Privacy policy

The Irish Bee & Heritage Foundation (“IBHF”, “we”, “our”, “us”) is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you use our website, make a donation, become a member, or participate in our beekeeping courses.

1. Who We Are

Irish Bee & Heritage Foundation

Registered Address: Fort Lodge, Treanlaure, Maree, Co. Galway Company Number: [Insert Number]

Contact Email: info@ibhf.ie

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to provide our services. This may include:

Contact details — name, email address, phone number
Payment information — processed securely by third‑party providers (we do not store card details)
Membership data — account details, renewal dates, preferences
Course registration data — attendance details, emergency contact (if required)
Website usage data — cookies, analytics, IP address, browser type

We do not collect sensitive personal data unless required for safety during course participation.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use your information to:

Process donations, memberships, and course bookings
Communicate with you about events, updates, or account information
Improve website performance and user experience
Comply with legal and financial obligations
Maintain internal records for governance and reporting

We do not sell or share your data with third parties for marketing.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your data under the following GDPR bases:

Contract — to provide membership or course services
Consent — for optional communications or cookies
Legal obligation — financial reporting, charity compliance
Legitimate interests — improving our services and website

5. Donations & Payments

Payments are handled securely by trusted third‑party processors such as Stripe or PayPal. IBHF does not store full card details.

6. Cookies

Our website uses cookies to:

Enable essential site functionality
Analyse traffic and performance
Improve user experience

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Essential cookies cannot be disabled.

If you want, I can also generate a standalone Cookie Policy.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary:

Donation and financial records: 6 years (legal requirement)
Membership and course records: active period + 2 years
Email communications: until you unsubscribe
Website analytics: typically 12–26 months, depending on provider settings

8. Your Rights

Under GDPR, you have the right to:

Access your personal data
Correct inaccurate information
Delete your data (in certain circumstances)
Restrict or object to processing
Request data portability
Withdraw consent at any time

To exercise your rights, email info@ibhf.ie.

We may share data with:

Payment processors (e.g., Stripe, PayPal)
Email or membership management tools
Course instructors (only essential information)
IT or hosting providers

All partners are GDPR‑compliant and only receive the minimum data required.

10. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including:

Encrypted connections (HTTPS)
Secure payment gateways
Access controls and authentication
Regular security reviews

No online system is 100% secure, but we take all reasonable steps to safeguard your information.

11. External Links

Our website may contain links to third‑party sites. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date will reflect the most recent version.

13. Contact Us

For questions about this Privacy Policy or your data rights, contact:

Irish Bee & Heritage Foundation Email: info@ibhf.ie

Address: Fort Lodge, Treanlaure, Maree, Co. Galway