EPiC HOPE PRIVACY NOTICE

At EPiC HOPE, your privacy matters to us. We are committed to protecting your personal information and being transparent about how we use it. This notice outlines how we collect, use, and store your data—whether you visit our website or access our in-person services such as the Crisis Harbour.

WHO ARE WE?

EPiC HOPE CIC is a Community Interest Company supporting people in Wigan and Leigh through suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention services. Our website address is: https://epichope.org.uk.

WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?

Website Visitors

• • Data you provide via comment forms
  • Your IP address and browser user agent (for spam detection)
  • Cookies to remember login and comment preferences
  • Media metadata (if you upload images)
  • Data shared with embedded third-party content (e.g. YouTube, articles)

Crisis Harbour & Other In-Person Services

• • Personal details: Name, pronouns, age, ethnicity, and contact info
  • Appointment info: Visit type, date, time, referral source, etc.
  • Support needs: Reasons for accessing the service
  • Emergency contact: A trusted person to reach if needed
  • Session notes: For continuity of care
  • Health and wellbeing: Relevant info you choose to share
  • Risk or safety concerns: Only if you choose to disclose.
    
    We only collect what is necessary to provide safe and effective support, and you always have the right to say no.

WHY WE COLLECT YOUR INFORMATION

We collect your information to:

• • Keep you safe and provide high-quality support
  • Record and plan your care
  • Make referrals (with your consent)
  • Improve our services through anonymised reporting
  • Comply with legal or safeguarding requirements (if necessary)

HOW IS YOUR INFORMATION STORED?

Your personal data is stored securely in compliance with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018. Only authorised team members can access it.

WHO DO WE SHARE YOUR DATA WITH?

• • We never sell your information.
  • Anonymous data may be shared with funders to demonstrate impact—this never includes names or identifying information.
  • If there’s a serious concern about your safety or someone else’s, we may need to share your data with safeguarding services (e.g. NHS or social care). We will always aim to inform you first unless there’s an emergency.
  • If you request a password reset via the website, your IP address will be included in the email.

COOKIES AND EMBEDDED CONTENT

• • Cookies may store your name, email, and login details for convenience.
  • Some content (e.g. videos or maps) may be embedded from third-party sites and behave as if you’ve visited them directly.
  • These third-party sites may collect additional data and use cookies or tracking.

For more on cookies, see: Automattic Privacy Policy (Gravatar)

HOW LONG WE KEEP YOUR DATA

Crisis Harbour & Services:

• • Up to 5 years from your last contact, unless you ask us to delete it sooner.

Website:

• • Comments and metadata: indefinitely
  • User profiles (if applicable): until edited or deleted
  • Cookies: typically 1–2 years, depending on the type

YOUR RIGHTS

You have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you

• Correct inaccurate or incomplete data

• Request deletion of your data (“right to be forgotten”)

• Withdraw consent at any time

To do this, contact a member of the team or email us at help@epichope.org.uk.

Questions or Concerns?

We’re happy to help. If you have any questions about this notice or how your data is used, speak to a member of the EPiC HOPE team or contact us via email at help@epichope.org.uk