New Forest Open Air Theatre

Privacy Policy

New Forest Open Air Theatre
Last Updated: August 2026

1. Who We Are

New Forest Open Air Theatre, Company number 16503165, ("NOAT", "we", "our" or "us") is a charitable company established to advance the arts and culture for the public benefit through theatrical performances and other creative and cultural activities, including outdoor theatre. We also advance education through workshops, training and other educational activities, and promote social inclusion by providing opportunities for participation in cultural and creative activities, particularly for people in underserved and rural communities.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly and in accordance with UK data protection legislation.

2. What Information We Collect

We may collect and store personal information including:

• Name
• Postal address
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Donation history
• Membership information relating to Friends and Patrons
• Event booking and attendance information
• Gift Aid declarations
• Volunteer information
• Correspondence and enquiries sent to us
• Communication preferences

We only collect information necessary to administer our activities and communicate with our supporters.

3. How We Collect Information

We may collect information when you:

• Make a donation
• Join as a Friend or Patron
• Sign up to our newsletter
• Register for an event
• Contact us by email, phone, post or through our website
• Volunteer with us
• Participate in surveys or feedback requests

We may also collect limited information automatically through our website, including website usage statistics and cookies.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Process donations and Gift Aid claims
• Administer Friends and Patrons memberships
• Manage event bookings and invitations
• Communicate news and updates about our activities
• Respond to enquiries
• Manage volunteers and participants
• Meet our legal, regulatory and governance obligations
• Develop support for the charity and our charitable activities

We will only use your information where we have a lawful basis to do so.

5. Marketing and Communications

If you subscribe to our newsletter or provide consent, we may send you information about:

• Productions and performances
• Events and fundraising activities
• Membership opportunities
• Educational and community initiatives
• News relating to New Forest Open Air Theatre

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the link provided in our emails or by contacting us directly.

We may still contact you regarding donations, memberships, event bookings or other administrative matters.

6. Donations, Supporters and Fundraising

As a charity, fundraising is an important part of our work.

Where appropriate and where permitted by law, if you have donated, joined as a Friend or Patron, attended our events, or otherwise engaged with us, we may contact you about:

• The impact of our work
• Future projects and developments
• Opportunities to support the charity
• Special events and fundraising initiatives

You may opt out of fundraising communications at any time.

We do not sell or trade personal data to third parties.

7. Sharing Information

We may share information with trusted service providers where necessary to operate the charity, including:

• Payment processing providers
• Email communication platforms
• Event booking and ticketing systems
• Professional advisers where required

These organisations will only process information on our behalf and under appropriate contractual safeguards.

We may also disclose information where required by law.

New Forest Open Air Theatre will never sell, rent or trade your personal information to other organisations.

8. Keeping Information Secure

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access or disclosure.

Access to personal information is restricted to trustees, staff, volunteers and contractors who need it in order to perform their role.

9. How Long We Keep Information

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law. Financial records and Gift Aid declarations may be retained for up to six years in accordance with HMRC and regulatory requirements.

Certain records, including financial transactions, Gift Aid declarations and governance records, may be retained for periods required by law or regulatory guidance.

10. Cookies

Our website may use cookies to improve user experience and help us understand how visitors use the site.

You can control cookies through your browser settings.

11. Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:

• Request access to your personal information
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of information where appropriate
• Restrict or object to processing
• Withdraw consent where consent is the basis for processing
• Request transfer of your information where applicable
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is used, please contact:

New Forest Open Air Theatre

Email: info@newforestopenairtheatre.co.uk
Website: www.newforestopenairtheatre.co.uk

c/o New Forest Open Air Theatre
Hinton Admiral Estate Office,
Lyndhurst Road,
Hinton,
Christchurch,
Dorset, BH23 7DY

You also have the right to contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you are unhappy with how your personal information has been handled.

13. UK GDPR and Data Protection Compliance

New Forest Open Air Theatre is committed to complying with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

We will only collect and use personal information where there is a lawful basis for doing so. These lawful bases may include:

• Consent
• Performance of a contract
• Compliance with legal obligations
• Legitimate interests in pursuing our charitable objectives

We aim to ensure that personal information is:

• Processed lawfully, fairly and transparently
• Collected for specified and legitimate purposes
• Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary
• Accurate and kept up to date
• Retained only as long as necessary
• Kept secure and confidential

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14. Data Breaches

Whilst we take appropriate measures to safeguard personal information, no system can ever be completely secure.

In the event of a personal data breach, we will:

• Investigate the incident promptly
• Take steps to minimise any harm
• Notify affected individuals where required
• Report the breach to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) where legally necessary and
• Review our procedures to reduce the risk of recurrence

Any concerns regarding the security of personal information should be reported to us immediately.