Data Protection Policy

Glamorgan History Society - Cymdeithas Hanes Morgannwg.
Registered Charity Number 511498

The Glamorgan History Society is a voluntary organisation formed for the purpose of promoting an interest in, and encouraging the study of, the history of the historic county of Glamorgan. It seeks to do this by the publication of a scholarly journal, Morgannwg, and by the holding of an annual day school and other meetings.

In order to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation which came into force on 25 May 2018, organisations such as the Glamorgan History Society are required to inform every member of the nature of the personal information which they hold for that member and the purposes for which it is used.

This document provides details of such information and describes the way in which this information is held and the purposes for which it is used. Since this information is held solely in connection with the legitimate interests of the Society, it is the understanding of the Society’s officers that the explicit consent of each individual member to this policy is not required.

Personal information held by the Secretary

1. The title, name, address and (where offered) the telephone number and email address of current members. This information is held as an electronic file on the Secretary’s computer and is backed up regularly. It is used to notify members of Society events and to produce mailing labels for the despatch of Morgannwg. In the case of members who have supplied an email address that address is also used from time to time to notify them of events, activities and publications which may be of interest. Any member who does not wish to receive these email notifications may at any time request that his/her name be removed from the mailing list.
   
   Details of former members whose membership has ceased through death, resignation or for any other reason are retained in a separate electronic database, together with the reason for their cessation of membership, in case any future question should arise as to their status. In the case of members who have withheld their consent to the Society holding their personal information, only their name and the reason for their membership ceasing is retained.
   
   In the case of a member who chooses to withhold consent to their personal information being held by the Society, all their personal details are removed from the Society’s records with the exception of their name alone and the fact that consent has been withheld. It is necessary to retain this information in case any question as to their status should arise at a subsequent date.
   
   
2. Membership list. From time to time a printed membership list, showing names and addresses of members, may be prepared. This is distributed to personal members only and is intended solely for their personal use. Before such a list is prepared members are notified and invited, if they choose, to indicate their wish to have either their address (but not their name) or both their name and address excluded from the list.
   
   
3. Attendance at Council meetings and at the Society’s Annual General Meeting. Members attending these meetings are requested to sign an attendance form. These forms are retained as an historic record and form part of the Society’s archive.
   
   
4. Attendance at the autumn day school and any other similar events. Contact details of members attending these events are held until the event has taken place. They are subsequently retained for an appropriate period in case any question might arise regarding a member’s attendance, and then destroyed.
   
   

Personal information held by the Treasurer

A manuscript record (hard copy) containing contact details of current members, similar to those held by the Secretary. It also includes details of the payment of annual subscriptions. Contact details for a member are held in case it is necessary to make contact with a member in connection with any questions regarding their annual subscription. In the case of those paying their subscription by standing order, bank details (branch and account numbers) are also held. This information is held to enable a record to be maintained of the payment of subscriptions and to ensure that members receive those copies of Morgannwg to which they are entitled. By virtue of the form this record takes it is not possible to fully delete details of former members.

Where a member has signed a Gift Aid form, the personal details of that member are shared with HMRC to enable them to process the Gift Aid. The details that will be shared in this way comprise the name, title, first line of address and postcode of the member and the amount of the gift(s) for a particular financial year.

Data protection

1. Correspondence (either written or electronic) received by any officer of the Society may be retained where that officer believes that it may be required for future reference or that it represents a contribution to the record of the Society’s history.
   
2. No personal information is divulged to any third party without the express consent of the member(s) concerned unless the Society is required or permitted to do so by law.
   
   
3. Officers will exercise their discretion as to the most appropriate way of assisting any member who may wish to make contact with another. In case of doubt they will notify that other member that a request for contact has been received and invite them to respond as they see fit.
   
   
4. In the case of a non-member who wishes to make contract with a member, the officer approached will notify that member and invite them to respond as they see fit.
   
   
5. Other than in group projects, BCC will be used for all email messages to multiple recipients. BCC (blind carbon copy) ensures that the email addresses of other recipients is not revealed to each individual recipient.
   
   
6. A member may at any time request to see the information which the Society holds relating to him/herself and to receive it in a convenient format and also to require that any errors be corrected without delay.
   
   
7. A member may at any time withdraw their consent to the Society holding their personal information. This information will then, subject to the provisions of this policy, be deleted from the Society's records. Following this it will not be possible for the Society to supply the member with any copies of Morgannwg or to notify them of activities and events.