Privacy policy

Last updated: 19 September 2026

1. Who we are

This privacy policy explains how THE LEIGH FOB CIC collects, uses and protects personal information.

THE LEIGH FOB CIC

Company number: 17400222

Registered office:

16 Cromer Drive

Atherton

Manchester

England

M46 0QE

Official website: https://theleighfob.co.uk

Email: privacy@theleighfob.co.uk

For the purposes of UK data protection law, THE LEIGH FOB CIC is the data controller of the personal information described in this policy.

We are committed to treating personal information responsibly, fairly and securely.

2. The law that applies

We process personal information in accordance with applicable UK data protection and privacy law, including:

• the UK General Data Protection Regulation;
• the Data Protection Act 2018;
• the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003; and
• relevant amendments introduced by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.

The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 amended parts of the UK's existing data protection framework but did not replace the UK GDPR or Data Protection Act 2018.

3. What information we may collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with Leigh FOB.

It may include:

Contact information

Such as:

• your name;
• email address;
• telephone number;
• postal address; and
• preferred method of contact.

Information contained in enquiries

If you contact us, we may collect:

• the contents of your message;
• information about why you are contacting us;
• correspondence between you and Leigh FOB; and
• information required to respond appropriately.

Support and signposting information

If you approach Leigh FOB for support, you may choose to provide information about:

• your circumstances;
• your Armed Forces or service connection;
• the type of support you are seeking;
• organisations you are already dealing with; and
• information required to help us understand how we may assist or signpost you.

Please only provide information that is reasonably necessary for us to help with your enquiry.

Event and community information

If you register for or participate in an activity or event, we may collect information such as:

• your name;
• contact details;
• attendance information;
• accessibility requirements; and
• information reasonably required to organise the activity safely.

Volunteer information

If you apply to volunteer with Leigh FOB, we may collect:

• contact details;
• experience and skills;
• availability;
• references;
• information relevant to the role; and
• information required for safeguarding or appropriate background checks where necessary.

Additional privacy information may be provided where more detailed volunteer screening is required.

Donations and payments

Where donations or payments are available, we may collect:

• your name;
• contact details;
• donation/payment information;
• transaction records; and
• information required for accounting or legal purposes.

Payment-card information may be processed directly by our payment provider rather than stored by Leigh FOB.

Photographs, video and stories

Where appropriate, we may collect and use:

• photographs;
• video recordings;
• testimonials;
• interviews;
• community stories; and
• related information.

Where identifiable individuals are featured prominently for promotional purposes, we will seek appropriate permission.

Website information

When you use our website, technical information may be collected automatically, including:

• IP address;
• browser type;
• device type;
• operating system;
• pages visited;
• dates and times of visits;
• referring website;
• security and diagnostic information; and
• cookie or analytics information where permitted.

More information is provided in our Cookie Policy.

Communications preferences

If you choose to receive updates from us, we may retain:

• your contact details;
• the communications you requested; and
• your consent and preference history.

4. Sensitive information

Some information provided to Leigh FOB may be particularly sensitive.

Under UK data protection law, certain information is known as special category data. This may include information about:

• physical or mental health;
• disability;
• racial or ethnic origin;
• religious or philosophical beliefs;
• sexual orientation; or
• other legally protected categories.

For example, someone asking Leigh FOB for support might voluntarily disclose information concerning PTSD, physical injury or another health condition.

Special category information receives additional legal protection. Where we process it, we must have both an ordinary lawful basis and an additional condition permitting the processing.

Where appropriate, we may rely on your explicit consent to process sensitive information you voluntarily provide for the purpose of assisting with a support request.

Any explicit consent request will be clear, specific and separate from unrelated consents.

In very limited circumstances involving an immediate threat to life where a person is physically or legally incapable of giving consent, processing may be necessary to protect someone's vital interests.

We will not deliberately collect more sensitive information than we reasonably need.

5. Why we use your information

We may use personal information for the following purposes.

We determine the appropriate lawful basis before carrying out processing and keep that decision under review.

The ICO requires organisations to identify and document a lawful basis for each purpose rather than selecting one retrospectively.

6. Our legitimate interests

Where we rely on legitimate interests, those interests may include:

• operating THE LEIGH FOB CIC effectively;
• supporting and communicating with our community;
• responding to people who contact us;
• organising events and activities;
• protecting our members, volunteers and visitors;
• securing our website and digital systems;
• preventing fraud or misuse;
• maintaining appropriate organisational records; and
• protecting and enforcing our legal rights.

We consider the impact on individuals and do not rely on legitimate interests where those interests are overridden by your rights and freedoms.

7. Marketing and updates

We will not add you to a general marketing mailing list simply because you contact us for support.

Where consent is required for electronic marketing, we will ask for it separately.

You can unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time using the unsubscribe mechanism provided or by contacting:

privacy@theleighfob.co.uk

Withdrawing marketing consent will not affect other communications that we reasonably need to send in connection with an existing enquiry, activity or relationship.

8. Who we may share information with

We do not sell personal information.

Where reasonably necessary, information may be shared with:

• website and hosting providers;
• email and IT service providers;
• database or document-storage providers;
• payment processors;
• event or booking-service providers;
• professional advisers such as accountants, insurers or solicitors;
• organisations providing technical or security services;
• regulators, law-enforcement bodies or public authorities where legally required; and
• organisations to which we are helping you obtain support, where there is an appropriate basis for sharing the information.

If you ask us to refer or introduce you to another support organisation, we will ordinarily explain what information needs to be shared.

We aim to disclose only the information reasonably necessary for the purpose concerned.

Our suppliers may process personal information only for authorised purposes and subject to appropriate contractual and security arrangements where required.

9. Referrals and partner organisations

Leigh FOB may signpost or refer individuals to specialist organisations.

A referral may require information to be shared with that organisation.

Where appropriate, we will explain:

• which organisation we intend to contact;
• why information needs to be shared; and
• what information is relevant.

Once another organisation receives information as an independent controller, its own privacy policy may apply.

We do not automatically share information with every organisation displayed or linked on our website.

10. Safeguarding and serious risk

There may be exceptional circumstances where we need to share information without prior consent.

This may occur where it is reasonably necessary and lawful to:

• protect someone from serious harm;
• address an immediate risk to life;
• meet safeguarding obligations;
• comply with a court order;
• report or prevent serious crime; or
• comply with another legal obligation.

Any such decision will be considered carefully and information will be limited to what is reasonably necessary.

11. Criminal offence information

We do not seek criminal-offence information through general website forms.

Where such information is genuinely necessary, for example as part of an appropriate safeguarding or volunteer-vetting process, we will process it only where a lawful basis and the additional requirements applying to criminal-offence data are satisfied.

Additional privacy information may be provided for formal DBS or safeguarding processes.

12. Children and young people

Any general website enquiry forms we introduce will be primarily intended for adults.

We do not knowingly seek unnecessary personal information from children through the general website.

If we introduce a service specifically intended for children or young people, we will provide appropriate privacy information and safeguards for that service.

Where appropriate, a parent, guardian or responsible adult may be asked to assist with an enquiry involving a child.

Nothing in this section prevents someone from seeking urgent help for a child where there is an immediate safeguarding concern.

13. Photographs and filming

Photographs and video may occasionally be taken at Leigh FOB events and activities.

Where photography is incidental to documenting an event, we will take reasonable steps to make attendees aware.

Where an identifiable person is the principal subject of material intended for promotional use, we will seek appropriate permission.

If you have concerns about an image of you being used, contact:

privacy@theleighfob.co.uk

We will consider the request and the lawful basis on which the material is being used.

14. How long we keep information

We do not keep personal information indefinitely.

Retention depends upon the purpose for which information was collected.

As a general guide:

• routine enquiries may normally be retained for up to 24 months after the matter is concluded;
• support and referral records will be retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the support relationship, safeguarding, accountability and any legal requirements;
• unsuccessful volunteer application information will ordinarily be deleted after an appropriate recruitment-retention period;
• records concerning active volunteers may be retained for the duration of the relationship and for an appropriate period afterwards;
• accounting and transaction records may be retained for at least six years where required for financial and tax purposes;
• marketing information is retained until you unsubscribe or the information is no longer required, subject to retaining a minimal suppression record where necessary;
• website security logs and technical information are retained only for an appropriate operational and security period; and
• photographs and published material may be retained for historical, community or organisational purposes where there is a lawful basis to do so.

Information may be retained for longer where reasonably necessary for:

• safeguarding;
• resolving disputes;
• legal proceedings;
• regulatory requirements; or
• establishing, exercising or defending legal claims.

We periodically review the information we hold and delete or anonymise information that is no longer required.

15. Where information is stored

Information may be stored using reputable third-party technology providers acting on our behalf.

Some providers may process information outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred internationally, we will ensure that an appropriate legal mechanism or safeguard is used where required, such as:

• UK adequacy regulations;
• the UK International Data Transfer Agreement;
• an approved UK Addendum to standard contractual clauses; or
• another lawful transfer mechanism.

16. Security

We take reasonable organisational and technical measures to protect personal information against:

• unauthorised access;
• disclosure;
• alteration;
• loss;
• misuse; and
• destruction.

Measures may include:

• access controls;
• strong passwords;
• multi-factor authentication;
• restricted administrative access;
• secure hosting;
• software and security updates;
• backups; and
• appropriate procedures for handling sensitive information.

Access to personal information is limited to people who reasonably need it for their role.

No internet-based system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, but we take reasonable steps appropriate to the nature of the information concerned.

17. Cookies and analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies.

Cookies that are strictly necessary for the website to operate may be used without consent where permitted by law.

Where consent is required for analytics, advertising or other non-essential technologies, those technologies will not be activated until the appropriate choice has been made.

You can find more information in our Cookie Policy. If optional technologies are introduced, suitable cookie controls will be provided before they are enabled.

18. Third-party websites

Our website may link to other organisations and websites.

THE LEIGH FOB CIC is not responsible for how an independent third party handles your personal information.

You should review the privacy information provided by that organisation when using its services.

19. Social media

Leigh FOB may operate official accounts on third-party social-media platforms.

If you interact with us through a social-media service, both Leigh FOB and the platform concerned may process information about that interaction.

The platform's own privacy terms also apply.

Our official social-media accounts will be linked from:

https://theleighfob.co.uk

20. Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have rights including:

• the right to be informed about how your information is used;
• the right of access to personal information we hold about you;
• the right to rectification of inaccurate or incomplete information;
• the right to erasure in certain circumstances;
• the right to restrict processing in certain circumstances;
• the right to object to certain processing;
• the right to data portability where applicable; and
• rights relating to certain forms of automated decision-making.

Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

These rights are not absolute and exemptions may apply depending upon the circumstances. The ICO sets out these individual rights in its current guidance.

To exercise a right, contact:

privacy@theleighfob.co.uk

We may need to confirm your identity before providing personal information.

21. Automated decision-making

We do not intend to make decisions about individuals using solely automated processing where those decisions produce legal or similarly significant effects.

If this changes, we will provide appropriate information and safeguards before such processing takes place.

22. Data protection complaints

If you have a concern about how THE LEIGH FOB CIC has handled your personal information, please contact us first so that we can investigate it.

Email:

privacy@theleighfob.co.uk

Or write to:

THE LEIGH FOB CIC

16 Cromer Drive

Atherton

Manchester

England

M46 0QE

We will acknowledge data protection complaints, investigate them fairly and explain the outcome.

UK data protection law now requires organisations to have a process for handling data protection complaints, and the ICO's 2026 guidance says organisations should tell people how to complain directly.

You also have the right to raise concerns with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator.

Information about raising a complaint is available from the ICO.

23. Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy when:

• our activities change;
• the website changes;
• we introduce new services or technology;
• our suppliers change; or
• applicable law or regulatory guidance changes.

The latest version will always be published on this page.

Where a change materially affects how we use existing personal information, we will take appropriate steps to inform affected individuals where required.

24. Contact us

For questions about this privacy policy, requests concerning your personal information, or data protection complaints, contact:

THE LEIGH FOB CIC

Email: privacy@theleighfob.co.uk

Registered office:

16 Cromer Drive

Atherton

Manchester

England

M46 0QE

Company number: 17400222