Privacy Policy

Last Updated: June 16, 2026

Coventry Food Network ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our services, visit our community food hubs, or interact with our website.

We operate in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following types of information:

  • Identity and Contact Data: Name, address, email address, and telephone number.

  • Demographic Data: Age, household size, and information about your local area in Coventry.

  • Special Category Data: With your explicit consent, we may collect information regarding dietary requirements, health conditions, or religious beliefs to ensure we provide appropriate food and support.

  • Financial & Vulnerability Data: Information regarding your financial situation or referral status, only as necessary to assess eligibility for specific food support programs.

  • Volunteer and Supporter Data: If you volunteer or donate, we collect your contact details, availability, skills, and financial details for processing donations (including Gift Aid).

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data to:

  • Provide food support, emergency parcels, and community pantry services.

  • Assess eligibility for specific support programs and signpost you to partner agencies (e.g., debt advice, housing support) if requested.

  • Manage volunteers, donations, and network operations.

  • Monitor, evaluate, and report anonymised statistics to funders to secure ongoing support for the network.

  • Comply with legal, regulatory, and safeguarding obligations.

3. The Legal Bases for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we rely on the following legal bases to process your data:

  • Consent: Where you have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose (e.g., recording dietary restrictions or sending newsletters).

  • Legitimate Interests: Where it is necessary for our daily operations to support the Coventry community, provided your fundamental rights do not override those interests.

  • Legal Obligation: Where processing is necessary to comply with the law (e.g., safeguarding or health and safety regulations).

4. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal data. We will only share your information:

  • With Your Consent: If you ask us to refer you to a local partner charity, advice centre, or local authority service.

  • With Network Hubs: Between registered Coventry Food Network partners and food banks, solely to coordinate your support and prevent duplication of or abuse of services.

  • With Local Authorities: to coordinate your support and prevent duplication or abuse of services.

  • For Legal Reasons: If we are under a duty to disclose your data to comply with a legal or safeguarding obligation.

5. Data Security and Retention

We implement robust physical and technical security measures to protect your data from unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure.

We only keep your personal data for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. When it is no longer needed, it is securely destroyed.

6. Your Rights and How to Complain

Under UK data protection law, you have specific rights regarding your personal data, including the right of access, rectification, and erasure.

If you believe we have mishandled your personal data or infringed upon data protection laws (such as a suspected data breach or a delayed response to a data request), you have a statutory right to lodge a formal complaint directly with us. Under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, you must give us the opportunity to investigate and resolve the issue before escalating it to the regulator.

7. Our Complaints Procedure & Contact Details

If you wish to exercise your rights or make a data protection complaint, please contact us using the details below. You can submit a complaint via email, phone, or in writing.

What Happens Next?

Once we receive your data protection complaint, we will handle it in accordance with our statutory obligations:

  • Acknowledgement: We will formally acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 30 days (beginning the day after we receive it).

  • Investigation: We will launch an internal investigation into your concern without undue delay. If we require further information or identity verification from you, we will request it promptly.

  • Updates: We will keep you regularly informed of our progress, expected timeframes, and the reasons for any processing delays.

  • Outcome: We will provide you with a clear, written final outcome detailing our findings and any remedial actions taken to resolve the issue.

Escalating to the ICO

If you have completed our internal complaints process and remain unsatisfied with our final outcome, or if we fail to respond appropriately, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

  • Website: www.ico.org.uk

  • Phone: 0303 123 1113

  • Post: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF