Privacy Policy

This privacy policy aligns with best practices in data privacy and reflects compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (Ireland).

1. Purpose of this Privacy Notice

This Privacy Policy outlines how BedsGOVET (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects, processes, and protects your personal data when you interact with our website (www.bedsgovet.org) and associated social media platforms (including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube). It also outlines your rights under applicable data protection legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (“GDPR”) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Scope of Application

This policy applies to all data collected through the BedsGOVET website and social media channels. Our web pages are accessible via www.bedsgovet.org.

BedsGOVET is committed to safeguarding the personal data of all individuals who interact with us and to processing such data lawfully, fairly, and transparently.

3. Responsibilities and External Links

We take our obligations under data protection law seriously. While our website may contain links to third-party websites, we are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of those external sites. All external links are clearly identifiable.

4. Contacting BedsGOVET

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to the processing of your personal data, please contact our Data Protection Officer via the Contact Form available here.

5. Data Collection

5.1 Types of Data Collected

We collect personal data only when it is voluntarily provided by you. This may occur through email correspondence, completion of online forms, or telephone queries. The personal data collected may include:

• Your name, email address, phone number, and postal address, for the purpose of providing information about our services;

• Any other personal data you choose to provide in connection with your use of the website or our services.

5.2 Technical Data

When you visit our website, our server automatically collects certain technical data, including your IP address and domain name. This information is used solely for analytical purposes to monitor website usage and improve user experience. We do not attempt to identify individual users from this data.

5.3 Purpose of Processing

Your personal data will only be processed for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes, including:

• Responding to your enquiries;

• Providing information about our services;

• Assisting with course registration and certification;

• Maintaining a record of your engagement with our services;

• Tailoring marketing communications, subject to your consent.

If you complete an online form or provide personal data through other means, you will be informed of the purpose at the time of collection and may be asked for your consent to be contacted in the future. You may withdraw this consent at any time using the contact form provided here.

6. Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal data in accordance with Article 6 of the GDPR on the following legal bases:

• The processing is necessary for the performance of a contract or in order to take steps prior to entering into a contract;

• The processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation;

• The processing is necessary for the purposes of our legitimate interests (provided such interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms);

• In limited circumstances, where consent is required, we will obtain it explicitly.

7. Data Sharing and Third Parties

BedsGOVET treats your personal data with the utmost confidentiality. We do not share personal data with third parties except in the following circumstances:

• To fulfil our contractual obligations to you;

• To comply with legal or regulatory requirements;

• To legitimate service providers who support the delivery of our services (e.g. certification bodies or course partners), under strict confidentiality and data protection agreements.

Your data will never be sold or shared for unrelated third-party marketing purposes. We also take reasonable precautions to secure your data from unauthorised access or disclosure.

8. Automated Decision-Making

We do not engage in any automated decision-making or profiling using your personal data.

9. Data Retention

Your personal data will be retained only for as long as is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, in line with our internal data retention policy and applicable legal obligations. Retention periods may include:

• Marketing and service enquiry data: up to three (3) years from last engagement;

• Payment information (e.g. debit/credit card details): deleted upon completion of the transaction or payment plan.

We regularly review our data retention practices to ensure compliance with the principle of data minimisation.

10. Your Data Protection Rights

Under data protection legislation, you have the following rights:

• Access – You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;

• Rectification – You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data;

• Erasure – You may request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances;

• Restriction – You may request restriction of processing under certain conditions;

• Objection – You may object to our processing of your data in certain situations;

• Withdrawal of Consent – Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw it at any time;

• Data Portability – You may request a copy of your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format;

• Lodging a Complaint – You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Commission (DPC).

To exercise any of your rights, please contact us using the Contact Form here. We aim to respond to all valid requests within one (1) month of receipt. We reserve the right to refuse manifestly unfounded or excessive requests in accordance with data protection law.

11. Questions or Complaints

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, or if you wish to make a complaint about how your personal data is being processed, please contact us here.

If you remain unsatisfied, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Commission:

• Website: www.dataprotection.ie

• Telephone: 1890 25 22 31

12. Use of Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device to help improve user experience. We use cookies to:

• Identify which pages are being visited;

• Analyse traffic to enhance website performance;

• Provide a more personalised experience.

You can manage your cookie preferences at any time using the settings in your web browser or by clicking the orange icon on the bottom left of your screen. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain parts of the website.

13. Updates to this Privacy Policy

BedsGOVET reserves the right to update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data protection practices. Any updates will be posted on this page, and where appropriate, notified to you by email or other means.

Registered Charity Number: 1198830
Registered on: 5th May 2022
Full Name: Bedfordshire Great Ouse Valley Environmental Trust (BedsGOVET)

Our Charitable Object
As recognised by the Charity Commission for England and Wales, our purpose is:

“To promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of the Great Ouse Valley and environs in Bedfordshire through a programme of river monitoring and community engagement, and by the advancement of the education of the public in the understanding of the importance of river quality on biodiversity, economic and social activity.”

© 2025 Bedfordshire Great Ouse Valley Environmental Trust (BedsGOVET). All rights reserved.