Privacy Policy

OEF Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 2026

At the Open Ear Foundation, your privacy and trust are at the heart of everything we do. Because we provide a confidential listening and companionship service, protecting your personal information is our highest priority.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your data when you visit our website, contact us, make a donation, or use our telephone and online video services.

1. Who We Are

The Open Ear Foundation is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) operating in England and Wales. We are the “data controller” for the personal information you share with us.

  • Address: 1 Canada Square, London, E14 5AA (ONLY SCHEDULED BY APPOINTMENT)
  • Email: openearFoundation@post.com

2. Information We Collect

We only collect information that is necessary to provide our services and run our charity effectively. This may include:

  • Contact Information: Your name, email address, and phone number when you fill out our contact forms, volunteer applications, or book a session.
  • Service Information: Log details of scheduled calls (time and date). Note: Our volunteer listening sessions via telephone and Zoom are entirely confidential. We do not record these conversations.
  • Financial Information: If you make a donation, your payment details are securely processed by third-party regulated platforms (such as JustGiving, Enthuse, or CAF Donate). We may keep records of your donation amounts and Gift Aid declarations for accounting purposes, but we do not store your credit card details.
  • Website Usage Data: Standard data collected via cookies, such as your IP address and browsing behavior, to help us improve our website.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your data respectfully and legally to:

  • Schedule and facilitate your free listening and companionship sessions.
  • Respond to your inquiries or volunteer applications.
  • Process and acknowledge your donations securely.
  • Maintain internal records for legal, regulatory, and charity governance purposes.

4. Confidentiality & Safeguarding (When we might share your data)

The cornerstone of our service is confidentiality. We will never sell your personal data to third parties. However, there are rare circumstances where we are legally or ethically required to share information:

  • Safeguarding Emergencies: If our trained volunteers believe you or someone else is in immediate, severe danger, we have a strict duty of care to break confidentiality and contact emergency services or statutory bodies.
  • Service Providers: We share limited data with secure platforms that help us run our charity, such as Zoom for video calls , our website host, and secure donation processors.
  • Legal Obligations: If required by law enforcement or regulatory bodies like the Charity Commission.

(For standard signposting to statutory healthcare like the NHS as well as specialist support charities, we empower you to make that contact; we do not pass your details to them unless it is an absolute emergency.)

5. How Long We Keep Your Data

We only hold your personal data for as long as it is necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, or as required by UK law (for example, financial donation records must be kept for tax and Gift Aid purposes). Once data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted or anonymized.

6. Your Data Protection Rights

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), you have the right to:

  • Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Correction: Ask us to update or correct inaccurate information.
  • Erasure: Request that we delete your data (the “right to be forgotten”), subject to legal requirements.
  • Restriction/Objection: Ask us to limit or stop processing your data.

7. Changes to This Policy

As our foundation grows including the future opening of our dedicated physical office space we may update this policy to reflect new operational practices. We will post any changes on this page.

8. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, how we handle your data, or if you wish to exercise your rights, please reach out to us at:

Email: openearFoundation@post.com