Cumbria Pole Art is committed to protecting your personal information. This policy explains what data we collect when you use this site, how we use it, and the rights you have under UK data protection law.
Scope of this notice
This privacy policy applies to all personal information collected through cumbriapoleart.co.uk. It covers data you provide directly—such as through a contact form—and data we observe automatically, such as your IP address and the pages you view.
We are the data controller for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. That means we decide how your personal data is processed and for what purpose.
Categories of information we collect
We may collect the following types of personal data:
- Contact information – your name and email address if you write to us
- Technical data – IP address, browser type, device information, operating system
- Usage data – pages visited, time spent on the site, referral source
We do not collect payment information, account credentials or any sensitive personal data. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 18.
Lawful basis for processing
We process your personal data on the following legal grounds:
- Legitimate interests – to operate and improve the site, respond to enquiries, and understand how visitors use our content
- Consent – where you have given clear consent for a specific purpose, such as subscribing to updates
You have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests. Contact us using the details below to exercise that right.
How we use your data
We use the information we collect to maintain and improve this site, respond to questions or topic suggestions, and analyse which guides and articles are most useful. We do not use your data for marketing purposes unless you have explicitly opted in.
Technical and usage data help us identify broken links, improve navigation, and understand which subjects our readers care about most. This data is aggregated and does not identify you personally.
Sharing your information
We do not sell, rent or trade your personal data. We may share information with the following categories of recipients:
- Service providers – hosting companies, analytics platforms and email services that process data on our behalf
- Legal obligations – if required by law, regulation or court order
Any third-party processor we work with is bound by a contract that requires them to keep your data secure and use it only for the purposes we specify. Some processors may be located outside the UK, in which case we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.
Your rights under UK GDPR
You have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Access – request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Rectification – ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data
- Erasure – request deletion of your data in certain circumstances
- Restriction – ask us to limit how we use your data
- Portability – receive your data in a structured, commonly used format
- Objection – object to processing based on legitimate interests
To exercise any of these rights, email [email protected] with details of your request. We will respond within one month. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk if you believe we have not handled your data properly.
Data retention
We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes set out in this policy. Contact information you provide is retained for as long as the correspondence remains relevant, typically no more than two years. Technical logs are kept for up to twelve months for security and diagnostic purposes, then deleted.
Once data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted or anonymised so that it cannot be linked back to you.
Cookies and tracking
This site may use cookies and similar technologies. For full details on what cookies we set, how they are used and how to manage your preferences, see our separate cookie policy.
Minors
This site is intended for a general audience and does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 18. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected data from a minor, we will delete it promptly.
Changes to this policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal reasons. The revised version will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of the site after changes are published constitutes acceptance of the new terms.
Contact us
If you have questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your data, email [email protected]. We aim to respond within 48 hours.
This is an information site for general guidance only. We do not sell any goods or services.