Privacy Notice
Church on the Way
Registered Charity Number: 1196282
Last Updated: June 2026
Introduction
Church on the Way is an independent Christian church and a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling personal information responsibly, transparently and in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
This Privacy Notice explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it and the rights you have regarding your personal data.
Who We Are
Church on the Way is the data controller for the personal information we hold. If you have any questions about this notice or how your information is used, please contact us at:
Email: info@cotw.org.uk
Telephone: 01274 617737
Address: Church on the Way, 156 Bradford Road Idle, Bradford, BD10 8SA
What Information We Collect
As part of our ministry and charitable activities, we may collect personal information such as your name, contact details and information about your involvement in the life of the church. This may include attendance at events, membership information, volunteering, donations and participation in church ministries.
Where necessary, we may also process information relating to your religious beliefs, pastoral care needs, health information that you choose to share with us, and safeguarding matters. Such information is treated with appropriate care and confidentiality.
For children and young people involved in our ministries, we may collect information provided by parents or guardians to ensure their safety, wellbeing and participation in church activities.
How We Use Your Information
We use personal information to support the ministry and administration of the church. This includes communicating with members and attendees, organising services and events, providing pastoral care, managing volunteers, administering donations and Gift Aid, fulfilling our safeguarding responsibilities, and meeting legal and regulatory requirements as a registered charity.
We only process personal information where we have a lawful basis to do so. Depending on the circumstances, this may be because we have your consent, because processing is necessary for the legitimate activities of the church, because we are required to comply with a legal obligation, or because the law allows religious organisations to process certain information relating to their members and regular attendees.
Church Communications
We send church news, updates and event information by email. These communications are distributed using Mailchimp. You may unsubscribe from non-essential communications at any time by using the link included in our emails or by contacting the church directly.
Donations
We are grateful for the financial support of those who give to the work of the church. Online donations are processed through Stewardship and other trusted payment providers. We do not normally store payment card details, and any information we receive in relation to donations is used only for administration, accounting and Gift Aid purposes.
Photography, Video and Livestreaming
Many of our services are livestreamed or recorded, and photographs or video may occasionally be taken at church events. These recordings may be made available through our website, social media channels or other church communications.
We aim to make attendees aware when recording is taking place and will take reasonable steps to respect requests from individuals who do not wish to appear in recordings. Particular care is taken in relation to children and vulnerable adults, and parental consent may be sought where appropriate.
Cookies
Our website uses cookies to provide essential functionality, improve website performance and, where consent has been given, help us understand how visitors use the site.
Some third-party services used on our website, such as embedded video content, analytics tools and email subscription forms, may also place cookies on your device. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings.
Sharing Information
We do not sell personal information to third parties.
Information may be shared with trusted service providers who help us operate the church, such as email, donation and administrative service providers. Information may also be shared where required by law, for safeguarding purposes, or to protect the welfare of children, vulnerable adults or others at risk.
Any organisation processing information on our behalf is expected to do so securely and in accordance with data protection law.
Keeping Information Secure
We take appropriate steps to safeguard personal information and to prevent unauthorised access, disclosure, loss or misuse. Access to personal data is limited to those who need it for legitimate church purposes, and we regularly review our procedures to ensure information remains secure.
How Long We Keep Information
We retain personal information only for as long as it is needed for church, legal, financial or safeguarding purposes. Retention periods are reviewed regularly and records are securely disposed of when they are no longer required.
Your Rights
Under data protection law, you have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you, to ask for inaccurate information to be corrected, and in certain circumstances to request that information be deleted or that its use be restricted. You may also object to some forms of processing and withdraw consent where consent is the basis for processing.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided above.
Complaints
If you have concerns about how your personal information has been handled, we encourage you to contact us first so that we can seek to resolve the issue.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent authority for data protection matters.
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk
Changes to This Notice
We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time to reflect changes in our activities, legal obligations or best practice. The most recent version will always be available through the church website.