Privacy Policy

Countess of Munster Musical Trust Privacy Policy – updated September 2021

  1. Who we are

The Countess of Munster Musical Trust is a registered charity number 1031783.  The registered office address is Wormley Hill, Godalming, Surrey GU8 5SG. The Executive Director is responsible for matters relating to data protection and can be contacted by telephone on 02077591220 or by email on admin@munstertrust.org.uk.

  1. What this privacy notice is for

In accordance with relevant data protection rules, this privacy notice describes how we collect and use personal information.  The Countess of Munster Musical Trust is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information.  This privacy notice tells you what you can expect us to do with your personal information when you make contact with us.

  1. How we collect personal information

Generally we collect personal information directly from the individual, for example when:

  • You make an application to us for funding or other support;
  • You provide us with information when you become an artist on the Recital Scheme or a representative of a member club of the Recital Scheme;
  • You request information from us;
  • You apply for a job with us;
  • You are representing your organisation in your dealings with the Trust.

Such information is generally collected via an application form or in the ordinary course of interaction or communication.  In some cases personal data will be supplied by third parties, for example previous or current institutions of study and experts involved in assessment of funding applications, from people with whom you collaborate musically or from publicly available resources such as websites.

  1. The kind of personal information that we hold

We may collect, store and use the following types of personal information about you:

  • contact and communications information, including your contact details, your communication preferences and records of communications and interactions we have had with you;
  • biographical, educational and career information, including your name, date of birth, details of your education, details of your professional activities;
  • information concerning your involvement with us, including participation in the Recital Scheme;
  • if you are in receipt of funding from us, bank details and other financial information.

We may also collect sensitive personal data including information concerning your health and medical conditions where this is necessary to enable us to make arrangements for, as an example, your attendance at audition.

  1. How we use your information and the basis for processing your information

The purposes for which we may use personal data are all designed to further our charitable objectives and legitimate interests, which are to promote the advancement of musical education and the provision of support to musicians during their education and early professional careers.

We may process your personal data because it is necessary for the performance of a contract with you.  We may also process your personal data because it is necessary for our or a third party’s legitimate interests.  Our “legitimate interests” include our charitable objectives as briefly summarised above.  When we process your personal information for our legitimate interests, we consider and balance any potential impact for you (both positive and negative) and your rights under data protection laws.  Our legitimate interests do not automatically override your interest and so we will not use your personal data for activities where our interests are overridden by the impact on you (unless we have your consent or are otherwise required or permitted to by law).

The Trust considers that the following uses fall within the category of its “legitimate interests”:

  • reviewing applications for funding, assessing their relative merits, arranging auditions and interviews, and consulting third party experts as part of that review and assessment;
  • providing information about our awards and other activities;
  • maintaining an archive with records of previous beneficiaries and of those involved in the Recital Scheme;
  • using personal information for administrative purposes, for instance in the arrangement of auditions and Recital Scheme engagements;
  • maintaining relationships with alumni and with the wider musical community. The Trust may use contact details to provide details of activities of the Trust or alumni opportunities;
  • maintaining internal record-keeping and conducting reviews of internal statistics;
  • where otherwise reasonably necessary for the Trust’s purposes, including to obtain appropriate professional advice and insurance for the Trust.

We may also process your personal data where we have your consent to do so.

  1. Sharing your information with others

For the most part, personal information collected by the Trust is available only to the staff and Trustees of the Trust and is accessed only as necessary.  Occasionally we may disclose limited personal data to a variety of third parties including:

  • other organisations involved in the provision of musical education or performance where necessary for the assessment of your application or administration of your award, and where we seek to keep in touch with you or watch your career as an alumnus;
  • third party reviewers and experts nominated by you (or selected by us) to assist in the assessment process;
  • Recital Scheme member organisations in connection with the administration of the Scheme;
  • professional advisors, agents and other service providers and appropriate regulatory bodies such as the Charity Commission.

We only allow service providers to handle your personal data if we are satisfied they take appropriate measures to protect your personal data.

  1. How long your information is kept

The Trust will retain personal data securely and only for as long as necessary for a legitimate and lawful reason.  For successful applicants, the Trust may retain your personal data indefinitely.  We will retain alumni personal data in order to support your life-long relationship with the Trust.  However, if you no longer wish to be part of the alumni community, please let us know and we will delete your personal data (except for a record of your award details, for archiving purposes).   For unsuccessful applicants, personal data is deleted as necessary except that a skeletal record of the application is retained indefinitely in the Trust’s archive for statistical and research purposes.

If you have any specific queries about how our retention policy is applied, please contact the Executive Director (admin@munstertrust.org.uk).

  1. Cookies

Like other websites, the Trust uses ‘cookies’ that enable it to operate and to provide an understanding of how the website is being used.
Cookies are small text files that are stored on your browser. They allow information about your visit to be recorded, and enable websites to recognise a user (anonymously) based on the information stored in the cookie.

No personal information is collected in the cookies we use, so this information is anonymous, and cookies do not harm your computer.

  1. Your rights

Under data protection law, in certain circumstances you have the right to:

      • ask us for copies of your personal information;
      • ask us to rectify information you think is inaccurate or to ask us to complete information that you think is incomplete;
      • ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances;
      • ask us to restrict the processing of your information in certain circumstances;
      • withdraw consent where our processing is based on your consent.

This is not a comprehensive list of your rights and further information is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office (see https://ico.org.uk/).

Please note that these rights are not absolute and we may be entitled to refuse requests where exceptions apply.  If you wish to exercise one of these rights in respect of your personal information, please contact the Executive Director by email on admin@munstertrust.org.uk  or by phone on 02077591220.

It is important that the personal information we hold about you is accurate and current.  Please keep us informed if your personal information changes during your relationship with us.