Privacy policy

Urhobo Progress Union Europe Leaders Forum (“the Forum”, “we”, “us”) respects your privacy. This policy explains what personal data we collect through this website, why we use it, how long we keep it, and what rights you have. It is written to meet the spirit of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and equivalent UK data-protection law.

This policy covers the public website. The Forum’s internal membership list (emails and phone numbers of branch representatives) is also required under the Bye-laws to be kept in line with GDPR by the Regional Secretary.

1. Who is responsible

The Forum is the controller of personal data collected through this website. To exercise your rights or ask a question, use the contact page.

2. What we collect

We only collect what you choose to give us, or what is needed to run the site:

• Contact form: name, email, phone number, subject and message.
• Website account (if you register): the details on the registration form, such as name, email, phone, and other fields you complete, plus login credentials stored in hashed form.
• Technical data: standard server logs (for example IP address, browser type, time of request) that may be generated when you visit the site. These are used for security and troubleshooting, not for selling profiles.
• Cookies: a small cookie banner may be shown. Essential cookies (for example to keep you logged in) are needed for the site to work. Non-essential cookies are only used if you accept them.

We do not ask children to create accounts. Please do not send us personal data about anyone under 16 unless you are that person’s parent or guardian and it is necessary for a genuine enquiry.

3. Why we use it

We use personal data to:

• read and reply to messages sent through the contact form;
• administer website accounts where that feature is used;
• keep the site secure and working;
• carry out the Forum’s legitimate work among UPU branches in Europe, where you have asked us to.

Our legal bases under GDPR are typically: your consent (forms you submit, optional cookies); performance of a request you have made; and our legitimate interests in running a community organisation and a secure website, balanced against your rights.

4. Who we share it with

We do not sell your personal data. We may share it with:

• officers of the Forum who need it to answer you or run the Union (for example the Secretary);
• service providers who host this website, send email, or process payments if that is used, under a duty of confidentiality;
• authorities if the law requires it.

If a provider is outside the EEA or UK, we will only use them where a lawful transfer mechanism applies (for example an adequacy decision or standard contractual clauses).

5. How long we keep it

Contact messages are kept for as long as needed to deal with the enquiry and a reasonable period afterwards for follow-up and record-keeping. Website account data is kept while the account is active and deleted or anonymised within a reasonable time after you ask us to close it, unless we must keep a record (for example to show a donation was received, or to deal with a dispute). Server logs are kept only as long as needed for security.

6. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss or misuse. No website can guarantee absolute security. Please use a strong password if you have an account, and do not send highly sensitive documents through the public contact form unless we have asked you to.

7. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• access a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
• have inaccurate data corrected;
• ask for deletion, restriction, or to object to certain processing;
• withdraw consent where we rely on consent;
• data portability, where that right applies;
• complain to a supervisory authority (in Ireland, the Data Protection Commission; in the UK, the ICO; or the authority in your EU member state).

To exercise these rights, write through the contact page and tell us what you are asking for. We may need to confirm your identity before we act.

8. Donations

If you donate by bank transfer, your bank will process the payment. We may see your name and payment reference on the Forum’s account statement. We use that only to acknowledge and administer the gift.

9. Changes

We may update this policy. The version on this page is the current one.

© 2026 Urhobo Progress Union Europe Leaders Forum.