How we handle your information.

What we collect. When you use the contact form, we collect the information you enter. Our initial referral form asks only for the referrer's contact details and limited information needed to consider whether OHC may be suitable. It specifically asks users not to submit detailed medical, mental health, medication, offending or risk information.

Our lawful basis for processing. We process the information you send us through these forms on the basis of legitimate interests: specifically, our legitimate interest in responding to enquiries and considering referrals to our service. We do not use this information for any purpose beyond that.

Why we collect it. We use this only to respond to your message or to consider and follow up an initial referral enquiry. We do not use it for marketing and we do not sell it.

Who sees it. Messages sent through these forms go to OHC staff involved in referrals and enquiries. If an initial enquiry appears suitable, any further information needed for a full assessment is requested separately and handled in line with OHC's data protection and safeguarding procedures.

Third-party form service. Our forms are processed by Web3Forms, a third-party form-submission service, which forwards the message to our email address. We do not control how long Web3Forms itself retains submission data in transit; you can ask them directly for details of their own processing.

How long we keep it. Enquiries that do not lead to a referral or placement are normally kept for up to 12 months, then deleted. Where someone becomes a resident, information is kept as part of our records in line with our data retention practice, and for as long as reasonably needed afterwards to meet our legal, safeguarding and reporting obligations.

Your rights. You can ask us what information we hold about you, ask us to correct it, or ask us to delete it, by contacting us at admin@openhands.charity or 02476 630621. If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, you also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113.

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