Effective date: 14/03/2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Power In Our Hands collects, uses and protects personal data when you use the Sustainable Lewisham Directory website at https://sustainlewisham.net.
Under UK data protection law, organisations must explain what personal data they collect, why they use it, what lawful basis they rely on, how long they keep it, who they share it with, and what rights users have.
1. Who we are
Power In Our Hands is the organisation that administers this website.
For the purposes of UK data protection law, Power In Our Hands is the data controller for personal data collected through this Site, unless stated otherwise.
Contact details:
Email: sustainable.lewisham@gmail.com
2. What personal data we collect
Depending on how you use the Site, we may collect and process:
- your name
- your email address
- the content of messages, feedback, correction requests or listing submissions you send to us
- organisation details you submit for inclusion or amendment in the directory
- technical information such as IP address, browser type, device information and approximate location data
- website usage information collected through cookies or analytics tools, where enabled
We only collect personal data that is relevant to the operation and improvement of the Site.
3. How we collect personal data
We collect personal data:
- directly from you when you contact us, submit a form, suggest an edit, or submit a listing
- automatically through essential website functions
- through cookies and analytics tools, where you have consented to non-essential cookies
- occasionally from publicly available sources where we compile or verify organisation listing details
4. How we use your personal data
We may use your personal data to:
- respond to enquiries, feedback and correction requests
- review, verify, publish, amend or remove directory listings
- administer and improve the Site
- monitor usage and performance of the Site
- maintain website security and prevent misuse
- keep records of submissions and correspondence
- comply with legal obligations
5. Our lawful bases for using personal data
The UK GDPR requires a lawful basis for processing personal data. The lawful basis depends on the purpose.
We generally rely on the following lawful bases:
Legitimate interests
For administering the directory, responding to messages, reviewing listings, maintaining records, improving the Site and protecting the Site against misuse, where these uses are necessary for our legitimate interests and do not override your rights and freedoms.
Consent
Where you choose to submit information voluntarily in certain circumstances, or where we use non-essential cookies or analytics technologies that require consent.
Legal obligation
Where we need to process personal data to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation.
If your site later introduces newsletters or marketing emails, that should be covered separately and, in most cases, on a consent basis.
6. Listings and organisation data
The Site is a public directory. Some listing information may relate to organisations, sole traders, staff contacts or community organisers and may therefore include personal data, such as a named contact person, business email address or business phone number.
Where listing information includes personal data, we aim to ensure that:
- it is relevant to the directory’s purpose
- it is accurate as far as reasonably possible
- it comes from the organisation concerned, a person authorised to provide it, or another source we reasonably believe to be appropriate
- it can be corrected or removed on request where justified
If you would like a listing corrected, updated or reviewed, please contact us.
7. Cookies and similar technologies
ICO guidance states that websites must clearly explain cookies and similar technologies, and must obtain consent before setting non-essential cookies. Strictly necessary cookies are exempt from consent where they are genuinely required to provide the service requested by the user.
This Site may use:
- strictly necessary cookies required for the website to function properly, security, network management or user-requested services
- analytics cookies, if enabled, to help us understand how visitors use the Site and improve performance
- embedded content technologies, where pages include maps, videos, social feeds or third-party widgets that may set their own cookies
We will request consent before placing non-essential cookies on your device.
You can manage cookie preferences through our cookie banner and, in most cases, through your browser settings.
8. Sharing personal data
We do not sell personal data.
We may share personal data only where necessary with:
- website hosting providers
- website developers, administrators or technical support providers
- analytics providers, where analytics are enabled
- form-handling, spam-filtering or email service providers
- professional advisers where reasonably necessary
- regulators, law enforcement or other authorities where required by law
We require service providers acting on our behalf to handle personal data appropriately.
9. International transfers
Some website or email service providers may process data outside the UK. Where that happens, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that personal data is protected in accordance with UK data protection requirements.
10. Data retention
ICO guidance says privacy notices should explain either the retention period or the criteria used to determine it.
We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes set out in this Policy, including to:
- respond to your enquiry
- maintain directory records
- resolve disputes or complaints
- meet legal, safeguarding, tax, audit or regulatory obligations
- maintain security and backup records
As a general guide:
- contact form and enquiry data: up to 12 months after the matter is closed
- listing submission and update correspondence: up to 24 months after the last relevant update
- technical logs: for as long as reasonably necessary for security and administration
- analytics data: according to the settings of the analytics tool used
You should adjust these periods to match your actual practice.
11. Your rights
Under UK data protection law, individuals may have rights including:
- the right to be informed
- the right of access
- the right to rectification
- the right to erasure in certain circumstances
- the right to restrict processing in certain circumstances
- the right to object in certain circumstances
- the right to data portability in certain circumstances
- the right to withdraw consent, where consent is the lawful basis
If you wish to exercise any of your rights, contact us using the details below.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your personal data has been handled unlawfully or unfairly. ICO guidance says privacy notices should tell people about their rights and how they can complain.
12. Security
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse or alteration. However, no internet transmission or storage system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
13. Children
This Site is intended for a general audience and is not specifically directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children through the Site except where it is provided by a parent, guardian, school, community group or organisation for a legitimate directory-related purpose.
14. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The latest version will always be posted on the Site with the effective date.
15. Contact us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, want to correct information, or wish to exercise your rights, contact:
Power In Our Hands
Email: sustainable.lewisham@gmail.com
Website: https://sustainlewisham.net
Cookies
We use cookies and similar technologies to help this website function properly and, where enabled, to understand how it is used.
Some cookies are strictly necessary for the operation of the site and do not require consent. These may include cookies used for security, accessibility, network management, or user-requested functions.
We may also use analytics cookies or similar technologies to understand how visitors use the site and improve its performance. These non-essential cookies will only be used where you have given consent through our cookie banner.
Our hosting or analytics providers may also process limited technical information associated with website visits, such as IP address, browser type, device information and approximate location inferred from IP address.
You can accept or reject non-essential cookies through the cookie banner and can update your preferences at any time.