Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, Website Terms and Disclaimer
Last updated: 10 August 2026
1. About Windmills Charity
Windmills Charity is committed to respecting and protecting the privacy of everyone who interacts with us, including children and young people, parents and caregivers, family members, professionals making referrals, supporters, donors, volunteers, fundraisers, event attendees and visitors to our website.
Windmills Charity is a registered charity in England and Wales, registered charity number 1187408.
Our contact details are:
Windmills Charity
Unit 1 Campbell Road Industrial Estate
Campbell Road
ST4 4DX
Telephone: 01782 433435
Email: enquiries@windmillscharity.org
For the purposes of data protection law, Windmills Charity is the data controller responsible for the personal information described in this policy.
This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, who we may share it with and the rights you have in relation to your information.
We process personal information in accordance with applicable UK data protection and privacy legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR), as amended, and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
2. The information we collect
The personal information we collect depends on how you interact with Windmills Charity.
When you contact us, we may collect your name, email address, telephone number, organisation or professional role, the reason for your enquiry and any other information you choose to provide.
When someone makes a referral, we may collect information about the person making the referral and the child, young person or family being referred. This may include names, contact details, address, age or date of birth, family circumstances, information about illness or medical conditions, information about a loved one's condition, anticipated bereavement, emotional wellbeing and other information necessary for us to understand the circumstances and provide appropriate support.
Some of this information is classed as special category data under data protection law because it may include information about physical or mental health. Special category data receives additional legal protection.
When you donate or support our fundraising activities, we may collect your name, contact details, donation amount, Gift Aid information where applicable, communication preferences and information necessary to administer your donation. Card and payment information submitted through our online donation facility is processed through our payment provider rather than being stored directly by Windmills Charity.
When you attend an event, volunteer, fundraise or otherwise support Windmills Charity, we may collect information required to manage your involvement and communicate with you.
When you use our website, we may automatically receive limited technical information such as your IP address, browser type, device type and information about how the website is being used. Further information is provided in the Cookie Policy below.
3. Referrals and consent
Because the nature of our work involves children, young people, families, health and bereavement, we take particular care when handling referral information.
Before a referral concerning a child or young person is submitted to Windmills Charity, the parent or main caregiver must have explicitly agreed to the referral and to their relevant information being shared with us.
Where the person being supported is an adult young person, we will obtain or confirm their own consent where appropriate.
The person submitting a referral is responsible for ensuring that the relevant consent has been obtained and that the information they provide is accurate to the best of their knowledge.
When we receive personal information about somebody from another person, such as a professional, family member or other referrer, we will provide appropriate privacy information when we first communicate with them, unless they already have that information or another lawful exemption applies. UK GDPR normally requires privacy information to be provided within a reasonable period and no later than one month when information is obtained from another source.
We will only collect information that is reasonably necessary for us to understand the referral, assess how we may be able to help and provide our services.
4. How we use personal information
We may use personal information to receive and assess referrals; contact children, young people, parents, caregivers or referring professionals; provide our support services; maintain appropriate case records; communicate with families and professionals involved in someone's support; respond to enquiries; manage safeguarding concerns; administer donations and Gift Aid; organise fundraising activities and events; manage volunteers and supporters; maintain the security and operation of our website and systems; meet our legal, regulatory, accounting and insurance obligations; investigate complaints; and protect the rights, safety and wellbeing of the people we support.
We will not use personal information for purposes that are incompatible with the reason it was originally collected unless we have a lawful reason to do so.
5. Our lawful bases for using personal information
UK data protection law requires us to have a lawful reason for processing personal information.
Depending on the circumstances, we may rely on consent, where you have freely given us permission to use your information for a particular purpose; legitimate interests, where the processing is necessary for the proper and effective operation of our charity and those interests are not overridden by your rights; legal obligation, where we need to process information to comply with the law; contract, where processing is necessary in connection with an agreement with you; or vital interests, in exceptional situations where processing is necessary to protect someone's life.
For special category information, such as health information, we must also have an additional legal condition allowing us to use the information.
Where appropriate, this may include your explicit consent. Explicit consent may be an appropriate condition where sensitive information is genuinely necessary in order to provide a service to an individual.
There may also be exceptional situations involving safeguarding, protection of vital interests, legal claims or substantial public interest where the law allows or requires us to use or share sensitive information without consent. We will only do this where there is a proper legal basis and it is necessary and proportionate.
6. Children and young people's information
Our work specifically supports children and young people, so protecting their personal information is especially important to us.
We will take account of the age, understanding and vulnerability of the individual when deciding what information to collect, how it should be explained and how it should be used.
We aim to explain the way we use information in a way that is understandable to the child or young person where appropriate, as well as providing relevant information to their parent or caregiver.
The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 specifically requires online services likely to be accessed by children to take children's needs into account when deciding how their personal information is used.
We will not knowingly use children's personal information for unrelated marketing or commercial purposes.
7. Safeguarding
Confidentiality is important, but it is not absolute.
If we believe that a child, young person or another person is at risk of significant harm, or if there is another serious safeguarding concern, we may need to share relevant information with appropriate organisations or authorities.
Depending on the circumstances, these may include social services, healthcare professionals, safeguarding teams, the police or other relevant agencies.
Where it is safe and appropriate to do so, we will explain that information needs to be shared. However, there may be circumstances where seeking consent would put somebody at greater risk, interfere with an investigation or otherwise be inappropriate.
We will only share information that is necessary and relevant to the situation.
8. Who we share information with
We do not sell personal information.
We may share information where necessary with Windmills Charity employees, authorised volunteers or trustees who require it to carry out their role; parents, caregivers or relevant family members where appropriate; healthcare, education or other professionals involved in supporting an individual; safeguarding authorities and emergency services where necessary; our website, IT, email and secure data-storage providers; payment providers such as Stripe when donations are made online; accountants, auditors, insurers, professional advisers and other organisations helping us operate the charity; HM Revenue & Customs and other public or regulatory authorities where required; and other organisations where we are legally required or permitted to disclose information.
Access to personal information is limited to people who genuinely need it.
Our website currently directs online donations to Stripe's payment service.
Where another organisation processes information on our behalf, we require appropriate arrangements to protect that information.
9. International transfers
Some of the technology and service providers we use may process or store information outside the United Kingdom.
Where personal information is transferred internationally, we will take appropriate steps to ensure that it remains protected in accordance with UK data protection law. This may include using countries covered by UK adequacy regulations or putting approved contractual and organisational safeguards in place.
10. How long we keep information
We do not keep personal information indefinitely.
We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and to meet relevant safeguarding, legal, regulatory, accounting, insurance and operational requirements.
The appropriate retention period varies depending on the type of information involved. Case and safeguarding information may need to be retained for considerably longer than routine correspondence because of the nature of our work and the age of the children and young people we support.
Donation and financial information may be retained where required for accounting, tax, audit and Gift Aid purposes.
Routine enquiries and contact information will normally be removed when there is no longer a reasonable reason for us to retain it.
We periodically review the information we hold and securely delete or anonymise information that is no longer required. UK GDPR does not prescribe one universal retention period; organisations must determine and justify appropriate periods based on why the information is held.
11. Keeping information secure
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, loss, misuse or disclosure.
These measures may include access controls, password protection, secure systems, encryption where appropriate, restricted access to case information, secure backups and staff awareness and training.
However, no internet transmission or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
12. Fundraising and communications
We may contact supporters about Windmills Charity's work, fundraising, events and ways to support our charitable purposes where the law allows us to do so.
Where consent is required, we will ask for it.
UK law now also includes a charitable purposes soft opt-in, which in certain circumstances allows charities to send electronic communications to people who have directly expressed an interest in or supported their charitable purposes without obtaining separate prior marketing consent. This provision applies only where specific conditions are met, including providing a clear opportunity to opt out when contact details are collected and in every subsequent communication. It applies to qualifying contact details obtained from 5 February 2026 onwards.
We will consider the circumstances carefully before using this provision, particularly where someone has come into contact with us because they or their family are receiving support and may be vulnerable.
You may unsubscribe from fundraising or marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe option provided or contacting us.
Stopping marketing communications will not prevent us from contacting you about an existing referral, service, donation, event registration or another administrative matter where necessary.
13. Your data protection rights
Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to ask us for a copy of the personal information we hold about you; ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information; ask us to delete information; ask us to restrict how information is used; object to particular uses of your information; receive certain information in a portable format; and withdraw consent where we rely on consent.
These rights are not absolute and exemptions may apply in certain circumstances, particularly where information must be retained for safeguarding, legal or regulatory reasons.
Withdrawing consent does not make any use of your information before the withdrawal unlawful.
To exercise your rights, contact us at enquiries@windmillscharity.org.
We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request.
14. Data protection complaints
If you are concerned about the way Windmills Charity has collected, used, stored or shared your personal information, please contact us at enquiries@windmillscharity.org.
We will provide a clear route for raising data protection complaints. We will acknowledge a data protection complaint within 30 days, investigate it without undue delay, keep you appropriately informed and tell you the outcome. These complaint-handling requirements came into force under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 on 19 June 2026.
If you are dissatisfied with our response, you also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent data protection regulator.
We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns directly first, although you do not have to contact us before approaching the ICO.
Cookie Policy
15. What are cookies?
Cookies are small pieces of information stored on your computer, phone or other device when you visit a website.
Websites may use cookies and similar technologies to make the site function, remember settings, understand how people use the website and provide content from third-party services.
Cookies do not necessarily identify you by name, but some cookie information may amount to personal information when it can be linked to an individual or device.
The use of cookies and similar storage technologies in the UK is principally governed by PECR, alongside applicable data protection law.
16. Cookies we may use
Strictly necessary cookies are required for the website to work correctly or securely. These may include cookies used for security, form functionality, session management or remembering your privacy choices.
Functionality cookies may remember preferences or provide additional website features.
Analytics and statistical cookies may help us understand how visitors use our website, which pages are visited and how the website performs so that we can improve it.
Third-party and embedded-content cookies may be used when our website displays or links to content or functionality provided by organisations such as video, social-media, mapping or payment providers.
A current list of cookies used on the website, their purpose, provider and duration should be available through our cookie settings or consent tool.
17. Cookie consent
Where the law requires consent, optional cookies and similar technologies will not be used until you have made a choice.
Changes introduced by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 allow certain low-risk storage and access technologies, including some used for statistical purposes or improving website functionality, to be used without explicit consent where the relevant legal conditions are met.
Where Windmills Charity relies on one of these exceptions, we will provide appropriate information and any opt-out mechanism required by law.
For other non-essential cookies, you can accept or reject them through our cookie controls.
You can change your preferences at any time through the cookie settings available on the website.
You can also control or delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling strictly necessary cookies may affect how parts of the website work.
Website Terms of Use
18. About these terms
These terms apply when you access or use the Windmills Charity website.
By continuing to use the website, you agree to use it lawfully and responsibly.
If you do not agree with these terms, you should stop using the website.
19. Website content
We make reasonable efforts to ensure that information published on our website is accurate and up to date.
However, information may change and we cannot guarantee that every page will always be complete, accurate or current.
We may update, remove or change website content without notice.
20. Acceptable use
You must not use our website for any unlawful or fraudulent purpose; attempt to gain unauthorised access to our website, systems or data; knowingly introduce viruses or other malicious technology; interfere with the operation or security of the website; use automated systems to harvest personal information from the website; impersonate another person or organisation; or use website content in a way that infringes our rights or the rights of another person.
21. Copyright and intellectual property
Unless stated otherwise, the text, images, graphics, branding and other original content on this website belong to Windmills Charity or are used with permission from their respective owners.
You may view, download or print reasonable extracts for personal, educational or non-commercial purposes provided that the content is not altered or presented misleadingly and appropriate acknowledgement is given where required.
You must obtain permission before reproducing substantial parts of the website for commercial purposes.
22. Donations
Online donations may be processed through a third-party payment provider such as Stripe.
The payment provider may collect and process information independently in accordance with its own terms and privacy information.
If you believe that you have made a donation in error or there is a problem with a payment, please contact Windmills Charity as soon as possible. Any refund will be considered in accordance with applicable law, fundraising requirements and the circumstances of the payment.
23. Events and fundraising activities
Specific events, fundraising campaigns, competitions or activities may be subject to additional terms, eligibility requirements or cancellation arrangements.
Where additional terms apply, these will be provided separately and will take precedence in relation to that particular activity if there is any conflict with these general website terms.
24. External websites
Our website may contain links to third-party websites or services.
Links are provided for information or convenience and do not necessarily mean that Windmills Charity endorses the organisation, service, opinions or content involved.
We do not control third-party websites and are not responsible for their availability, content, security or privacy practices.
You should review the privacy information and terms applying to any external website you use.
25. Website availability
We aim to keep the website available and working properly, but we cannot guarantee uninterrupted access.
We may temporarily suspend or restrict access for maintenance, security, technical or other operational reasons.
Website Disclaimer
26. Information about bereavement, illness and support
Information provided on the Windmills Charity website is intended for general information and to explain the services and support that we provide.
It should not be treated as medical, psychological, legal or other professional advice and should not be used as a substitute for advice from an appropriately qualified professional.
Every child, young person and family has different circumstances. Information on this website cannot take account of an individual's particular medical, psychological, safeguarding or family situation.
If you are concerned about somebody's immediate health, safety or welfare, you should contact the appropriate healthcare, safeguarding or emergency service rather than relying on information provided through this website or waiting for a response to an online form.
27. No guarantee of services or outcomes
Submitting a contact or referral form does not guarantee that Windmills Charity will be able to provide a particular service or provide support within a particular timeframe.
We assess referrals and requests based on factors including the needs of the child or young person, whether the circumstances fall within our charitable services, safeguarding considerations and the resources available to us.
Although we aim to provide high-quality support, we cannot guarantee any particular outcome.
28. Limitation of liability
Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability where it would be unlawful to do so, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.
Subject to those protections, Windmills Charity will not be responsible for loss or damage arising solely from reliance on general information published on the website, temporary unavailability of the website, or the content or operation of third-party websites outside our control, except where liability cannot legally be excluded.
Nothing in these terms affects any statutory rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.
29. Changes to these policies and terms
We may update this Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, Website Terms and Disclaimer from time to time to reflect changes to our services, website, technology, working practices or legal obligations.
The latest version will be published on this website with the date of the most recent update.
Where a change would significantly affect the way we use personal information, we will take reasonable steps to bring the change to the attention of people affected where appropriate.
30. Governing law
These website terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.
Any dispute relating to the website will be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, subject to any legal rights that require otherwise.
31. Contact us
Questions about this policy, your personal information or the way Windmills Charity uses data should be sent to:
Windmills Charity
Unit 1 Campbell Road Industrial Estate
Campbell Road
ST4 4DX
Telephone: 01782 433435
Email: enquiries@windmillscharity.org