Data Protection Policy

Under Data Protection legislation the church Charity Trustees of Bridgwater Baptist Church are the Data Controller and the Church Secretary acts as our Data Protection Officer.

We collect data to enable the church to keep in touch with you and provide pastoral support as appropriate. Data Protection legislation allows us to process this information as we regard it as being in the church’s legitimate interest.

You have the right to ask to see any information we hold about you (including the pastoral support information) by submitting a ‘Subject Access Request’ to the Church Secretary. You also have the right to ask for information which you believe to be incorrect to be rectified. If you are concerned about the way your information is being handled please speak to our Data Protection Officer.

If you are still unhappy you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioners Office.

Download/view our full GDPR Privacy Policy (PDF 180kb)

Use of Cookies

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit.

To learn more about cookies, you can visit www.aboutcookies.org. You will also find details on how to block and delete cookies from your computer as well as more general information about cookies. For information on how to do this on the browser of your mobile phone you will need to refer to your handset manual.

The Cookies We Use

Google Analytics – These cookies collect information about how visitors use a website, for instance which pages visitors go to most often, and if they get error messages from web pages. These cookies don’t collect information that identifies a visitor. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous.

This data helps us to understand:

Which pages people visit on the site

Which internet browsers are being used

What is popular on the site

Which interactive tools are used by visitors

You can find out more about Google’s cookies on their privacy policy: http://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/. You can also install the Google Analytics Opt-out tools in your browser: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

By using our website, you agree that we can place these types of cookies on your device.

YouTube & Vimeo – If you play an embedded video on our site, there may a cookie set by YouTube or Vimeo containing anonymous, non personally-identifiable information about the number of playbacks of embedded videos. To find out more please visit YouTube’s embedding videos information page. You can find out more on the Google Privacy Policy (Google owns YouTube): http://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/ and the Vimeo Privacy Policy: http://vimeo.com/privacy

Sharing Tools – If you use one of the ‘Share’ buttons, an anonymous cookie may be set by addthis.com to help you to easily bookmark/share selected pages through a number of popular social networks. They also help us know what pages are being bookmarked/shared. You can find out more on the AddThis Privacy Policy: http://www.addthis.com/privacy

If you ‘Like’ or ‘Tweet’ using these services, third party websites may set a cookie when you are also logged in to their service (like Facebook or Twitter). We do not control these cookies and you should check the relevant third party website for more information about these cookies.

Notification of Changes

If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes on the this website.

External Links

We are not responsible for the availability or content of external sites that may be linked to, from the site. If you find a broken link or if you have any questions or concerns about a link, please contact us.

The Church is committed to the following principles regarding photographing or videoing (taking images of) events or services:

It is important to have images of events to have a record of the memory of that event, to have a visual history of the church and to celebrate what God has done through that event.

It is therefore in the legitimate interests of the Church to take these images.

The Church recognises that not everyone is happy to be recorded in this way and will ensure as far as possible that those not willing to have images taken will not be. Occasionally in a large group setting this may be unavoidable.

Sunday services and occasionally other services get videoed for the benefit of people who can’t attend. There will always be an area of the church that people can sit in who do not wish to be videoed.

Children (under 16 years of age) will never have images taken without the consent of parents except in crowd situations where this is sometimes unavoidable.

2. Photography and Filming of Children

Photographing young people or children should be conducted with sensitivity and courtesy. Consent of the child or young person is important.

The Church must obtain written parental permission for all children (under 16 years of age) to have images taken while taking part in weekly Church activities which are just for children ie they attend without their parents being present. This permission should be collected at least annually and must specifically cover the activities in which their child will be photographed or videoed during that year. Parents can withdraw this permission at any time during the year. A privacy policy stating this must be produced and read by parents at the time at which consent is given in writing.

The Church must obtain written parental permission for all children (under 16 years of age) to have images taken while taking part in one-off Church events which are just for children such as Holiday Club or Soul Survivor ie they attend without their parents being present. This permission should be collected on sign up for the event and cover taking photographs or videos during that event only. Parents can withdraw this permission at any time. A privacy policy stating this must be produced and read by parents at the time at which consent is given in writing.

Children will never be photographed if they are not suitably dressed eg in swimming costumes.

Only permitted photographers or videographers (PPVs) can be used when producing these images. See section 6 below. The Group Leader must inform the PPV of any children for whom permission has not been given by the parent for images to be taken.

When children attend Church family events (eg a Stay to Lunch) with their parents and images are being taken, parents must give verbal consent for the PPV to take the image. When crowd images are being taken, a privacy notice must be available for parents to read and the option of being in an area not covered by the image available.

Using Images of Children

Images created by PPVs can be used internally eg on a notice board or in a presentation to be used in Church services. Children should not be identified by name in such displays nor should it be possible to infer their identity from any caption. General captions such as “youth enjoying sport” are permissible.

Images created by PPVs cannot be used online eg on the Church’s website, Facebook page, One Magazine etc or in publicly available brochures without prior written consent from the parents for use on each type of platform.

If consent has not be given to use the image of one child in a group shot of children then this child’s image must be obscured before the group shot is used online.

3. Photography and Filming of Individual or Small Groups of Adults

PPVs may take images of individual adults or a small group of adults with their verbal consent. If the adult is deemed to be a Vulnerable Adult then images must not be taken without prior written consent.

Using Images of Individual or Small Groups of Adults

Images created by PPVs can be used internally eg on a notice board or in a presentation to be used in Church services.

Images created by PPVs cannot be used online eg on the Church’s website, Facebook page, One Magazine or in publicly available brochures etc without prior written consent for use on each type of platform.

4. Photography and Filming of Large Group Events

PPVs may take images in large group events such as a Stay to Lunch provided a Privacy Notice is displayed and an area is available for those to sit / stand where the image will not cover. This includes church services. The area in which to sit to avoid images being created during a church service must be communicated either via the notice sheet (if there is one) or verbally with other health & safety information at the start of a service and before the images start to be made.

Using Images of Large Group Events

Images created by PPVs can be used internally eg on a notice board or in a presentation to be used in Church services or online or in publicly available brochures without prior consent. These images should convey a crowd gathered for an event rather than focussing on individuals. Use of these images online must be agreed by one of the Data Protection Leads.

5. Privacy Notices

Example privacy notices can be obtained from the Data Protection Leads and must be tailored to the particular situation or event being photographed or filmed. The Group Leader must ensure that these privacy notices are given, displayed or provided appropriately and in the correct context. Sometimes it will be appropriate to include a privacy notice regarding taking images into a wider privacy notice particularly when signing up for events.

6. Permitted Photographers or Videographers PPVs

All PPVs must be DBS checked. PPVs include:

The Ministers

The Data Protection Leads

The Data Protection Trustee

Others as sourced by Group Leaders AND appointed by one of the above AND who have signed as having read and understood this policy.

When PPVs are taking images during an event which is open to the public they must wear identification to show that they are official photographers and have the relevant privacy notices and consent forms available.

All PPVs must clear the images they have taken of children or Vulnerable Adults for a Group Leader with that Group Leader as having the appropriate consents in place before uploading the images onto the Church server or authorised computer system. Once uploaded onto the Church Media Server, PPVs must then complete the data log with details of this upload and then delete the images from their in-camera storage.

PPVs who take images of children or Vulnerable Adults at a public event must also submit the consent forms they have had completed and file these with the data log on uploading the images.

7. Images taken by individuals for personal use

Individuals who take images during Church activities for their own personal use are not covered by the Data Protection Act. This policy does not therefore extend to these circumstances. Eg

A grandparent attends a child lead Sunday service and takes a number of photographs and then posts on their own Facebook page.

Occasionally the Church will be offered copies of these images. This is not permitted in usual circumstances as consent was not given to the Church from the individuals in the image. The Data Protection Trustee or Data Protection Leads may, at their discretion, ask for consent from the individuals in the images in order to then receive the copies.

8. Security

Images and videos will be stored securely on the Church’s server which is password protected. Alternatively, the Data Protection Trustee or Data Protection Leads might authorise other systems for storing images providing that minimum standards of security are applied. Images will be deleted from PPVs own in camera storage (the camera should also be stored securely while they contain the images taken) within 72 hours of the event (or returning from a trip).

Edited video footage will transferred to the Church’s server within 72hrs of completion of the editing project and then deleted from the original camera media.

Once uploaded, images will be entered in the data log and access restricted to paid staff, the Technical Team and the Communications Team.

9. Retention of Images

Images of church activities will be retained indefinitely as they are a record of church history. Images of one-off events will be retained as per the details of the privacy notice written for that event.

10. Copyright Policy

Unless otherwise indicated, photographs and videos published by the Church are the property of and are copyrighted or licensed by the Church and may not be used for any purpose (including but not limited to downloading, printing, distributing and linking) without permission from the Church and/or Copyright holder.

The Church will obtain permission to use any photographs and graphics from other sources before using within any publication, website or other medium.

11. Review of Policy

This policy was created on 16th July 2023 and will be reviewed annually.

Safeguarding Policy Statement

Our Vision

Bridgwater Baptist Church’s vision is to be: “A Christian Heart in the Heart of the Community”

In fulfilling this vision, we:

Welcome children and we welcome adults at risk into the life of our community

Run activities for children and for adults at risk

Make our premises available to organisations working with children and those working with adults at risk

Our Safeguarding Responsibilities

The church recognises its responsibilities in safeguarding all children, young people and adults at risk, regardless of gender, ethnicity or ability.

As members of this church we commit ourselves to the nurturing, protection and safekeeping of all associated with the church and will pray for them regularly. In pursuit of this, we commit ourselves to this policy and to the development of sound procedures to ensure we implement our policy well.

Prevention and reporting of abuse

It is the duty of each church member to help prevent the abuse of children and adults at risk, and the duty of each church member to respond to concerns about the well-being of children and adults at risk. Any abuse disclosed, discovered or suspected will be reported in accordance with our procedures. The church will fully co-operate with any statutory investigation into any suspected abuse linked with the church.

Safer recruitment, support and supervision of workers

The church will exercise proper care in the selection and appointment of those working with children and adults at risk, whether paid or voluntary. All workers will be provided with appropriate training, support and supervision to promote the safekeeping of children and adults at risk.

Respecting children and adults at risk

The church will adopt a code of behaviour for all who are appointed to work with children and adults at risk so that all children and adults are shown the respect that is due to them.

Safer working practices

The church is committed to providing an environment that is as safe as possible for children and adults at risk and will adopt ways of working with them that promote their safety and well-being.

A safer community

The church is committed to the prevention of bullying. The church will seek to ensure that the behaviour of any individuals who may pose a risk of bullying in the community of the church is managed appropriately.

Safeguarding contact points within our church

The church has appointed the following individuals to form part of the church safeguarding team:

Dr Hilary Allen, Designated Person for Safeguarding (DPS)

She will advise the church on any matters related to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk and take the appropriate action when abuse is disclosed, discovered or suspected.

Phone number 07816633828

Email address hilarymallen@btinternet.com

Janet Biddiscombe, Deputy Designated Person for Safeguarding (DDPS)

She will assist the Designated Person for Safeguarding (DPS) in helping the church on any matters related to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk and take the appropriate action when abuse is disclosed, discovered or suspected.

Phone number 07766387732

Email address janet@clivebidd.plus.com

Christine Davies, Safeguarding Trustee

She will raise the profile of safeguarding within the church and oversee and monitor the implementation of the safeguarding policy and procedures on behalf of the church trustees.

Phone number 07798 566572

Email address christinedavies19@hotmail.com

Our church minister is also an important part of the Church Safeguarding Team. Where possible, the Church Safeguarding Team will work together if and when issues arise. However, each person has a responsibility to report allegations of abuse as soon as they are raised.

Further definitions of these roles can be found in the BUGB publications ‘Safe to Grow’ (2011) & ‘Safe to Belong’ (2015).

Putting our policy into practice

A copy of the safeguarding policy statement will be displayed permanently on the church noticeboard and church office, and is available on our church website.

Each worker with children and/or adults at risk will be given a full copy of the safeguarding policy and procedures and will be asked to sign to confirm that they will follow them.

A full copy of the policy and procedures will be made available on request to any member of, or other person associated with the church.

The policy and procedures will be monitored and reviewed annually, and any necessary revisions adopted into the policy and implemented through our procedures.

The policy statement will be read annually at the church AGM, together with a report on the outcome of the annual safeguarding review.

For a full copy of our full safeguarding policy, please contact us.

Last updated 26th May 2021.