Privacy and policies.

Who we are

This policy explains how Made in Stoke handles personal information in connection with this website and enquiries about our community. For privacy questions, email hello@madeinstoke.com or write to Made in Stoke, Philanthropy House, Priestly Court, Stafford, Staffordshire, ST18 0LQ, United Kingdom.

Information you provide

When you contact us, you may provide your name, email address, organisation, connection to Stoke-on-Trent and any information included in your message. Please share only what is needed for your enquiry and avoid sending sensitive information unless we have agreed a suitable way to receive it.

If you register for an activity, offer support, subscribe to updates or make a purchase or donation, the information requested and the organisation responsible for it should be explained at the point of collection. A service operated by another organisation is covered by that organisation’s privacy notice.

How information is used

• To respond to enquiries and requests.
• To manage the activities, connections or support you ask us to arrange.
• To send updates you have requested and manage your communication preferences.
• To maintain the security of the website and meet applicable legal obligations.

Our lawful bases

The lawful basis depends on the purpose of the processing. Responding to correspondence and administering community relationships may rely on legitimate interests: communicating with people who wish to engage with Made in Stoke and organising our work. These interests must be balanced against your rights and expectations.

Where we ask for consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Where processing is necessary to provide a service you have agreed to, the basis may be performance of a contract. Where the law requires us to keep or disclose information, the basis is legal obligation. Any additional collection of personal information should identify the relevant purpose and lawful basis when it takes place.

Sharing information

Personal information should be shared only where necessary for the purpose explained to you, with service providers acting on appropriate instructions, with organisations involved in an activity you have requested, or where disclosure is required by law. Contact us if you would like to know who receives information relating to your enquiry. We will not treat joining the community as permission to publish your contact details.

How long information is kept

Information is kept for as long as it is needed for the purpose for which it was collected. Relevant factors include whether an enquiry is still active, whether we have an ongoing relationship with you, and whether records are needed to meet legal obligations or resolve a complaint. Information that is no longer needed should be deleted or anonymised. You can ask us about the retention period for a particular record.

Website preferences and external services

The accessibility controls store your chosen text size, contrast, spacing and motion settings in your browser’s local storage. These preferences remain on your device until you change them or clear your browser’s site data. They are not a membership record.

The website loads fonts from Google Fonts. Your browser contacts Google to retrieve them, which can disclose technical information such as your IP address and browser details. See Google’s privacy policy. Links to social networks and other websites take you to services with their own privacy and cookie policies.

Cookies and website analytics

Essential cookies keep sign-in and forms working and help protect the website from spam. They are not used for advertising. We also save your cookie choice and accessibility preferences on your device.

Google Analytics is optional. It loads only if you choose to allow analytics, helping us understand visits and how the website is used. You can refuse analytics and continue to use the website. Open Cookie settings in the footer to change your choice or withdraw consent at any time. We remember your choice for up to six months.

Google processes analytics information under its own policies. See Google’s privacy policy. Withdrawing consent stops further analytics loading and clears the Google Analytics cookies that this website can remove; it does not erase data already collected.

Security and overseas processing

Appropriate technical and organisational safeguards are required to protect personal information. No internet transmission can be guaranteed completely secure. If personal information is transferred outside the UK, the transfer must have an appropriate legal safeguard, such as an applicable adequacy regulation or approved contractual protection. Contact us for information about safeguards relevant to your data.

Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may ask to access or correct your information, have it erased, restrict its use, receive a portable copy, or object to processing. You can object to direct marketing at any time and withdraw consent without affecting processing that took place before withdrawal.

Email hello@madeinstoke.com to make a request. We may need proportionate information to confirm your identity. We normally respond within one month; where the law permits an extension, we will explain why.

Concerns and complaints

Please contact us if you are concerned about how your information has been handled. You can also complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office through ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint.

Changes to this policy

We will update this page when our information practices change. The date above shows when this policy was last revised.