Dorset Guitar Society

Dorset Guitar Society (DGS) - PRIVACY POLICY

Version 1.0 : July 2026
  1. Introduction

    2. Dorset Guitar Society (“DGS”, “the Society”, “we”, “us”) is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information relating to members, former members, volunteers, performers, suppliers and individuals who contact or interact with the Society.
    DGS is a registered charity in England and Wales (Charity No. 1101122). For the purposes of UK data protection law, DGS is the Data Controller.

  2. What Personal Data We Collect

    3. We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

    • Identity and contact information Title, Name, postal address, email address, telephone number, and contact history.
    • Membership information Membership status, date of joining, attendance at Society events, communications sent or received.
    • Membership information Membership status, date of joining, attendance at Society events, communications sent or received.
    • Financial information
      • Bank account details for committee members or suppliers who receive payments from the Society.
      • Limited bank information (e.g., sort code, transaction reference) when members pay by bank transfer.
      • We do not collect or store credit/debit card details.
    • Communications - emails sent to or received from committee members, newsletter subscription preferences.
    • Event-related media - photographs, audio recordings, and video recordings taken at Society events, concerts or public performances.
    • Ticketing information - personal details provided when purchasing tickets for concerts or events.
  3. How We Collect Personal Data

    4. We collect personal data from:

    • You directly, when you complete a membership form, contact us, purchase tickets, or interact with committee members.
    • Information generated through your participation in Society activities (e.g., attendance, communications).
    • Publicly available sources, where appropriate (e.g. media already published online).
  4. WhatsApp Group Communications

    5. The Society may operate an optional WhatsApp group to share updates, event information and informal communications between members.

    Participation in the WhatsApp group is entirely voluntary. If you choose to join, your mobile telephone number and profile name will be visible to other members of the group. WhatsApp (a service provided by Meta Platforms) will also process your data in accordance with its own privacy policy, which is outside the control of the Society.

    We will only add you to the WhatsApp group if you provide explicit consent or request to join. You may leave the group at any time.

  5. Lawful Bases for Processing

    6. Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. DGS uses the following lawful bases:

    a) Contract
    To administer your membership, process payments, provide member services, and manage event participation.
    b) Legitimate Interests
    For activities necessary to operate the Society, including:
    • Sending newsletters and updates to members
    • Promoting Society events
    • Maintaining historical records of performances
    • Managing internal administration
    • Recording concerts and events for archival, promotional or educational purposes

    We balance these interests against your rights and freedoms.

    c) Legal Obligation
    To comply with charity law, accounting rules, and HMRC requirements.
    d) Consent
    Only for optional communications (e.g., newsletters sent to non-members). You may withdraw consent at any time.
  6. How We Use Your Personal Data

    7. We use your personal data to:

    • Manage and administer membership records
    • Communicate with you about Society activities, events and updates
    • Maintain financial records and process payments
    • Keep historical archives of concerts, performances and Society activities
    • Respond to enquiries
    • Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
  7. Media, Recordings and Public Domain Content

    8. The Society may record concerts, events and performances for archival, educational or promotional purposes. These recordings may include images or audio of members and performers.

    Former Members and the Right to Erasure

    Former members may request deletion of personal data we hold about them. However, this right does not apply to:

    • Videos, photographs or audio recordings already published in the public domain
    • Media that forms part of the Society's historical archive
    • Recordings that include multiple performers where removal would affect the rights of others or compromise the integrity of the archive

    In such cases, we will consider requests individually, but we may not be able to remove media where doing so would adversely affect other members or the Society’s legitimate interests.

  8. Sharing Your Personal Data

    9. We do not sell or share your personal data with other organisations for marketing. We may share data with trusted third-party service providers who support our operations, such as:

    • Email newsletter platforms
    • Cloud storage or IT service providers
    • Banks and payment processors
    • Website hosting providers

    These providers act as Data Processors and must comply with UK GDPR.

  9. International Transfers

    10. If any third-party service providers store data outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as UK adequacy regulations or standard contractual clauses.

  10. Data Security

    11. We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data, including:

    • Restricted access to membership records
    • Secure storage of financial information
    • Password-protected systems
    • Regular review of data handling practices
  11. Data Retention

    12. We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.

    Typical retention periods include:

    • Membership records: up to 6 years after membership ends
    • Financial records: 6 years (legal requirement)
    • Communications: up to 3 years
    • Historical media and recordings: retained indefinitely as part of the Society's archive
    • Newsletter subscriptions: until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent
  12. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

    13. You have the following rights:

    • Right of access - to request a copy of your personal data
    • Right to rectification - to correct inaccurate information
    • Right to erasure - to request deletion of your data (subject to limitations described above)
    • Right to restrict processing
    • Right to object - particularly to processing based on l egitimate interests
    • Right to data portability
    • Right to withdraw consent at any time
    • Right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)

    ICO contact details: www.ico.org.uk Telephone: 0303 123 1113

  13. Contact Us

    14. If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is used, please contact: Paul Thomas - Secretary Email: secretary@dorsetguitarsociety.org.uk