Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

How we collect, use, and protect your personal information

Last updated: February 2026

1. Who We Are

Project Salama is a registered charity (Charity Number: 1198736) that provides free, confidential support to those affected by domestic abuse, with a particular focus on South Asian, Middle Eastern, African, and other ethnically diverse communities.

We are the data controller for the personal information you provide to us. This means we decide how and why your data is used, and we are responsible for keeping it safe.

Contact details:

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal data in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Safety Notice

Important: If you are concerned that someone may be monitoring your device or internet activity, please use the Quick Exit button at the top of every page to leave this site immediately. You can also delete your browser history after visiting. Consider accessing this site from a public computer, library, or a trusted friend’s device if you are unsure whether your device is being monitored.

We are committed to the safety of everyone who contacts us. We take the security of your data extremely seriously, particularly because many of the people we support are in vulnerable situations.

3. What Personal Data We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following categories of information:

Contact and identity information

  • Name (first name only is sufficient where you prefer)
  • Email address and phone number
  • Preferred language and method of contact

Service and support information

  • Details of your situation that you choose to share with us
  • Notes from support sessions (held securely)
  • Referral information (if referred by a professional)
  • Attendance records for programmes and groups

Demographic and equality information

  • Ethnicity, nationality, and religion (where you choose to share this)
  • Age range
  • Disability or access needs

This information is collected only to help us provide culturally appropriate support and to monitor equality outcomes. It is always optional.

Donation and financial information

  • Name and contact details for Gift Aid claims
  • Donation amounts (payment card details are never stored by us)

Website and technical information

  • IP address and browser type (collected automatically by our hosting provider)
  • Pages visited and time spent on site
  • Language preference (stored in your browser’s local storage)

Volunteer and partnership information

  • CV, qualifications, and experience (for volunteer applications)
  • DBS check results (where legally required)
  • Organisation name and contact details (for corporate partners)

4. How We Collect Your Data

We collect personal data through the following means:

  • Our online self-referral and contact forms
  • Phone calls and emails sent to us
  • In-person meetings and support sessions
  • Referrals from other organisations (e.g. social services, GP surgeries, police)
  • Volunteer and partnership application forms
  • Donation platforms (e.g. JustGiving) where they pass data to us
  • Our website (automatically, via analytics and cookies)

5. Our Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. We rely on the following:

Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f))

For website analytics, communicating with supporters, and improving our services, where our interest does not override your rights.

Contract (Article 6(1)(b))

Where you have signed a volunteer agreement or entered into a partnership arrangement with us.

Consent (Article 6(1)(a))

For marketing emails and newsletters. You may withdraw consent at any time by emailing us or clicking unsubscribe.

Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c))

For Gift Aid records, DBS disclosures, and other statutory requirements placed on charities.

Vital interests (Article 6(1)(d)) and public task

In limited safeguarding situations where there is an immediate risk to life.

Special category data

Ethnicity, religion, disability, and information about domestic abuse experiences are special category data under UK GDPR (Article 9). We process this under Article 9(2)(a) (explicit consent) and Article 9(2)(g) (substantial public interest) in line with Schedule 1 of the Data Protection Act 2018.

6. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data only for the purposes for which it was collected:

  • Providing you with emotional support, advocacy, and other services
  • Booking you onto programmes such as the Freedom Programme, VOICE Training, or Chai and Chat
  • Sending you information about upcoming events and services you have asked to hear about
  • Processing donations and claiming Gift Aid on eligible gifts
  • Recruiting and supporting volunteers
  • Monitoring and reporting on our equality outcomes (always anonymised in reports)
  • Improving our website and services
  • Meeting our legal and regulatory obligations as a registered charity

We will never use your data for purposes incompatible with those above without seeking your consent first.

7. Who We Share Your Data With

We treat your data with the utmost discretion. We do not sell your data to any third party. We may share information in the following limited circumstances:

Service delivery partners

We may share data with interpreters, legal advisors, or partner organisations involved in delivering your support. We will always tell you who is involved before sharing.

Funders and commissioners

Funders may require us to report on our impact. Any data shared with funders is anonymised and aggregated so that no individual can be identified.

Technology providers

We use third-party tools including website hosting, email platforms, and donation processors. These providers are contractually bound to process your data only on our instructions and in line with UK GDPR.

Regulatory bodies

We may be required to share certain information with the Charity Commission, HMRC (for Gift Aid), or other regulatory bodies where legally obliged to do so.

Safeguarding: In exceptional circumstances, we may share information without your consent where there is a serious and immediate risk to your life or the life of another person. See Section 8 below.

8. Safeguarding Override

Project Salama takes its safeguarding responsibilities seriously. While we maintain strict confidentiality, there are limited circumstances in which we may share your information without your consent:

  • Where there is an immediate risk to your life or someone else’s life
  • Where a child is at risk of significant harm
  • Where a vulnerable adult is at risk and unable to protect themselves
  • Where we are required to do so by a court order or other legal obligation

In these situations, we will share only the minimum information necessary with the appropriate authority (e.g. police, social services, or NHS) and will usually inform you that we have done so, unless doing so would put you or others at greater risk.

We have a Safeguarding Policy which is available on request.

9. How Long We Keep Your Data

We keep your data only for as long as is necessary for the purpose for which it was collected. Our standard retention periods are:

  • Support and casework records: 7 years from the date the case is closed
  • Volunteer records: 6 years after the volunteer relationship ends
  • Donation and Gift Aid records: 6 years from the relevant tax year (HMRC requirement)
  • Email newsletter subscribers: Until you unsubscribe or 3 years of inactivity
  • Job and volunteer applicants (unsuccessful): 6 months after the decision
  • Website analytics data: 26 months

After these periods, data is securely deleted or permanently anonymised.

10. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right to access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you (a Subject Access Request).

  • Right to rectification: You can ask us to correct inaccurate data.
  • Right to erasure: You can ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances.
  • Right to restrict processing: You can ask us to limit how we use your data.
  • Right to data portability: You can ask for your data in a machine-readable format.
  • Right to object: You can object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing at any time.
  • Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.
  • Rights related to automated decision-making: We do not use automated decision-making or profiling.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@projectsalama.co.uk. We will respond within one month. There is no charge for exercising your rights.

Right to complain

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent data protection regulator:

  • Website: ico.org.uk
  • Helpline: 0303 123 1113

We would, however, welcome the chance to address your concerns before you contact the ICO, so please contact us first.

11. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us understand how our site is being used.

Essential cookies

These are necessary for the website to function (e.g. remembering your language preference). You cannot opt out of these.

Analytics cookies

We use anonymised analytics to understand how visitors use our site so we can improve it. No personal data is collected through analytics. You can opt out by adjusting your browser settings.

We do not use advertising or tracking cookies, and we do not sell any data gathered through our website.

You can manage or delete cookies through your browser settings at any time. For more information, visit allaboutcookies.org.

12. International Data Transfers

We aim to keep your data within the UK and European Economic Area (EEA). Where any data is transferred to a country outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place (such as Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the ICO), in line with UK GDPR Chapter V.

13. How to Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please get in touch:

For data protection enquiries specifically, please mark your email with the subject line “Data Protection Enquiry”.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or UK data protection law. When we make significant changes, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our website after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of those changes.