Matters Privacy Notice

Last updated: October 2026

At Matters, your privacy matters too.

This notice explains how Matters collects, uses, stores and protects your personal information when you interact with Matters or take part in a Matters service, session, programme or event.

Who is responsible for your information?

Matters is operated by Rebecca McDonnell as a sole trader.

For data protection purposes, Matters is the data controller.

Website: matterscircle.co.uk
Email: Rebecca@matterscircle.co.uk

What information might I collect?

I aim to collect only the information genuinely needed to provide Matters services and run the business responsibly.

Depending on how you interact with Matters, this may include:

• your name and contact details;

• booking, attendance or enquiry information;

• notes made during 1:1 sessions, check-ins or other personalised support;

• information you choose to share about your routines, circumstances, wellbeing, goals, interests, preferences and barriers;

• personalised plans or resources created for you;

• accessibility or adjustment requirements;

• feedback you choose to provide;

• communication and marketing preferences; and

• payment or transaction information where relevant.

You may sometimes choose to share information about your physical or mental health. This is considered special-category personal data and receives additional protection under data protection law.

You never need to share something simply because I ask a question.

Why do I use your information?

Depending on your relationship with Matters, I may use your information to:

• respond to enquiries;

• manage bookings and attendance;

• provide Matters sessions, Circles, Check-Ins, workshops, programmes, events, retreats or other services;

• understand your needs and make appropriate adjustments;

• personalise your support, plans or resources;

• communicate with you about a service you're taking part in;

• provide continuity if you return to Matters;

• process payments and maintain appropriate business records;

• respond to feedback or concerns; and

• meet legal or regulatory obligations.

Where I record and use health information you choose to share, I will only do so where there is an appropriate legal basis and condition for processing special-category data. Where I rely on your explicit consent, I will ask for this clearly and separately.

Where processing relies on consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time by contacting Matters.

Marketing

Marketing is separate from taking part in a Matters service.

If you choose to join the Matters mailing list, I may contact you about future Matters events, Circles, workshops, programmes, retreats, resources and services.

You do not have to agree to marketing to use Matters.

You can unsubscribe or withdraw your marketing consent at any time.

How long will I keep your information?

Client or participant records relating to personalised Matters services will normally be kept for up to six months after your last contact with the service, unless there is a legitimate or legal reason to retain particular information for longer.

Information that is no longer required will be securely deleted or destroyed.

Some records may need to be retained separately for longer where Matters has a legal obligation or legitimate business requirement to do so, for example certain financial, tax or transaction records.

Marketing contact information may be retained separately while you remain subscribed to Matters communications.

How is your information stored?

Electronic information is stored using password-protected systems with appropriate security measures.

Any paper records containing personal information are kept securely and, where they are transferred to secure electronic records, paper copies will be securely destroyed when they are no longer required.

I take reasonable steps to limit access to personal information and to collect and retain only information that is relevant.

Sharing something during a conversation does not automatically mean every detail needs to become part of your record.

Who is your information shared with?

I do not sell your personal information.

I may use trusted service providers to help operate Matters, such as providers used for website hosting, email, bookings, forms, payments and secure digital storage. These providers may process personal information on my behalf where necessary to provide their services.

I will not share your personal information with other organisations for their own marketing purposes.

There may also be limited circumstances where I am required to disclose information by law or where disclosure is otherwise permitted under data protection law.

Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, data protection law gives you rights over your personal information. These can include asking to:

• access information held about you;

• correct inaccurate information;

• have information erased;

• restrict how information is used;

• receive certain information in a portable format;

• object to certain uses of your information; and

• withdraw consent where processing relies on your consent.

Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing that took place before consent was withdrawn.

To ask a question, exercise your rights or withdraw consent, contact:

Rebecca@matterscircle.co.uk

If you have a concern

If you have a concern about how Matters uses your personal information, please contact me first so I have the opportunity to resolve it.

You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator.

More information is available at ico.org.uk.