Privacy policy

Refuge is committed to protecting your privacy online. We appreciate that you do not want the personal information you provide to us distributed indiscriminately and here we explain how we collect information, what we do with it and what controls you have.

What data do we collect?

In connection with certain services offered through this site we may ask you to submit information such as your name, e-mail address, postal address and telephone number along with credit/debit card details. You are under no obligation to provide such information. However, if you should choose to withhold requested information, we may not be able to offer you certain services.

How is the information used?

Refuge will use the information you provide to us to:-

• verify any donations you may make;
• improve the content of our web page;
• send any information you have requested, including information about our events and our press releases.

We may occasionally send you information about news and events we feel may be of interest to you. This will only come from us (or our agents) and only if you have requested this information. You can ask to receive information from us at the point you provide information to us and you can also tell us later if you do not wish to hear further from us through updates or amendments to this information.

With whom is the information shared?

Refuge may disclose your personal information to business partners or sponsors, but this will be specifically described to you prior to collecting the data or prior to transferring it.

When making an online donation you will be directed through to the site of our agent Blackbaud who administer donation transactions on our behalf. The site utilises a number of security features including Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption for all transactions. Information provided to Blackbaud will be processed only for the purposes of enabling the donation transaction to take place.

Refuge may analyse and disclose aggregate statistics about our site visitors, and donations in order to describe our services to prospective partners, and other reputable third parties and for other lawful purposes, but these statistics will include no personally identifying information.

Refuge may disclose personal information if required to do so by law or if it believes in good faith that such action is required by law.

This site contains links to other sites. Refuge is not responsible for the privacy policies or the content of such sites.

Security

Refuge places a great importance on the security of all personally identifiable information associated with individuals. We have security measures in place to attempt to protect against the loss, misuse and alteration of personal data under our control. [For example, our security and privacy policies are periodically reviewed and enhanced as necessary and only authorised personnel have access to personal information]. While we cannot ensure or guarantee that loss, misuse or alteration of data will not occur, we use our best efforts to prevent this.

Use of cookies

Cookies are pieces of information that a website transfers to your hard drive to store and sometimes track information about you. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but if you prefer, you can change your browser to prevent that. However, you may not be able to take full advantage of a website if you do so. Cookies are specific to the server that created them and cannot be accessed by other servers, which means they cannot be used to track your movements around the web. Although they do identify a user's computer, cookies do not personally identify users and passwords and credit card information are not stored in cookies.

We use cookies to:-

• estimate our visitor size and patterns; and
• better understand visitor preferences and to improve and update our website.

Where is the information stored

Information which you submit via this website is sent to a computer located in the United Kingdom. Information submitted by you to our donation transaction agent Blackbaud will be transferred to servers which may be situated outside the European Economic Area.

Your acceptance of these terms

By using this site, you consent to the collection and use of this information by Refuge and to the Refuge privacy policy. If we change our privacy policy in any way, we will post these changes on this page.

Your information

You have a legal right to a copy of all the personal information about you held by us. You also have a right to correct any errors in that information. If your personal details change, please help us to keep your information up to date by notifying us.

Please e-mail any questions, concerns or comments you have about these policies to info@refuge.org.uk or write to:

Refuge
2-8 Maltravers St
London WC2R 3EE
Phone: 020 7395 7000
Fax: 020 7385 7721