Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how BeeFirst Media Limited, trading as BeeFirst Media and Link Legal, collects, uses, stores, shares and protects your personal information when you visit Church of England Claim, submit an enquiry or contact us regarding the Church of England Redress Scheme.

Church of England Claim is operated by BeeFirst Media Limited. We work with Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd, which manages introductions to independent specialist law firms with which it has commercial agreements.

We recognise that enquiries concerning abuse and redress may involve highly sensitive personal information. We are committed to treating your information confidentially, respectfully and securely in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and other applicable legislation.

This Privacy Policy explains your rights, how your information may be shared and the choices available to you.

2. Who We Are

Website operator and initial data controller

BeeFirst Media Limited Trading as BeeFirst Media and Link Legal Company Number: 11516817 ICO Registration Reference: ZB847424

Registered Address: 170 Park Lane Whitefield Manchester M45 7PX

Email: joe@beefirstmedia.co.uk

Our introduction partner

Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd works with BeeFirst Media Limited to manage enquiries and facilitate introductions to independent specialist law firms.

Where Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd independently determines the purposes and means of processing personal information, it acts as a separate data controller and is responsible for complying with its own data protection obligations.

Both companies are commercial organisations and are not law firms. Neither provides legal advice.

Church of England Claim is an independent information and enquiry service. It is not affiliated with, operated by or endorsed by the Church of England, the Church of England Redress Scheme, the Scheme Administrator, any government department or any regulator.

3. Information We Collect

We may collect the following personal information when you visit our website, submit an enquiry or communicate with us:

• Full name and date of birth.

• Postal address, email address and telephone number.

• Preferred method and time of contact.

• Information about your enquiry and circumstances.

• Information about your experiences of abuse, including approximate dates, locations and organisations involved.

• Details of other individuals involved, where relevant.

• Information about previous applications, legal representation or related claims.

• Documents or evidence you voluntarily provide.

• Correspondence, call recordings and transcripts where applicable.

• Records of your consent and communication preferences.

We ask that you provide only the information necessary for your enquiry. You do not need to provide a detailed account of your experiences when making an initial enquiry.

4. Special Category Personal Data

Information relating to abuse may include special category personal data, such as information concerning your physical or mental health, sex life or sexual orientation.

We recognise the particularly sensitive nature of this information.

Where we rely on your explicit consent to process such information, we will request it separately and clearly explain the purposes for which it will be used and shared.

Where applicable, we may rely on another condition permitted by Article 9 of the UK GDPR, including processing necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

We will also identify an appropriate lawful basis under Article 6 of the UK GDPR.

We will not assume that submitting an enquiry automatically constitutes explicit consent to every use or disclosure of sensitive personal information.

5. Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain technical information, including:

• IP address.

• Browser and device information.

• Operating system.

• Pages visited and time spent on the website.

• Date and time of access.

• Referring websites.

• Cookie preferences and website usage information.

Where legally required, we will obtain your consent before placing non-essential cookies or using advertising and analytics technologies.

Further information is available in our Cookie Policy.

6. How We Use Your Information

We may use your personal information to:

• Receive, review and respond to your enquiry.

• Communicate with you about your request for assistance.

• Provide general information about the Church of England Redress Scheme and possible legal options.

• Assess whether an introduction to an independent specialist law firm may be appropriate.

• Share your enquiry with Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd where permitted.

• Facilitate an introduction to a specialist law firm where you request one.

• Arrange relevant administrative support and maintain records of your enquiry.

• Record and manage your consent and communication preferences.

• Maintain the security and functionality of our website and systems.

• Comply with legal and regulatory obligations.

• Establish, exercise or defend legal claims where necessary.

We will not use sensitive information provided in connection with your enquiry for unrelated advertising or marketing without an appropriate lawful basis and any required consent.

7. Sharing Information with Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd

BeeFirst Media Limited works with Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd to facilitate introductions to independent specialist law firms.

Where you request legal assistance and the relevant data protection requirements have been satisfied, BeeFirst Media Limited may share your personal information with Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd.

This may include your contact information, details of your enquiry and relevant supporting information you have provided.

Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd may use this information to review and administer your enquiry, communicate with you where appropriate and facilitate an introduction to a suitable independent specialist law firm with which it has a commercial agreement.

Where you have provided the necessary consent, this may include sensitive information relating to your experiences and circumstances.

We will share only information that is reasonably necessary for these purposes.

Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd may subsequently share relevant information with an independent specialist law firm for the purpose of considering your enquiry and a potential solicitor-client relationship.

The receiving law firm will ordinarily act as an independent data controller in relation to information it receives and will provide its own privacy information where required.

Your information will not be shared with unrelated third parties for their own marketing purposes.

8. Referrals to Independent Specialist Law Firms

If you request legal assistance, we may arrange for Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd to introduce your enquiry to one or more independent specialist law firms experienced in abuse, redress or related legal claims.

Any introduction will be subject to the appropriate data protection requirements and permissions.

The law firm is independently responsible for deciding whether it can accept your matter, providing legal advice, explaining its fees and managing any legal proceedings or redress application.

Submitting an enquiry does not guarantee that a law firm will accept your case, that you will qualify for the Redress Scheme or that you will receive compensation.

You are under no obligation to instruct a law firm introduced through our service.

You may choose any solicitor or proceed without legal representation.

9. Important Information About the Redress Scheme

The Church of England Redress Scheme is free to apply to, and you do not need a solicitor to make an application.

Before an introduction to a law firm, you will be provided with written information explaining that:

• Applying to the Scheme is free.

• You are not required to instruct a solicitor.

• You may choose any solicitor or proceed without legal representation.

• The proposed legal fee arrangement, including any costs for which you may be responsible, will be explained.

• Any relevant commercial introduction or referral arrangements will be disclosed as required.

You are free to make your own decision about whether to seek legal representation.

Neither BeeFirst Media Limited nor Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd is endorsed by the Church of England, the Scheme or the Scheme Administrator.

10. Commercial Arrangements and Payments

BeeFirst Media Limited and Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd may receive commercial payments for marketing, enquiry management, administrative services and introductions to independent specialist law firms, where permitted by law.

Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd has commercial agreements with participating law firms.

These arrangements do not require you to instruct any particular solicitor and do not give either company control over a law firm’s professional advice or decisions.

Any legal fees payable by you, and any relevant funding arrangements, will be explained separately before you agree to instruct a solicitor.

11. Lawful Bases for Processing

We process personal information only where we have an appropriate lawful basis under the UK GDPR.

Depending on the circumstances, these may include:

Consent: where you have agreed to specific processing activities, including the processing and sharing of sensitive information where explicit consent is required.

Legitimate interests: where necessary to operate and secure our website, administer appropriate business records, prevent misuse and manage our services, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights.

Contract: where processing is necessary to perform a contract with you or take steps at your request before entering into a contract.

Legal obligation: where processing is necessary to comply with applicable legal requirements.

Legal claims: where an applicable legal basis and special category condition permit processing in connection with the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

We will not rely on legitimate interests alone as a condition for processing special category personal data.

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal will not affect processing that was lawful before your consent was withdrawn.

12. Who Else We Share Information With

Where necessary and lawful, we may share personal information with:

• Independent specialist law firms.

• Secure CRM and case management providers.

• Website hosting and cloud storage providers.

• Email, telephone and communications service providers.

• IT support and security providers.

• Professional advisers, including solicitors, accountants and insurers.

• Regulators, courts and law enforcement agencies where required by law.

Service providers processing information on our behalf will be subject to appropriate contractual and confidentiality obligations.

We do not sell your sensitive personal information to unrelated organisations for their own marketing purposes.

13. Data Sharing and Confidentiality

BeeFirst Media Limited and Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd will maintain appropriate arrangements governing the sharing and protection of personal information.

These arrangements will address the purposes of sharing, permitted uses, security, confidentiality, retention and the handling of individual rights.

Access to sensitive information will be restricted to authorised personnel who require it for legitimate business purposes.

Where an independent law firm receives your information, it will be responsible for complying with its own professional, confidentiality and data protection obligations.

14. Telephone Calls and Communications

We may contact you by telephone, email or other communication methods in connection with an enquiry you have submitted.

Where calls are recorded, we will inform you and explain the relevant purposes, lawful basis and retention arrangements.

Recordings and transcripts may be used for enquiry administration, quality assurance, evidential purposes or the management of your requested introduction, where lawful.

We will not undertake prohibited cold calling or unsolicited approaches.

Marketing communications unrelated to your enquiry will be subject to separate consent or another applicable lawful basis.

15. International Data Transfers

Some of our technology or service providers may process or store personal information outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred internationally, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place as required by applicable data protection legislation.

These may include UK adequacy regulations, the UK International Data Transfer Agreement, the UK Addendum to approved standard contractual clauses or another lawful transfer mechanism.

You may contact us for further information about the safeguards relevant to your personal information.

16. How We Protect Your Information

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration and unlawful disclosure.

These may include:

• Secure website connections and encrypted transmission.

• Access controls and restricted staff permissions.

• Password-protected systems.

• Secure hosting and CRM arrangements.

• Appropriate confidentiality obligations.

• Security monitoring and system maintenance.

• Secure deletion procedures.

• Appropriate measures for protecting sensitive records.

No internet transmission or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. We regularly review the measures appropriate to the information we process.

17. How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.

Retention periods depend on the nature of your enquiry, whether you have been introduced to a law firm, applicable legal obligations and the need to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

Where an enquiry does not proceed, we will review whether continued retention is necessary.

Where information is shared with Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd or an independent law firm, those organisations may have separate retention obligations.

When personal information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or anonymised.

You may contact us to request further information about the retention period applicable to your records.

18. Your Data Protection Rights

Under UK data protection legislation, you may have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you.

• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.

• Request deletion of your information in certain circumstances.

• Request restriction of processing.

• Object to certain processing activities.

• Request the transfer of your information where applicable.

• Withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on consent.

• Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

These rights are subject to applicable legal requirements and exemptions.

To exercise your rights, please contact joe@beefirstmedia.co.uk.

Where your request concerns information held independently by Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd or a law firm, you may also need to contact that organisation directly.

19. Withdrawing Consent

Where we rely on your consent to process or share personal information, including special category personal data, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

To withdraw consent, please email joe@beefirstmedia.co.uk.

We will stop processing your information for the purposes covered by the withdrawn consent unless another lawful basis permits or requires continued processing.

If your information has already been shared with Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd or an independent law firm, we will take appropriate steps to communicate your withdrawal where required.

Withdrawal of consent does not automatically require the deletion of information that another organisation is legally entitled or obliged to retain.

20. Marketing Communications

We may contact you regarding an enquiry you have submitted, including updates about your requested introduction or relevant administrative matters.

We will only send unrelated promotional marketing communications where we have an appropriate lawful basis and comply with applicable electronic marketing rules.

Where consent is required, we will obtain it separately.

You may opt out of marketing communications at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions in our messages or contacting us directly.

Withdrawing marketing consent will not prevent us from sending necessary communications relating to an existing enquiry where we have another lawful basis to do so.

21. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to ensure it functions correctly, remember your preferences, understand website performance and measure the effectiveness of our advertising.

Where required by law, we will request your consent before placing non-essential cookies, including advertising and analytics cookies.

You can manage your preferences through our cookie consent mechanism.

Further information is available in our Cookie Policy.

22. Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including independent law firms and the official Church of England Redress Scheme website.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those websites.

We recommend reviewing their privacy policies before submitting personal information.

23. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our services, business relationships, data processing activities or legal obligations.

Any changes will be published on this page with an updated revision date.

Where changes materially affect how we process your personal information, we will take any additional steps required by applicable data protection legislation.

24. Contact Us

For questions about this Privacy Policy, your personal information or your data protection rights, please contact:

BeeFirst Media Limited Trading as BeeFirst Media and Link Legal

170 Park Lane Whitefield Manchester M45 7PX

Email: joe@beefirstmedia.co.uk

Company Number: 11516817 ICO Registration Reference: ZB847424

For enquiries concerning information independently processed by Clear Bridge Solutions Ltd, please refer to its own privacy information or request the appropriate contact details from us.

25. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how your personal information has been handled, please contact us so that we can investigate your concerns.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF

Website: https://ico.org.uk  Telephone: 0303 123 1113