The Astede Lodge Benevolent FundReg. Charity 218915 · Est. 1963

Privacy Policy

Our plain-English Privacy Policy — what data we hold, how briefly we hold it, and how to ask us to remove it.

Last updated · May 2026. We hold very little personal data and we hold it for a short time. This page sets out everything you have a right to know under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

In short

  • The data controller is The Astede Lodge Benevolent Fund, registered charity 218915, registered office 85 Kennel Lane, Fetcham, Leatherhead, KT22 9PR.
  • We collect only what we need to reply to your enquiry, send you a dispatch you have asked for, or honour a donation you have made.
  • We never sell, share or rent your data. We share with named processors only when required to deliver a service you have asked for.
  • We hold donor and Gift Aid records for seven years (HMRC requirement); enquiries for two years; mailing-list addresses until you unsubscribe.
  • You have the right to access, correct, port, restrict, object to or erase your data. Write to [email protected].
  • You may complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk or by ringing 0303 123 1113.

1 · Who we are

The Astede Lodge Benevolent Fund is a small charitable trust registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales under number 218915, registered office 85 Kennel Lane, Fetcham, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 9PR. We are the 'data controller' for the purposes of UK GDPR.

For data protection matters please write to the Trustees at the registered office, or email [email protected]. We do not have a dedicated Data Protection Officer — we are too small to be required to appoint one — but either Trustee will handle any data request personally and within the statutory timescales.

2 · What personal data we collect

We collect, in order of frequency:

  • Name and email address — for newsletter subscribers, enquiry forms, and any correspondence with us.
  • Postal address — for donors who request a printed acknowledgement or who give by cheque or by Will.
  • Donation amount, frequency and method — for HMRC Gift Aid record purposes where applicable.
  • Telephone number — only if you provide one in an enquiry form.
  • Server-side logs (IP address, browser, referring page) — held briefly by the hosting platform for security purposes; not used for analytics.
  • Confidential beneficiary information — names of Brethren and their families assisted by the fund, held only in the Trustees' minute book and the Lodge Almoner's diary, never in any online or shared system.

3 · Why we collect it (purpose) and our lawful basis

  • Enquiries — to reply to your message. Lawful basis: legitimate interest (you have written to us and expect a reply).
  • Newsletter dispatches — to send you the four annual dispatches. Lawful basis: consent (you have ticked the subscription box).
  • Donation processing — to take, acknowledge and report on your gift. Lawful basis: contract (your donation creates a small commitment) and legal obligation (Charity Commission, HMRC).
  • Volunteer enquiries — to consider you for a small volunteer role. Lawful basis: legitimate interest.
  • Confidential beneficiary records — to deliver the trust's charitable purposes. Lawful basis: legitimate interest and, where applicable, vital interest.

4 · Who we share your data with

We are a small fund and we share very little. Named processors are:

  • Our hosting platform (Cloudflare Pages) — for the technical operation of the website. They do not have access to form submissions in any meaningful sense, as our forms do not submit to any backend.
  • Our email platform (Mailchimp by Intuit) — for the quarterly dispatches if you have subscribed. Mailchimp is based in the United States and is certified under the UK-US Data Bridge for international data transfers.
  • HMRC — for Gift Aid records where applicable, and for statutory reporting.
  • The Charity Commission for England and Wales — for our Annual Return. Personal beneficiary data is never shared; only aggregate figures.
  • The Provincial Office of the Province of Surrey — for donations channelled through the Provincial Office for Gift Aid purposes.

We do not share data with any other third party. We do not sell or rent personal data. We do not transfer data outside the UK or EEA other than to Mailchimp under the safeguard above.

5 · How long we keep your data (retention)

  • Donor records (where Gift Aid claimed) · seven years from the end of the tax year (HMRC requirement).
  • Donor records (where Gift Aid not claimed) · two years from the date of the gift.
  • General enquiries · 24 months from the date of last contact, then shredded or deleted.
  • Volunteer enquiries · six months if no engagement follows; for the duration of the role and one year thereafter if you join us.
  • Newsletter subscriber list · until you unsubscribe; we remove inactive subscribers (no opens for three years) at our annual list-cleansing.
  • Confidential beneficiary records · retained for the lifetime of the fund (kept in the Trustees' minute book; the minute book is itself confidential and not held electronically).
  • Server logs · 14 months (Cloudflare default).

6 · Your rights under UK GDPR

You have the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you (a 'subject access request').
  • Rectify data that is inaccurate or incomplete.
  • Erase ('right to be forgotten') data we hold about you, subject to legal retention obligations such as Gift Aid.
  • Restrict processing while we sort out a question.
  • Object to processing that is based on legitimate interest.
  • Portability — receive your data in a structured format and have it transferred to another controller, where technically feasible.
  • Withdraw consent at any time (this does not affect the lawfulness of any prior processing).

To exercise any of these rights, please write to the Trustees at the registered office or email [email protected]. We will reply within one calendar month.

7 · Cookies and analytics

This website uses only essential cookies — see our Cookie Policy for the full list. We do not run any third-party analytics, advertising or tracking scripts. The cookie banner is dismissible and your preference is stored in your browser's local storage.

8 · Children's data

We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under the age of 13. Our work primarily involves adults; if a beneficiary's case involves a minor, the case is handled offline by the Lodge Almoner with the consent of the responsible parent or guardian, and no minor's data is held on any electronic system.

9 · Changes to this policy

We will review this policy annually each spring and post any updates here. Significant changes will be flagged in the quarterly dispatch. The 'last updated' date at the top of this page is authoritative.

10 · How to complain

Please write to us first if you have a complaint. We acknowledge complaints within five working days and reply substantively within four weeks. If you are not satisfied with our reply, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office:

  • Online · ico.org.uk
  • By phone · 0303 123 1113
  • By post · Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF