocesan record-retention requirements.
Certain Church records, including some sacramental records, may need to be retained permanently as part of the historical and canonical record of the Church.
9. Your Data Protection Rights
Depending on the circumstances, UK data protection law gives you a number of rights in relation to your personal information. These may include the right to:
- Request access to personal information held about you.
- Ask for inaccurate information to be corrected.
- Request deletion of information in certain circumstances.
- Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances.
- Object to certain types of processing.
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
- Request data portability where applicable.
These rights are subject to exemptions and other provisions contained in data protection legislation.
Archdiocese of Southwark Data Protection
The parish forms part of the Archdiocese of Southwark. Further information about how personal information is handled across the Archdiocese can be found in the Archdiocese's Data Protection Policy and Privacy Notice.
10. Cookies
This website may use cookies and similar technologies which are necessary for the operation of the website or which help provide website functionality.
Further information about the cookies used on this website should be provided in our separate Cookies Policy.
11. Links to Other Websites
Our website may contain links to other websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external websites. When following an external link, please review the privacy policy of that website.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes to the website, parish activities, Archdiocesan requirements or data protection legislation.
The latest version will be published on this page.
Questions About Your Privacy?
If you have a question about how your personal information is used by the parish, please contact the Parish Office.
