At The Cotton Street Project, we believe in radical transparency, especially when handling your personal information as you seek support for gambling addiction. This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your data in compliance with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) 2018 and other UK data protection laws, ensuring you can focus on recovery with confidence.
What Information We Collect and Why
We only collect information necessary to provide you with relevant support, signposting, and information. Our primary goal is to connect you with vital resources, such as local GamCare Liverpool services or GamStop guidance, in a secure and private manner.
Information You Provide Voluntarily
When you contact us via our website form, email, or phone, you may choose to share personal details. This typically includes:
- Your name and contact information (e.g., email address, phone number).
- The nature of your enquiry, which may relate to gambling addiction help in the UK.
- Any other details you provide to help us offer appropriate guidance.
We use this data solely to respond to your request and provide the support or information you seek.
Sensitive Personal Data
In the course of seeking help, you might voluntarily share sensitive information about your gambling habits, health, or recovery journey. We treat this data with the utmost confidentiality and only process it with your explicit consent, or where necessary to provide you with vital support services and referrals.
Our Use of Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website uses cookies to function correctly and to help us understand how our resources are used, enabling us to improve our service.
Types of Cookies We Use
- Essential Cookies: Required for the website to operate.
- Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences (like cookie consent).
- Analytics Cookies: Such as those from Google Analytics, help us see anonymised data on page visits and user behaviour. We do not use cookies for behavioural advertising related to gambling.
Managing Your Cookie Preferences
You can control and manage cookie settings through your browser. Our cookie banner also allows you to accept or decline non-essential cookies when you first visit our site.
How We Use Analytics Data
We analyse anonymised website data to enhance the quality and relevance of our content for individuals seeking recovery support across the United Kingdom.
Anonymised Insights
Analytics tools show us aggregated, non-identifiable information, such as which pages on GamStop guides or local Liverpool support services are most visited. This data cannot be traced back to you personally.
Improving Our Content
These insights help us identify what information is most valuable, allowing us to create better resources on responsible gambling in the UK and effective gambling recovery support.
Sharing Data with Third-Party Services
We work with a small number of trusted service providers to operate our website and communications. Any sharing is minimal and conducted under strict data protection agreements.
Essential Service Providers
These may include our UK-based web hosting provider, secure email service platforms for newsletters, and analytics providers like Google. We ensure all such partners are GDPR-compliant and process data only on our instructions.
Anonymous Data Sharing
We may share fully anonymised, aggregated statistics with funders or partners to demonstrate the reach of our work, for instance, the demand for gambling harm resources in the Liverpool area. This data does not identify any individual.
Your Data Protection Rights Under UK GDPR
Under UK data protection law, you have important rights regarding your personal data. We are committed to upholding these rights.
Your Key Rights
- The right to access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- The right to rectification: You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
- The right to erasure: You can ask us to delete your personal data in certain circumstances.
- The right to restrict or object to processing: You can request we limit how we use your data.
- The right to data portability: Where applicable, you can ask for your data to be transferred to another service.
How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Lead using the details provided below. We will respond to your request within one month, as required by law.
How Long We Retain Your Data
We retain your data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy.
Retention Periods for Enquiries
Personal data from enquiries is typically retained for 24 months, unless you become an ongoing service user, in which case a separate retention schedule will apply. This allows us to provide consistent support and follow-up.
Aggregated Data
Analytics and other anonymised, aggregated data may be retained indefinitely to help us track and improve our services over time.
Contacting Us About Your Privacy
Your privacy is of paramount importance to us. If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch.
Our Data Protection Lead
For all data protection enquiries or to exercise your rights, please contact our Data Protection Lead via email at [email protected]. Our registered address is in Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Making a Complaint
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK supervisory authority, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
This policy reinforces our commitment to protecting your privacy as fiercely as we support your journey towards recovery from gambling harm.