Privacy Policy

Introduction

The RCCG Living Faith Business Hub ("the Hub", "we", "us", "our") is operated by RCCG Living Faith Parish, Sunderland, a registered charity (Charity Number 1180182) with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. We are committed to protecting the privacy of everyone who uses the Hub, whether you are a visitor browsing the directory, a business owner with a listed profile, or someone submitting an enquiry.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and what rights you have in relation to your data.

Information We Collect

If you browse the directory (public visitors): We do not require you to create an account or provide personal information to browse business listings. We may collect standard web analytics data such as page views, browser type, and device information to help us improve the Hub. We do not use this data to identify individual visitors.

If you submit an enquiry: When you send an enquiry to a business through the Hub, we collect the information you provide in the enquiry form, including your name, email address, and message content. This information is stored securely and shared with the relevant business owner so they can respond to you.

If you submit a report: When you report a problem with a listing, we collect the details you provide, including any contact information you choose to include. Reports are reviewed by Hub administrators.

If you are a business owner: When you apply to list your business, we collect the information you provide during the application process, including your name, email address, phone number, church membership status, business details, business images, and any compliance declarations or supporting documents. This information is used to verify your eligibility, manage your listing, and display your approved business profile publicly.

Special-Category Personal Data

Because the Hub is a church-operated directory, appearing as a listed business owner may reveal or imply your religious affiliation. Under UK GDPR, information about religious beliefs is classified as special-category personal data, which is subject to additional protections.

We process this data under the following conditions:

• Explicit consent (Article 9(2)(a)). Before your business profile is made publicly visible, we ask for your explicit consent to the disclosure of information that may reveal your connection to RCCG Living Faith. You provide this consent during the onboarding process and you may withdraw it at any time by requesting removal of your listing.
• Not-for-profit bodies condition (Article 9(2)(d)). As a registered charity, RCCG Living Faith may process data relating to its members, former members, and persons in regular contact for its legitimate activities, provided that data is not disclosed outside the organisation without the data subject's consent. Your explicit consent at onboarding satisfies this disclosure requirement.

We only process the minimum personal data necessary for the directory's purpose and do not use your religious affiliation for any purpose other than operating the Hub.

How We Use Your Information

We use personal information for the following purposes:

• To display approved business profiles in the public directory.
• To deliver enquiries from public visitors to business owners.
• To verify eligibility and process business applications.
• To manage business listings, including reviews, updates, and reconfirmation.
• To communicate with business owners about their listing, policy changes, or required actions.
• To investigate reports and maintain the quality of the directory.
• To maintain an audit log of administrative actions for accountability and governance.

Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal information under UK GDPR on the following bases:

For business owner data (including special-category data):

• Article 6(1)(a), Consent. You consent to the processing of your personal data when you apply to list your business and accept these terms.
• Article 9(2)(a), Explicit consent. You provide explicit consent for the public disclosure of data that may reveal your religious affiliation.
• Article 9(2)(d), Not-for-profit bodies. As a registered charity, we process membership-related data for our legitimate activities, with your consent for any disclosure outside the organisation.

For public visitors (enquiries and reports):

• Article 6(1)(a), Consent. When you submit an enquiry or report, you consent to the processing described here.

For directory administration:

• Article 6(1)(f), Legitimate interests. We have a legitimate interest in maintaining the quality, integrity, and security of the Hub, including audit logging and moderation.

Data Sharing

We do not sell personal information to third parties. We share information only as follows:

• Enquiries are shared with the relevant business owner.
• Business profiles are displayed publicly once approved (only the information you provide for your public listing).
• Email notifications are sent via our email service provider (SendGrid) on our behalf.
• We may share information if required to do so by law or to protect the rights and safety of our users and community.

Data Retention

• Business owner data is retained for as long as your listing is active. If your listing is archived, we retain records for up to 12 months before deletion, unless a longer period is required for legal or audit purposes.
• Enquiry data is retained for up to 12 months.
• Report data is retained for up to 12 months after resolution.
• Audit log entries are retained in accordance with our governance requirements.

Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Delete your personal information, subject to any legal obligations we may have.
• Object to or restrict processing of your information.
• Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the details below.

Cookies

The Hub uses only essential cookies required for the site to function (such as session management). We do not use advertising or tracking cookies.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will publish the updated version on this page and update the "Last updated" date. If you are a business owner, we will notify you of material changes and may ask you to reconfirm your acceptance.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data:

Email: Rccglivingfaithsunderland@gmail.com
Phone: 0191 565 5371
Address: North Bridge Street, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland SR5 1AB