Tara Centre Privacy Notice
Tara Project Lancaster CIC (trading as the Tara Centre)
Last updated: 17 August 2026
This notice explains what personal information we use, why we use it, how long we keep it and the rights you have.
Contact: Dr Elham Kashefi, Managing Director at elham@taracentrelancaster.org.uk.
1. Information we collect and use
Services and activities: names and contact details; gender and pronouns; address and date of birth; emergency contact or next-of-kin details; booking, attendance and service history; photographs or video; complaints and feedback; and records needed to organise and evaluate services.
Health and access: medical conditions, disabilities, allergies, dietary requirements, contraindications and other information you choose to give us so that we can provide a safe and accessible service.
Payments, donations and funding: payment and transaction information, donation history and information needed to administer funding. Stripe and PayPal process full payment-card or bank details; we do not store full card details.
Website and communications: IP address, browser/device information, website use, cookie choices, newsletter preferences and email engagement.
Recruitment: contact details, date of birth, employment and education history, references and the outcome or status of a DBS check where relevant. Applicants provide identity and other check information directly to the DBS checking provider.
We collect information directly from you and, for recruitment, from referees or previous employers. If information is needed to manage a booking, payment, application or agreement and you do not provide it, we may be unable to provide the service or proceed.
2. Why we use information and our lawful bases
Providing services: contract, legal obligation, consent, vital interests in a serious emergency, recognised legitimate interest for safeguarding, and our legitimate interests in responding to enquiries, organising safe and responsive services, enrolling students, coordinating volunteers and evaluating our work.
Donations, funding and fundraising: contract, legal obligation, consent and our legitimate interests in processing donations, administering funding agreements and sustaining our services.
Service messages and marketing: contract for essential messages about a booking or course; consent for newsletters, promotional messages, marketing images and non-essential analytics.
Recruitment: contract, legal obligation and our legitimate interests in assessing applicants, taking references and appointing suitable staff, practitioners and volunteers.
We use only the information needed for these purposes, restrict access on a need-to-know basis and do not sell personal information. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider whether the use is necessary, expected and proportionate, and whether our safeguards protect people’s rights.
Health information and safeguarding
Health information receives additional legal protection. Where you choose to provide identifiable health, medical, allergy or access information, we rely on your explicit consent to use it for the stated purpose. Where necessary to protect a child or an adult at risk, we may also use relevant information for safeguarding reasons in the substantial public interest. Consent can be withdrawn at any time, although this may affect our ability to provide a particular service safely.
3. Website, cookies and analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand and improve the website. Analytics and other non-essential technologies are used only where you have consented through our cookie banner. You can change or withdraw your choices at any time. Further details are in the Cookie Policy on our website.
4. How long we keep information
Financial and transaction records: normally six years after the end of the relevant financial year.
Newsletter records: until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete them.
Unsuccessful recruitment: normally six months after recruitment ends, unless you agree to longer retention.
Other records: booking, participation, student, volunteer, health, access and safeguarding records are kept according to the activity and any legal, insurance, accreditation, complaints or safeguarding requirements. We review them and delete or anonymise them when no longer required.
5. Who we share information with
We use the following service providers to handle information on our behalf:
Google – email, forms, document storage and website analytics
Mailchimp – newsletters and marketing preferences
SimplyBook.me – bookings and appointment information
Plinth – attendance, monitoring, feedback and evaluation
Stripe and PayPal – payment processing and transaction records;
Meta/WhatsApp – messaging
Varihost – website hosting
and a UK-based DBS checking provider – DBS applications for relevant roles.
We may also share relevant information, where necessary and lawful, with independent practitioners or other service providers, insurers and professional advisers, project partners and voluntary organisations, referees, local authorities, emergency services, safeguarding organisations, regulators, courts or other bodies we are legally required to assist. Photographs, video, testimonials or named contributions are published only where an appropriate lawful basis applies.
International transfers
Some service providers may process information outside the UK. Where this happens, we use providers only where appropriate protections are in place, such as UK adequacy regulations or approved contractual safeguards.
6. Your rights
Depending on the lawful basis and circumstances, you may have the right to access your information; correct inaccurate information; ask for deletion or restriction; object to processing; receive information in a portable format; and withdraw consent. You have an absolute right to object to direct marketing. To exercise a right, email elham@taracentrelancaster.org.uk. We normally respond within one month.
7. Automated decisions
We do not use personal information to make solely automated decisions about people or to carry out profiling that has legal or similarly significant effects.
8. Complaints
If you are concerned about how we use personal information, please contact us first at elham@taracentrelancaster.org.uk.
You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint | 0303 123 1113 | Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.