Summary
At FAITH Christian Group (FCG) we collect and use personal information to help provide suitable emergency food parcels and other support tailored to the individual’s needs.
Most of our information comes through referrals from other organisations. We only ask for the information we need, we explain why we need it and treat it as confidential.
When we record and use personal information we:
- only access it when we have a good reason
- only share what is necessary and relevant to ensuring that parcels are delivered
- don’t sell it to commercial organisations
At times we might use or share your information without your permission. If we do, we’ll always make sure there’s a legal basis for it. This could include situations where we have to use or share your information:
- to comply with the law – for example, if a court orders us to share information. This is called ‘legal obligation’
- to protect someone’s life – for example, sharing information with a paramedic if a client was found unwell. This is called ‘vital interests’
- to carry out our legitimate aims and goals as a charity – for example, to create statistics for our research and for our funding bodies. This is called ‘legitimate interests’
- for us to carry out a task where we’re meeting the aims of a public body in the public interest – for example, delivering a government or local authority service. This is called ‘public task’
- to defend our legal rights – for example, sharing information with our legal advisers if there was a complaint that we did something wrong.
We handle and store your personal information in line with the law – including the General Data Protection Regulation.
What FCG asks for
We’ll only ask for information that’s relevant to meeting the need. This might include:
- name and contact details – so we can deliver to the recipient
- personal information – for example about family, work, or financial circumstances and dietary requirements so that we can understand and meet needs appropriately.
How FCG uses your information
The main reason we ask for information is to help address the recipients needs.
We only access information for other reasons if we really need to – for example:
· for training and quality purposes
· to investigate complaints
· to help us improve our services
All volunteers and staff accessing data have had data protection training to make sure information is handled sensitively and securely. Computers are pass-worded. Our office is not open to the public.
Understanding people’s needs and requirements
We use some information to create statistics about who we’re helping and what problems are the most common. This information does not contain individual personal details.
We may share these with funders, regulators, the local council and members or parliament.
How FCG stores your information
Your information is kept within our secure IT systems.
Our database system is hosted within the EEA and wherever possible, the UK.
We keep information for 6 years. If a client is assessed as a high risk we may keep the data for 15 years.
A high risk client is anyone who has:
- Shown aggressive behaviour towards FCG staff and volunteers.
- Used aggressive or offensive language towards FCG staff and volunteers.
- Shown clear patterns of ongoing dependency on the foodbank.
- Attempted to “play the system” by seeking multiple referrals at the same time.
We keep this information for longer as FCG has a duty of care towards its staff and volunteers when dealing with these clients and to ensure other clients are not disadvantaged by excessive use of the foodbank.
How FCG share your information
Depending on circumstances we may wish to share personal data with specific partner organisations in order that you can receive the most appropriate form of help to address needs.
We will always ask for consent before doing so, and will have a data sharing agreement in place with any such partners where this is legally necessary.
Contact us about your information
If you have any questions about how your information is collected or used, you can contact our office on 0118 987 2672 or through our website at www.fcg.org.uk.
You can contact us to:
- find out what personal information we hold about you
- correct your information if it’s wrong, out of date or incomplete
- request we delete your information
- ask us to limit what we do with your data – for example, ask us not to share it if you haven’t asked us already
- ask us to give you a copy of the data we hold in a format you can use to transfer it to another service
- ask us stop using your information.
Who’s responsible for looking after your personal information
FCG operates a database system to keep your personal information safe. This means we are a ‘data controller’ for your personal information that’s stored in our system.
FCG will ensure that the use of your information complies with data protection law including the General Data Protection Regulation.
You can find out more about your data rights on the Information Commissioner’s website.