1. Introduction
Heathfield and Horam FC ("the Club", "we", "our", "us") is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, secure, and delete or return personal data you share with us. It applies to all club members, parents/guardians, volunteers, and supporters whose data is processed through our club systems, including the use of Pitchero, our club management platform.

2. What Data We Collect
We may collect the following categories of personal data:

Full name
Date of birth
Contact details (e.g. phone number, email address)
Emergency contact information
Medical information relevant for participation
Photographs and video (for promotional or archival use)
Payment details (for membership or event purposes)

3. How We Use Your Data
We use personal data to:

Register and manage club membership
Communicate important club updates and events
Manage teams, matches, and training sessions
Process payments and subscriptions
Ensure participant welfare (e.g. in case of medical emergencies)
Promote the club through media, when consent is given

4. Where Your Data is Stored
All personal data is stored securely using Pitchero, our third-party club management platform. Pitchero provides secure cloud-based services, and their data protection policies are GDPR-compliant. You can review Pitchero’s privacy policy at: https://www.pitchero.com/privacy-policy

5. Who We Share Your Data With
We will only share your personal data when necessary and with appropriate safeguards in place. This includes:

Internal club officials and team managers (for club operations)
League organisers or governing football bodies (when required for registration or compliance)
Medical personnel (in case of emergencies)
Technology service providers (e.g. Pitchero)

We will never sell your data to third parties.

6. How We Keep Your Data Secure
We take data security seriously and implement the following safeguards:

Role-based access within Pitchero to ensure only authorised personnel can access data
Password-protected systems and two-factor authentication where applicable
Regular reviews of our data management processes

Pitchero also uses encryption, secure servers, and GDPR-compliant protocols.

7. Data Retention and Deletion
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for club operations or to meet legal/regulatory requirements. Typically:

Member data is kept for the duration of active membership plus up to 2 years
Financial records are retained for up to 7 years (for accounting purposes)

Once data is no longer needed, it will be securely deleted from our systems or returned upon request.

8. Your Rights
You have the right to:

Access your personal data
Request corrections or updates
Withdraw consent at any time (where applicable)
Request data deletion ("right to be forgotten")
Lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

9. Contact Us
If you have any questions or would like to exercise your rights, please contact:

Data Protection Lead
Heathfield and Horam FC
Email: info@heathfieldfc.co.uk
Phone: 01435 554 550