Privacy Policy | Out Across Borders

Last updated: 26 September 2025

At Out Across Borders, we are fully committed to protecting your personal data and ensuring transparency regarding how it is collected, used, and stored.

Who We Are

We are Out Across Borders, a Community Interest Company registered in England and Wales under company number 16667379.

References to ‘we’, ‘us’, or ‘our’ throughout this policy refer to Out Across Borders.

What Data We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect a variety of personal information, including (but not limited to):

Title and full name
Postal address
Email address
Telephone number
Credit or debit card details (when making a donation)
Donation details (amount, date, method)
Communication preferences (e.g. consent to receive updates)
Demographic information such as age, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, and health status (where relevant to service provision)

We collect your data when you:

Use our services by phone, email, online contact forms, video call, or at in-person events
Make a donation via post, bank transfer, or online platforms such as Wix Donations, or through setting up a standing order
Sign up to fundraise for us or take part in events, including via third-party fundraising sites
Request information about leaving a legacy or making a gift in your Will
Take part in campaign actions or sign petitions in support of our work
Subscribe to receive updates or newsletters
Apply for paid or voluntary roles, including consultancy
Register for training sessions, workshops, or events
Interact with us in a professional or commercial context

We may also retain a record of how you have previously supported or engaged with us, such as donations made, services used, or campaign participation.

In certain circumstances, we may obtain information about you from third parties. This might occur when:

Another organisation or adviser contacts us on your behalf to request support or advice
Someone receiving our services mentions you in a relevant context (e.g. as a partner, witness, or case study)
We research publicly available information to identify individuals who may be interested in supporting our work

We will only use third-party data where it is necessary to provide services, fulfil legitimate interests, or support our fundraising and communication activities.

In addition, we collect anonymous statistical data about how users engage with our website, social media channels, and email campaigns. This includes metrics from tools such as:

Google Analytics & Google Ads
Wix Analytics
Mailchimp
Meta Insights (Facebook and Instagram)
LinkedIn Analytics
TikTok Analytics
YouTube Studio

These analytics help us understand user behaviour and improve our services. This data is anonymised and does not personally identify you.

Why We Collect Your Information

We collect and process personal data in order to:

Manage donations and provide confirmation or receipts
Organise and administer fundraising activities and events
Facilitate training courses, workshops, and other organised events
Respond to service requests or referrals
Process job, volunteer, or consultant applications
Conduct internal research to better understand the needs and experiences of our service users
Evaluate and develop our programmes and communications
Stay in touch with supporters, beneficiaries, and stakeholders based on their indicated preferences

We may contact you if:

You’ve consented to receive updates by email, post, telephone, WhatsApp, or SMS
You’re using, or have expressed interest in, our services
You are delivering services or working with us in a consultant or freelance capacity
You have applied for an employment or voluntary role with us
You are fundraising on our behalf
You have donated in the past or may consider supporting us in the future
We believe you may be in a position to offer significant support, including financially

We always respect your chosen method of communication and will not send marketing emails or texts without your consent.

Use of Special Category (Sensitive) Data

Some of the information we collect is classified as special category data under data protection law, including details relating to your health, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

We only process such data when:

It is essential for us to provide services tailored to your needs
It is necessary to make reasonable adjustments in recruitment or employment
It is required to meet legal or operational obligations for staff, volunteers, or consultants
It has been shared voluntarily (e.g. during a campaign or in personal communication)
It is relevant and already publicly available (e.g. where a supporter has spoken openly about being part of the LGBTQI+ community and backing related causes)
It supports recruitment for positions where there is a legitimate occupational requirement under the Equality Act 2010

Unless you have clearly made the information public, we will generally only collect and process this type of data with your explicit consent or in accordance with legal obligations.

Access to sensitive data is restricted to authorised staff, volunteers, or consultants, and is securely stored in line with data protection requirements.

How We Use the Information

We primarily use your information to:

Fulfil your requests or provide you with services
Process donations or campaign actions you’ve initiated
Coordinate training, events, or workshops
Manage recruitment and engagement processes
Deliver support services in line with your individual needs
Share anonymised experiences or statistics to raise awareness or support our research and advocacy work

We may also use your personal data to contact you about our mission or invite your support based on legitimate interests – unless you have told us not to. However, we will never send marketing emails or SMS messages unless you’ve actively opted in.

Supporter Profiling & Wealth Research

To ensure our fundraising efforts are efficient and targeted, we may carry out profiling and research using information you’ve provided and publicly available sources. This allows us to:

Estimate an individual’s capacity to give
Tailor communications for events or campaigns more likely to be of interest
Avoid sending irrelevant or intrusive messages

We may conduct this research ourselves or with the help of trusted partners such as Factary. Information may be sourced from:

Public registers (e.g. Companies House)
Social media profiles
Published “rich lists” or similar databases

You are entitled to opt out of this type of processing at any time by emailing us at: info@outacrossborders.org

How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary and in accordance with legal requirements:

People referred elsewhere - 18 months
Staff and volunteers - 6 years after leaving
Consultants - 6 years after engagement ends
Former members - 6 years after membership ends
Fundraising data - donation records for 7 years; supporter contacts may be retained indefinitely for relationship management
Unsuccessful job or volunteer applications - 12 months after completion or receipt (for unsolicited applications)

All data is securely deleted or destroyed once no longer needed.

How We Keep Your Data Secure

We use appropriate physical, digital, and procedural safeguards to protect your information. These include:

Secure cloud storage and backups through reputable providers
Access controls ensuring only authorised personnel can access personal data
Encryption of data during transmission via our website
Regular updates to our IT systems to ensure security compliance

Donations processed via Wix Donations or other third-party platforms (such as Facebook Donate) are handled externally. We do not retain card payment details from these services.

Please note that while we take every reasonable measure to protect your data, no method of online data transmission can be guaranteed 100% secure.

If personal data is transferred outside the UK (e.g. to IT providers in the EU or USA), we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with UK GDPR standards.

Sharing Your Information

We will never sell or exchange your personal data with other organisations for marketing purposes.

However, we may need to share information with:

Service providers or partners when you’ve requested a referral
IT providers who securely store or manage our systems
Consultants, contractors, or funders involved in supporting our operations
Regulators or legal authorities where required by law
Safeguarding professionals, in cases where someone’s safety is at risk

All third-party processors are required to adhere to data protection regulations and are bound by appropriate confidentiality agreements.

Cookies and Online Tracking

Our website uses cookies to enhance user experience, monitor performance, and remember your preferences.

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you browse the internet. They allow us to analyse how visitors interact with our website and ensure that it functions properly.

We use Usercentrics on our Wix platform to manage cookie preferences. You can update your settings at any time by clicking on the Usercentrics icon located in the bottom-left corner of every page.

Your Rights

You have legal rights regarding the personal data we hold about you. These may include the right to:

Request access to your data
Ask for inaccuracies to be corrected
Object to or restrict how we use your data
Request the deletion of your data (where applicable)
Update your communication preferences or withdraw consent
To exercise your rights, or if you have any questions, please contact the Data Protection Officer:

Email: info@outacrossborders.org

Address:

FAO Data Protection Officer

Out Across Borders, Studio 7-230, Thameside Studio, Harrington Way, London, SE18 5NR

You can also opt out of marketing emails at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link included in each message.

How to Make a Complaint

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, please contact complaints:

Email: info@outacrossborders.org

Address:

FAO Complaints
Out Across Borders, Studio 7-230, Thameside Studio, Harrington Way, London, SE18 5NR

Alternatively, you can raise your complaint with the UK’s independent regulator:

Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Address: Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk

Policy Updates

We review and update this policy periodically to reflect changes in law, technology, or our practices.

This version was last updated on 26 September 2025.