1. Introduction
Hospice at Home West Cumbria is committed to protecting your privacy. This statement explains how we collect and use the personal information you provide to us whether online or via phone, mobile, email, letter or other correspondence.
By using our website, any of our services or providing us with any personal information we will assume you are agreeing to your information being used and disclosed in the ways described in this policy.
We ask that you read this privacy notice carefully as it contains important information on who we are, how and why we collect, store, use and share personal information, your rights in relation to your personal information and on how to contact us and supervisory authorities in the event you have a complaint.
2. Who we are
Hospice at Home West Cumbria provides high quality, palliative and end of life care to people living in West Cumbria and we are the only provider of adult hospice services in this area. This means that all funds raised by local people help us to provide care for those in need within their own community.
Established in 1987 we have been nationally and internationally recognised as delivering an excellent model for homebased palliative and end of life care.
Hospice at Home West Cumbria (HHWC) is a registered charity (number 1086837) and a company limited by guarantee (number 4191126). We are registered with the Information Commissioners Office as a data controller (number Z2999472).
Hospice at Home West Cumbria
Therapy and Information Centre, 10 Finkle Street, Workington, Cumbria, CA14 2BB
Tel: 01900 873173
Email: info@hhwc.org.uk
Our website address is: https://hospiceathomewestcumbria.org.uk.
If you have any questions or queries about this Privacy and Data Protection Statement, please contact our Data Protection Officer, using the above address and contact details.
3. What Do We Do
Home nursing is at the heart of Hospice at Home West Cumbria. We provide skilled, one-to-one nursing care to adults in their own homes or alternative residential settings, helping them to remain in their preferred place of care at the end of their life.
We also offer a wide range of family and bereavement support services for families, carers and those who are bereaved. This includes one-to-one support, group sessions, and complementary therapies, all designed to help people cope during some of the most difficult and challenging times in their lives.
In addition, we are the sole provider of specialist lymphoedema care in West Cumbria. Lymphoedema is a complex condition that can affect many people. Sometimes as a result of cancer or its treatment, but also due to other non-cancer-related causes.
Our care and support are available to anyone with a life-limiting illness, regardless of the underlying cause, and is provided free, at the point of need.
As a charity, we rely on fundraising to sustain our services. Our fundraising teams works closely with supporters across the local community to organise events and campaigns, while also helping individual groups run their own fundraising activities.
4. Data Protection Laws
Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.
We take our responsibilities under these laws very seriously, and we ensure that any personal information we obtain is held, used, transferred and otherwise processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018, the UK GDPR, and all other applicable data protection legislation.
Personal data held in our systems is accessible only to appropriately trained staff and volunteers who require this information to carry out their roles. We use a range of security measures – including firewalls, encryption and controlled permissions to safeguard personal information. We also operate formal data retention policies to ensure that information is kept only for as long as necessary, in line with our legal and operational requirements, and securely disposed of when no longer needed.
To maintain high standards of data protection, we carry out regular audits of user permissions, access controls and data-handling practices. These checks help us to ensure that paper and electronic records remain protected against unauthorised access, misuse, loss or damage.
5. What personal information do we collect?
Basic Information: This includes your name, email address, postal address, telephone numbers and date of birth. We also record information about the donations you make including the amount, the date and your reasons for donating.
Information for Gift Aid: If you choose to allow us to claim Gift Aid, we will collect information confirming whether you are a UK taxpayer. Please be assured that we do not collect details of your actual tax payments – only whether you are eligible for Gift Aid.
Sensitive Personal Information: Our clinical staff need to collect and maintain personal information to ensure you receive the best possible care. This may include details about your health, diagnosis, medical conditions and the healthcare professionals involved in your care. We may also collect information about your home situation, family members and carers to develop a bespoke personalised care plan.
For non-clinical services, we do not usually collect ‘sensitive personal information’ unless there is a clear and necessary reason – such as when you take part in an event and we need certain information to ensure your safety or to make appropriate arrangements. We may also gather health information if you voluntarily share your experience with us (for example a case study). Whenever we collect this type of information, we will explain what we are collecting, why we need it and how it will be used.
Event Specific Information: For some events, we may ask you for specific information to help us meet your needs and ensure our event is safe and compliant. For example, we may ask for your t-shirt size so we can provide you with a branded t-shirt.
Information about Volunteers: Depending on the volunteer role, we may request information such as:
Emergency contact details
Contact details for referees
Your interests, experience and relevant qualifications
Your driving licence record (if applicable)
Details of any previous convictions
Your Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) status
Relevant medical conditions
Whether you have been bereaved in the past 18 months
We collect this information to help match you to an appropriate volunteer role, to provide the support you need, and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the people we care for.
6. Where do we collect your data from?
We collect personal information directly from you when you choose to provide it. We may collect your information when you:
Refer into our clinical services
Ask about our activities
Register with us
Make a donation, either through our shops or our fundraising team
Volunteer with us
Sign up to one of our events
Engage with us through social media or message boards
Play our lottery
Order products or services
Or otherwise share your personal information with us
We also receive information about you from other sources. These include fundraising platforms such as JustGiving, and Funeral Directors who forward donations made in memory of a loved one. In addition, we may collect information from social media platforms when you interact with us online.
We may make use of profiling and screening methods to produce relevant communications and to provide a better experience for our supporters. Profiling can help us target our resources more effectively through gaining an insight into the background of our supporters and helping us to build relationships that are appropriate to their interests and capacity to give.
7. How and why do we use your data?
Where we have your consent we will use your data:
To send you direct marketing, such as our Light up a Life appeal or our supporter newsletter. This may be by email, post, text or telephone, depending on the consent you have given.
To provide you with the services, products or information you have requested.
To invite you to take part in surveys or research.
We have a legal obligation to use your data:
To claim Gift Aid (which includes sharing the necessary information with HMRC)
To carry out credit risk reduction and fraud prevention activities. Unfortunately, charities can be targeted for illegal purposes, such as money laundering, and we are required to monitor financial activity and report suspected fraud to the appropriate authorities. More information on this is provided below.
It is in our legitimate interest to use your data:
To process any donation(s) you make
For routine administrative purposes
For internal record keeping, including managing feedback or complaints
To analyse and improve the services we offer
To check on your communication and marketing preferences from time to time
To contact you for administrative purposes, such as discussing Gift Aid or your lottery account
To send you direct marketing relating to ways you have previously supported us, unless you have told us you do not wish to be contacted. For example, if you have taken part in our Light up a Life appeal before, we may contact you about it again unless you opt out.
We rely on legitimate interests because our supporters are essential to the work of Hospice at Home West Cumbria. It is important that we keep accurate records of your support, communicate appropriately, and keep you informed about our work where requested.
We use your data to fulfil a contract:
To deliver care and support services to you
To send you items you have ordered
If you play our lottery or enter a raffle or competition
We may also send you service communications by email, text or social media – for example, when you make an online donation or complete a transaction – where this is necessary to process your request.
We will never use your information for marketing purposes if you have asked us not to. However, we will retain your details on a suppression list to help ensure we do not continue to contact you in error.
If Hospice at Home West Cumbria were to merge with another charity or undergo a restructure, we may need to share your personal information with the organisations involved. Should this occur, we would provide you with full information before any changes take place.
8. Credit risk and fraud prevention
To comply with our responsibilities as a charity, we take reasonable and proportionate steps to understand who our donors are, particularly when significant sums are involved. This may include carrying out research on information which is already publicly available. We do this to ensure that it is appropriate for us to accept support from an individual or organisation and to safeguard the reputation and integrity of Hospice at Home West Cumbria.
This does not mean that we will question every donation, or that we will research personal or other details about every donor. Any information we collect for these purposes is limited to what is necessary to meet our legal and regulatory obligations and will only be processed in accordance with your data protection rights.
We may also use your information to ensure we comply with the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice, which requires charities to assess and manage potential risks associated with certain levels or sources of donations. You can find more information about the code at: www.fundraisingregulator.co.uk
9. Credit, debit card and standing order payment information
If you make a payment to us, we may collect your bank account details or credit/debit card details in order to process the transaction. We do not store your credit or debit card details after the transaction has been completed. All card numbers and validation codes are securely destroyed once your payment or donation has been processed, and only staff authorised to process payments are permitted to view card details during the payment process.
If we receive an email that contains any credit or debit card information, it will be deleted immediately, no payment will be taken, and we will notify you.
If you set up a standing order or direct debit with us, either to make a donation or to play our lottery, we will ask for your bank account details. The standing order or direct debit instruction will be submitted to your bank, and a copy will be stored securely for our records.
To process payments made through the website we use a third party called Stripe. Stripe may use, retain and disclose your personal information as set out in their privacy policy, including transferring your data outside of the European Economic Area (EEA). Where such transfer occurs, Stripe ensure your data is adequately protected under UK data protection.
Some of our donation processing services involve trusted third-party platforms, which may transfer data outside of the UK (or internationally, subject to appropriate safeguards). Details of how these platforms handle your information can be found in their privacy policies:
· JustGiving, which provides a platform for fundraising pages – see their Privacy Policy.
· Much Loved, who provide our in-memory platform – see their Privacy Policy.
· Enthuse, which supports our fundraising events – see their Security and Data First information.
10. Information sharing and disclosure
We will not sell or swap your personal information with any third party.
We may share your information with our data processors. These are trusted partner organisations that work with us to support our charitable purposes, including those who help us deliver services, process donations, run events, provide marketing support, or supply the systems we rely on. All our trusted partners are required to comply with data protection law and our high standards. They may only process your data in line with our instructions, and we ensure that appropriate contracts and regular monitoring are in place.
We currently work with the following organisations:
NHS – we share information where necessary to ensure you receive the best possible care. We use EMIS, an electronic patient records system to store clinical information. The NHS also manages and supports our clinical IT systems.
Hotfoot Design – provides and supports our website. Hotfoot Design Privacy Policy.
MuchLoved – provides our in-memory giving platform. MuchLoved Privacy Policy.
Woods Valldata – supports the administration of our lottery. Woods Valldata Privacy Policy.
Integrity Office Solutions – manages our IT systems. Integrity Privacy Policy.
Donorfy – supplies our supporter database software. Donorfy Privacy Notice.
Enthuse – provides the platform for our fundraising events. Enthuse Privacy Policy.
Let’s Do This – provides the event registration platform for Great Run events. Let’s Do This Privacy Policy.
We may disclose your personal information if required to do so by law (for example, to the police, regulatory bodies or other authorities) to enable us to enforce or protect our rights under an agreement, or in cases involving suspected fraud, safeguarding concerns or defamation.
We do not share your information with any other third party for any other purpose.
11. The accuracy of your information
We aim to ensure that all the information we hold about you is accurate, and where necessary, kept up to date. If any information we hold is incorrect, and you inform us or we identify an error ourselves, we will update and amend it as soon as possible.
12. Under 16s
If you are aged 16 or under and would like to participate in an event, make a donation or get involved with us in any way, we must obtain permission from your parent or guardian before collecting your personal information.
When we collect information about a child or young person, we will always explain why we are collecting it, what information is needed, and how it will be used.
13. Protecting vulnerable supporters
We recognise the importance of protecting our vulnerable supporters and follow the guidance set out by the Institute of Fundraising on treating donors fairly. This helps ensure that our staff and fundraisers who come into contact with vulnerable supporters provide high-quality, respectful support. This ensures that anyone who chooses to donate to us, or engage with us, is in a position to make a free, informed and independent decision.
Further guidance on treating donors fairly can be found on the Institute of Fundraising’s website. Treating Donors Fairly.
14. Storing your information
We take great care to ensure that your personal data is kept secure at all times. Access is strictly limited to appropriately trained staff and volunteers who need the information to carry out their roles.
Although most of the information we store and process remains within the UK, some data may be transferred internationally where this is necessary for our trusted partners to operate. In these cases, your data will only be transferred subject to appropriate safeguards, ensuring that your privacy and rights are protected at all times.
We keep your information as long as necessary to deliver our services and meet our legal, accounting and regulatory obligations. We regularly review the information we hold to ensure we do not retain it for longer that required. When your data is no longer needed, we will ensure it is securely destroyed at the appropriate time.
15. Our website
For all areas of our website that collect personal information, we use a secure server. Although no method of transmission can be guaranteed to be 100% secure, we apply strict procedures and security measures to protect your information and prevent unauthorised access.
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, and we may also participate in social networking platforms such as Facebook. In addition, some pages may include embedded content from these sites. Please be aware that we do not have control over the privacy practices of any external websites. When you leave our site, we encourage you to read and understand the privacy policy of any site you visit in addition to our own.
16. Cookies
We use Google Analytics, a service provided by Google, to collect anonymous data about how visitors use our website. This helps us to understand how people navigate our site and enables us to improve it. The information collected does not identify individuals. If you prefer not to be tracked by Google Analytics, you can opt out at: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
Cookies are small files placed on your computer or mobile device when you access our website. They allow us to distinguish you from other users, which helps us provide a better browsing experience and improve our site. For example, cookies can tell us whether you are visiting for the first time or returning. To learn more about cookies, including how to disable them, you can visit: All About Cookies.
Third party website widgets
We also use embedded elements from trusted third parties to enhance your experience – for example, interactive maps, social media ‘Like’ buttons, and video content. These providers may place their own cookies on your device. These include:
Facebook
YouTube
Vimeo
Google (Maps + Plus)
17. Changes to the policy
This statement replaces all previous versions and is correct as of April 2026. We review and update our Privacy and Data Protection Statement regularly, and we may amend, add to or remove sections when necessary. If we make any significant changes, we will notify you either by email or through an announcement on our website. Your continued use of our website, our services, or your continued provision of personal information after any updates have been published will be taken to mean that you accept those changes.
18. Your rights
Under the UK GDPR, you have several important rights in relation to your personal data, all of which are available to you free of charge. In summary, you have the following rights:
The right to be informed | This encompasses our obligation to provide ‘fair processing information’, typically through this privacy notice. It emphasises the need for transparency over how we use personal data. |
The right of access | Individuals have the right to obtain: • confirmation that their data is being processed; • access to their personal data; and • other supplementary information – this largely corresponds to the information that is provided in this privacy statement. |
The right to rectification
| Individuals are entitled to have personal data rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete. If we have disclosed the personal data in question to third parties, we will inform them of the rectification where possible. We will also inform the individuals about the third parties to whom the data has been disclosed where appropriate. |
The right to erasure
| Also known as ‘the right to be forgotten’. The broad principle underpinning this right is to enable an individual to request the deletion or removal of personal data whether there is no compelling reason for its continued processing. |
The right to restrict processing
| Individuals have a right to ‘block’ or suppress processing of personal data. When processing is restricted, we are permitted to store the personal data, but not further process it. We can retain just enough information about the individual to ensure that the restriction is respected in future. |
The right to data portability
| The right to data portability allows individuals to obtain and reuse their personal data for their own purposes across different services. It allows them to move, copy or transfer personal data easily from one IT environment to another in a safe and secure way, without hindrance to usability. |
The right to object | Individuals have the right to object to: • processing based on legitimate interests or the performance of a task in the public interest/exercise of official authority (including profiling) • direct marketing (including profiling); and processing for purposes of scientific/historical research and statistics. |
Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling | The GDPR provides safeguards for individuals against the risk that a potentially damaging decision is taken without human intervention i.e. automated decisions. |
Further information on each of these rights, including the circumstance in which they apply, can be found on the Information Commissioner's website: Individuals Rights.
19. How to Complain
If you have any concerns or complaints about how we are handling your personal data, please contact us. You also have the right to raise your concerns with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Guidance on how to do this is available here: www.ico.org.uk
We always hope to resolve any query or concern you raise about our use of your information.
20. How to contact us
If you have any questions about our Privacy and Data Protection Statement, please contact:
Julie Monk, Chief Executive Officer
Hospice at Home West Cumbria
Therapy and Information Centre
10 Finkle Street
Workington
Cumbria
CA14 2BB
Tel: 01900 873173
Email: info@hhwc.org.uk
Changes to this privacy notice
This privacy notice was last updated on 15th May 2026.