Last updated: 20 October 2026
This privacy policy explains how Western Sussex Rivers Trust ("WSRT", "we", "us") collects and uses personal information when you use this website or get in touch with us. We are committed to protecting your privacy and to handling your information in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Who we are
Western Sussex Rivers Trust (formerly the Arun & Rother Rivers Trust) is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1147477. We are the data controller for the personal information described in this policy.
If you have any questions about this policy or how we use your information, email us at info@wsrt.org.uk or use our contact form.
What information we collect
We only collect the information we need. Depending on how you use the website, this may include:
Contact form: your name, email address and the message you send us.
Mailing list: your name and email address when you sign up to hear from us.
Request forms (for example our Sussex black poplar tree request form): the details you enter on the form, such as your name, contact details and information about your request.
Volunteering, events and talks: the details you give us when you ask to volunteer, book onto an event or request a talk.
Emails and phone calls: any information you choose to share when you contact our team directly.
We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13 through this website.
Donations
Online donations are processed by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF Donate), not by this website. CAF collects your payment details and any Gift Aid declaration and shares donor details with us so that we can record your gift, claim Gift Aid where you have agreed to it, and thank you. CAF's own privacy notice explains how it handles your information.
How we use your information
We use your information to:
reply to your enquiries and requests;
send you our news and updates, if you have signed up to our mailing list;
organise volunteering, events, talks and projects you have asked to take part in;
process and record donations and claim Gift Aid;
keep the website secure and working properly;
meet our legal and regulatory obligations as a charity.
Our legal basis
We rely on the following legal bases under UK GDPR:
Consent: when you sign up to our mailing list or tick the consent box on one of our forms. You can withdraw your consent at any time.
Legitimate interests: to respond to your enquiries, run our charitable activities and keep the website secure, where this does not override your rights.
Legal obligation: where we must keep records, for example for Gift Aid and charity accounting.
Who we share your information with
We do not sell or rent your personal information. We only share it with organisations that help us run the charity and this website, such as our website hosting and email providers and CAF for donations. They may only use your information to provide their services to us and must keep it secure.
We may also share information where the law requires us to, for example with HMRC for Gift Aid claims.
How long we keep your information
We keep personal information only for as long as we need it for the purpose it was collected:
enquiries and form submissions are kept for as long as needed to deal with your request and any follow-up;
mailing list details are kept until you unsubscribe or ask us to remove you;
donation and Gift Aid records are kept for as long as the law requires (normally six years).
Cookies
This website uses a small number of essential cookies so that it works properly and securely:
XSRF-TOKEN: protects the forms on this website from misuse. It expires after two hours.
western_sussex_rivers_trust_session: keeps track of your visit, for example so form messages display correctly. It expires after two hours.
These cookies are strictly necessary, so they do not need your consent. We do not use advertising or analytics cookies on this website.
Some pages include content from other websites, such as embedded videos and maps, and links to our social media pages and CAF Donate. Those services may set their own cookies when you view or use their content, and their own privacy policies apply.
Your rights
You have the right to:
ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you;
ask us to correct information that is wrong or incomplete;
ask us to delete your information;
object to, or ask us to restrict, how we use your information;
withdraw your consent at any time, for example by unsubscribing from our emails;
ask us to transfer your information to another organisation, where this applies.
To use any of these rights, email info@wsrt.org.uk. We will respond within one month.
Keeping your information secure
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information, including using a secure (HTTPS) connection on this website and limiting access to the people who need it.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, please contact us first so we can try to put things right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version will always be on this page, with the date it was last updated.