Privacy Policy

Last updated: 24 June 2026

Via Wings is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data openly and lawfully. This policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, and the rights you have over it. It applies to everyone we interact with, including the people we support, our donors, supporters, volunteers, event participants, customers of our shop, and visitors to our website.

Who we are

Via Wings Ltd (“Via Wings”, “we”, “us”, “our”) is a charity registered in Northern Ireland. We are the “data controller” responsible for your personal data under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

  • Registered charity number: NIC106946
  • Company number: NI641813
  • Registered address: 9-13 Princes Street, Dromore, Co Down, Northern Ireland, BT25 1AY
  • Email: info@viawings.co.uk
  • Phone: 028 9269 8378

If you have any questions about this policy or about how we handle your data, please contact us using the details above and mark your message for the attention of our Data Protection Lead.

The information we collect

The information we hold depends on your relationship with us. We may collect and process the following.

People we support

When you access our services, such as Dare2Care, our support groups, our after-school clubs, or food and essential supplies, we may collect your name, contact details, household and family information, and details relevant to the support you need. Where you contact us for emergency or crisis support, we record the information necessary to help you safely.

Counselling clients

Where you use our counselling services, we collect information about your health and wellbeing, including mental health information, so that we can provide appropriate care. This is sensitive information and we treat it with particular care, as described in the “Sensitive information” section below.

Donors and supporters

When you donate, fundraise, or support us, we collect your name, contact details, payment information, and a record of your donations and communications with us. If you choose to add Gift Aid, we collect a declaration confirming your eligibility as a UK taxpayer.

Volunteers

If you volunteer with us, we collect your contact details, information from your application and references, emergency contact details, and any information needed to support your role. Some roles may require background checks, which we carry out only where appropriate and lawful.

Shop and Wings N Things customers

When you buy from us, we collect the information needed to process your purchase and, where relevant, to provide a receipt or arrange delivery or collection.

Website visitors

When you visit our website we collect limited technical information through cookies and similar technologies, such as your device and browser type and how you use the site. Our Cookie Policy explains this in full.

Children’s information

Some of our services, including our after-school clubs, involve children. Where we collect information about a child, we do so with the consent of a parent or guardian where required, and we collect only what we need to keep the child safe and to provide the service.

Sensitive information

Some of the information we handle is “special category” data under data protection law. This includes information about health and mental health, which we collect when providing counselling, and may include information about your circumstances that reveals other protected characteristics.

We only process this information where we have a lawful basis to do so. Depending on the situation, this will usually be:

  • your explicit consent, which you can withdraw at any time;
  • our work as a not-for-profit body, in relation to our members, former members, and the people we are in regular contact with in connection with our purposes; or
  • reasons of substantial public interest, such as safeguarding individuals at risk.

Where we provide counselling, we handle your information confidentially and in line with professional standards. There are limited circumstances in which we may need to share information without your consent, for example where there is a serious risk of harm to you or to another person, or where we are required to do so by law.

How we use your information and our lawful bases

Under data protection law we must have a lawful basis for using your personal data. We rely on the following bases, depending on the purpose.

  • To provide our services and support to the people in our community. Lawful basis: performance of a task carried out in our charitable purposes, your consent, or, where there is an urgent risk, protecting someone’s vital interests.
  • To process and acknowledge donations, including claiming Gift Aid where you have given a declaration. Lawful basis: performance of a contract, consent, and compliance with our legal obligations to HM Revenue and Customs.
  • To manage volunteers, fundraising, and events. Lawful basis: consent, performance of a contract, or our legitimate interests in running the charity effectively.
  • To keep you updated about our work, appeals, events, and the difference your support makes, where you have asked to hear from us. Lawful basis: consent.
  • To keep proper financial and charity records and to meet our legal and regulatory duties. Lawful basis: compliance with a legal obligation.
  • To safeguard children and adults at risk. Lawful basis: legal obligation, substantial public interest, or protecting someone’s vital interests.
  • To run, secure, and improve our website. Lawful basis: consent for non-essential cookies, and our legitimate interests in keeping the site working and secure.

Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of anything we did before you withdrew it.

Marketing and staying in touch

We will only send you marketing communications, such as newsletters, appeals, and event invitations, where you have agreed to receive them. Every electronic message we send includes a way to unsubscribe, and you can ask us to stop contacting you for marketing purposes at any time by emailing info@viawings.co.uk.

Who we share your information with

We do not sell your personal data. We share it only where necessary, and only with organisations that handle it securely on our behalf or where we are required to share it by law. This may include:

  • payment providers who process donations and purchases [PLACEHOLDER: name the donation and payment processor, for example Stripe, GoCardless, PayPal, or a JustGiving-style platform];
  • HM Revenue and Customs, where you have made a Gift Aid declaration;
  • our website host and IT providers, who maintain the systems we use to deliver our services and website;
  • Google, through Google Analytics, which helps us understand how our website is used, as described in our Cookie Policy;
  • professional advisers, regulators, and authorities, including the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland and safeguarding or law enforcement bodies, where we are legally required or permitted to share information.

We put appropriate agreements in place with the organisations that process data on our behalf, so that your information is only used for the purposes we specify and is kept secure.

Sending information outside the UK

Some of the organisations we work with, such as Google, may process your information outside the United Kingdom. Where this happens, we take steps to make sure your information remains protected to a standard equivalent to UK law, for example through approved safeguards such as the International Data Transfer Agreement or UK Addendum to the European Commission’s standard contractual clauses.

How long we keep your information

We keep your personal data only for as long as we need it for the purposes set out in this policy, after which we securely delete or anonymise it. In practice this means:

  • Gift Aid declarations and related donation records: at least 6 years after the relevant tax year, as required by HMRC.
  • Financial and accounting records: at least 6 years, in line with our legal obligations.
  • Counselling records: kept while you remain in contact with us, and reviewed periodically.
  • Records about the people we support: kept while you remain in contact with us, and reviewed periodically.
  • Volunteer records: kept while you remain in contact with us, and reviewed periodically.
  • Supporter and marketing records: kept while you remain in contact with us, and reviewed periodically.

Where a retention period is not set by law, we base it on how long the information is needed and any guidance that applies to our work.

How we keep your information secure

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against loss, misuse, and unauthorised access. These include controlling who can access information, securing the systems we use, and training the people who handle data. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take our responsibilities seriously and review our measures regularly.

Your rights

Under data protection law you have the following rights over your personal data:

  • the right to be informed about how your data is used, which this policy is intended to provide;
  • the right of access to the personal data we hold about you;
  • the right to have inaccurate data corrected;
  • the right to have your data erased in certain circumstances;
  • the right to restrict or object to our processing of your data in certain circumstances;
  • the right to data portability, allowing you to obtain and reuse your data; and
  • where we rely on consent, the right to withdraw that consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@viawings.co.uk. We will respond within one month. Using these rights is free, although we may charge a reasonable fee or decline a request that is clearly unfounded or excessive.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, 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), the UK’s supervisory authority for data protection.

  • Website: https://ico.org.uk
  • Helpline: 0303 123 1113

Cookies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies. For full details of the cookies we use, why we use them, and how to manage your preferences, please see our Cookie Policy.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our activities or in the law. When we make significant changes we will update the date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, let you know directly. Please check back occasionally to stay informed.

Contact us

If you have any questions, comments, or requests about this policy or your personal data, please contact:

Via Wings 9-13 Princes Street, Dromore, Co Down, Northern Ireland, BT25 1AY Email: info@viawings.co.uk Phone: 028 9269 8378