Purpose
Whenever Stourbridge Choir and Orchestra (SCO) needs to collect any of your personal data, we will let you know why we need to do so and what it will be used for. This Privacy Notice provides an overview of these situations and explains how we keep your information secure and up to date, how long we hold it for, and what your rights are in relation to the data. SCO is committed to protecting your personal data and will use any personal data we collect from you in line with the Data Protection Act (which embodies the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation – GDPR).
Who is responsible for the personal data we collect?
SCO is defined as a Data Controller under the regulations and as such is responsible for determining the purposes for which and the manner in which personal data is collected and processed for the Society’s use. SCO’s designated person for data protection enquiries is our Honorary Secretary, who can be contacted using the email address data@stourcos.org.uk.
What data do we collect and what do we use it for?
SCO collects data from individuals to assist in the planning, organising and running of the Society’s operations (planning rehearsals and concerts, collecting subscription payments etc) and promoting its activities, as below:
Members: for administration and promoting the Society
When you join SCO as a member, we will need to collect the following personal information: name, postal address, telephone number, email address, date of birth (if you are under 18), emergency contact details, gift aid collection status where appropriate, student status if relevant, and optional mailing preferences. This data will be used by our Committee members to manage your membership and to organise and run our activities. From time to time, photographs will be taken of the choir and orchestra at rehearsals and concerts. The photographs may be used for promoting the Society, by incorporating them in our concert programmes and/or posting them on our website.
Staff and Volunteers: for administration and legal/regulatory purposes
In addition to the personal data required for Society members (see above), we may need to hold staff and volunteers’ bank account information in order to process payments of fees and/or expenses.
Guest Musicians: for administration and promoting the Society
We need to hold contact details for our guest musicians, and may also need to hold their bank account information in order to process payments of fees and/or expenses. From time to time, photographs will be taken of guest musicians, as well as staff and members, at rehearsals and concerts. Consent will be sought from our guest musicians (where relevant) for their retention and use for promoting the Society, by incorporating them in our concert programmes and/or posting them on our website.
Concert Attendees: for managing tickets
In cases when our events are ticketed, we will need to collect contact information on an individual making a booking or reservation in order to send them confirmation. This data will only be used for administration related to the event in question.
Website visitors – use of cookies
Cookies are small text files which are stored in your web browser and allow websites to recognise you in order to make your next visit easier and the service more useful to you. SCO’s website www.stourcos.org.uk uses cookies only to store your preference regarding cookies, and does not set any third-party cookies. You can learn more about cookies, and how to prevent them being stored, should you wish, at www.allaboutcookies.org.
Do we share your data with anyone else?
We will never pass your details on to third parties, except with your explicit consent or if required by law. If we use third party products or services to process your data, we will ensure, to the best of our ability, that the organisations concerned are reputable and process your data in accordance with your rights under UK law.
Are there special measures for children’s data?
We do not knowingly process any personal data for children under the age of 16. Refer to SCO’s Safeguarding Policy for additional information.
How can you update your personal data?
You can contact us at any time at data@stourcos.org.uk to update or correct thedata we hold on you.
How long we will hold your data?
Our policy is to review annually all data held on individuals and remove data for which we no longer have a legitimate reason to hold. In cases where you have withdrawn your consent for us to use your data for a particular purpose we may retain some of your data for up to one year in order to preserve a record of your consent having been withdrawn. If you are registered with the Society for Gift Aid, your financial records will be held for the period stipulated by HMRC.
What rights do you have?
You have the following rights over your personal data and its use:
- the right to be informed about what data we are collecting on you and how we will use it (this Privacy Notice);
- the right of access – you can ask to see the data we hold on you;
- the right to rectification – you can ask that we update or correct your data;
- the right to object – you can ask that we stop using your data for a particular purpose;
- the right to erasure – you can ask us to delete the data we hold on you;
- the right to restrict processing – you can ask that we temporarily stop using your data while the reason for its use or its accuracy are investigated; and
- though unlikely to apply to the personal data SCO holds, you also have rights related to portability and automated decision-making.
All requests related to your rights should be made to our Honorary Secretary at data@stourcos.org.uk. We will respond within one month, and will explain the lawful reason(s) for any such requests that cannot be granted. You can find out more about your rights on the Information Commissioner’s Office’s website at www.ico.org.uk.
What will we do if anything changes?
We keep this Privacy Notice under regular review; it was last updated in February 2026.