Privacy Notice
The Commemorative Order of St. Thomas of Acon – Province of the East Midlands
Website: https://stoa-eastmidlands.org
Effective date: 17 October 2026
Last reviewed: 17 October 2026
1. Introduction
The Province of the East Midlands of the Commemorative Order of St. Thomas of Acon respects your privacy and is committed to handling personal information responsibly.
This Privacy Notice explains how personal information is collected, used, stored and shared when you visit our website, contact one of our Chapels, make a regalia enquiry or communicate with the Province.
It also explains your data protection rights and how to raise a privacy concern.
This notice principally covers the Province’s public website and its provincial activities. Certain information is also handled by individual Chapels and the national administration of the Order.
2. Who is responsible for your personal information?
The Province of the East Midlands operates as a branch of the Commemorative Order of St. Thomas of Acon under the authority of the Grand Masters Council.
The Province is governed by its Provincial Executive, headed by the Right Worthy Grand Preceptor, with the Right Eminent Grand Prior as the second senior provincial officer. The Provincial Grand Secretary undertakes day-to-day operational administration under the direction of the provincial leadership.
For personal information processed in connection with the Province’s own website and provincial activities, the Province of the East Midlands is responsible for ensuring that information is handled appropriately, subject to the actual responsibilities applicable to each processing activity.
The Provincial Grand Secretary coordinates day-to-day privacy matters and may refer enquiries to the appropriate Chapel Secretary or other officer.
The Province of the East Midlands is responsible for the personal information it collects and uses in connection with its own website, enquiries, events and provincial administration. The Provincial Executive oversees the Province’s activities, and the Provincial Grand Secretary coordinates day-to-day administration, including the handling of personal information for provincial purposes.
As part of the membership process, the Provincial Grand Secretary forwards completed membership information to the Grand Secretary of the Grand Masters Council (GMC) for national membership records and related national administration.
The GMC does not routinely undertake the day-to-day administration of the Province’s website, enquiries or local activities. It may use membership information when required for national administrative purposes and may use aggregated membership figures for reporting or oversight where individual details are not needed.
The Province is responsible for the personal information it processes for its own purposes. Where membership information is provided to the GMC or the Grand Secretary, their responsibilities depend on how that information is used for national purposes. This notice does not suggest that the GMC or Grand Secretary manages the Province’s routine data processing.
If you would like further information about how your personal information is handled at provincial or national level, please contact the Provincial Grand Secretary using the contact details provided on this website.
3. Contacting us about privacy
For privacy enquiries relating to the provincial website or provincial activities, please use the general contact form on our website or contact the Provincial Grand Secretary directly at the email address at the foot of each page of this website
Contact the Provincial Grand Secretary
Your message will be directed to the Provincial Grand Secretary, and referred to the relevant officer where necessary.
For general website enquiries, please contact the Provincial Webmaster
Contact the Provincial Webmaster
The Province is administered by volunteer officers and does not maintain a central registered business office. We therefore use the website’s contact arrangements for initial correspondence.
4. Information we collect
Depending on how you interact with the website or Province, information may include:
Your name.
Your email address.
Your telephone number, if you choose to provide it.
The nature of your enquiry and the message you submit.
Information voluntarily provided in connection with Chapel or regalia enquiries.
Information relating to events and activities.
Photographs and event reports in which individuals may be identifiable.
Your email address if you voluntarily sign up for future website updates.
Technical information about website visits, such as browser and device details, pages viewed and usage statistics collected through Squarespace Analytics.
Please do not include sensitive personal information in a website enquiry unless it is necessary for the matter you are raising.
5. Website contact forms
The website provides a general contact form, seven Chapel-specific contact forms and a dedicated regalia enquiry form.
The forms request your first name, surname, email address, the nature of your enquiry and a message. A telephone number may be supplied optionally.
General enquiries
General enquiries are received by the Provincial Webmaster or another appropriate officer. Where necessary, the enquiry may be forwarded to the Provincial Grand Secretary or another person authorised to deal with it.
Chapel enquiries
Enquiries submitted through a Chapel-specific form are forwarded to the relevant Chapel Secretary. The personal email addresses of Chapel Secretaries are not displayed publicly on the website.
Regalia enquiries
The dedicated regalia form allows visitors to enquire about obtaining Order regalia through the Province. Submissions are forwarded to the appropriate person responsible for regalia enquiries. Their personal email address is not displayed publicly.
How we use enquiry information
Information submitted through these forms is used to respond to your enquiry, forward it to the appropriate person, provide relevant information and maintain correspondence where reasonably necessary.
Information is not automatically used to add you to an email updates list.
6. Membership enquiries and administration
Initial membership enquiries are normally handled by the relevant Chapel Secretary.
Where an individual wishes to apply for membership, the process may involve:
The applicant completing the relevant membership application form.
The Chapel Secretary receiving and handling the initial application.
The Provincial Grand Secretary undertaking further enquiries, including checks relating to eligibility and the availability of the applicant’s requested Order name or nomen.
Arrangements being made for the applicant’s formal welcome into the Order following approval.
The Provincial Grand Secretary completing the relevant administrative details and forwarding the completed paperwork to the Grand Secretary for national records.
Information is used for the administration of the application, consideration of eligibility, checking the availability of a requested nomen and the proper administration of the Order.
Chapel, provincial and national officers handle information for their respective administrative purposes. Relevant information is shared between these levels where necessary.
The public website is not a membership application portal. This section explains the wider administrative context and does not replace any separate privacy information applicable to national membership records.
7. Local and provincial administration
Chapel Secretaries routinely use member contact information for local administrative purposes, including arranging meetings, inviting members, communicating Chapel activities and maintaining local contact records.
At provincial level, the Provincial Grand Secretary coordinates matters including provincial events, notifications, promotions and communications between Chapels.
The Province also publishes an annual Year Book which may include Chapel details and members’ names.
Information is used for the administration and activities of the Order and shared only where reasonably necessary for those purposes.
8. Retention of membership information
Membership information is generally maintained and updated while an individual remains a member.
When membership ends, or when a member dies, relevant information may continue to be retained where reasonably necessary for historical, administrative or memorial purposes, including facilitating appropriate memorial notifications.
Information about deceased individuals is generally outside the scope of UK GDPR, but we will continue to treat such information respectfully. Information about living relatives or other identifiable people remains subject to applicable data protection requirements.
Information will not be retained indefinitely without a continuing purpose. Retention periods depend on the type of information, the reason it is held and any applicable legal or administrative requirements.
9. Photographs, event reports and publications
The website may publish photographs, reports and other information relating to meetings, events, pilgrimages and activities of the Province.
Photographs may include identifiable members or other participants. Some individuals may be identified by their Order or Masonic name rather than their ordinary surname. Such information may still constitute personal information if the individual can be identified.
Material is published to record and share the activities and history of the Province and the Order.
If you appear in a photograph or report and have concerns about its publication, please contact us through the general website contact form. Requests for removal, correction or restriction will be considered in the circumstances, taking account of the purpose of publication, applicable rights and any relevant legal obligations.
10. Optional email updates
The website may invite visitors to provide their email address voluntarily to receive future information or updates.
Signing up is optional and is not required to use the website.
At present, email addresses submitted through this facility are stored within the Squarespace administration system. A separate mailing service is not currently in use, and the facility is not currently being used to send a regular newsletter.
If an email updates service is introduced, information will be used for the purpose explained when you sign up. Appropriate information about consent and how to unsubscribe will be provided.
You may withdraw consent at any time.
11. Website hosting and analytics
The website is built and hosted using Squarespace. Squarespace processes information as part of providing its website platform and related services.
We use Squarespace Analytics to understand general website activity, including visits, visitor numbers, pages viewed, traffic sources, device and browser information and other usage statistics.
We use this information to understand how the website is used and to improve its operation and content. We do not use Google Analytics.
Our cookie settings are configured to restrict non-essential cookies until a visitor accepts them through the cookie consent mechanism.
Please see our separate Cookie Policy for further information.
12. Email and service providers
The Province uses Google Workspace for organisational email arrangements.
Information received through website enquiries may be handled through the relevant organisational email account and retained as necessary to respond to the enquiry or maintain appropriate correspondence.
The Province uses role-based email addresses where available, including:
The website is designed to use public contact forms rather than display officers’ personal email addresses wherever practicable.
13. External links and Google Maps
The website contains links to external websites and services, including Google Maps for directions to Chapel and meeting locations. It may also link to other Provinces, organisations and suppliers of Order-related regalia.
When you follow an external link, you leave our website and become subject to the privacy practices and terms of the external service. We do not control how external websites collect or use personal information.
We recommend reviewing the privacy information of any external website you visit.
14. Why we use personal information
We use personal information only where an appropriate lawful basis applies under data protection law.
Depending on the particular activity, the relevant basis may include:
Legitimate interests
For responding to enquiries, administering provincial activities, communicating with members, maintaining appropriate correspondence and operating and securing the website. These interests are considered alongside the rights and reasonable expectations of individuals.
Consent
Where you voluntarily sign up for future email updates, or where consent is required for non-essential cookies and associated processing. You may withdraw consent at any time.
Legal obligation
Where information must be retained or disclosed to comply with a legal requirement.
The applicable lawful basis depends on the purpose and circumstances of the processing. The Province will review and document the basis applicable to its different activities.
15. Sharing personal information
Information may be shared, where reasonably necessary, with:
The Provincial Webmaster.
The Provincial Grand Secretary.
Relevant members of the Provincial Executive.
The appropriate Chapel Secretary.
The Provincial Warden of Regalia, where relevant.
The Grand Secretary or other authorised national officers.
Squarespace, in connection with website hosting and platform services.
Google, in connection with organisational email and associated services.
Information is shared for relevant administrative purposes, website operation or compliance with legal obligations. We do not sell personal information to third parties.
16. International processing
Some technology providers used for website hosting and email services may process information outside the United Kingdom.
Where applicable, appropriate legal arrangements and safeguards must be in place for international transfers of personal information. Further information may be requested through the website’s general contact form.
17. Security
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration or disclosure.
Measures include using established website and email providers, applying appropriate access controls and limiting access to people who require the information for their authorised duties.
No electronic transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, but reasonable precautions are taken appropriate to the information handled.
18. Your data protection rights
Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, you may have the right to:
Request access to personal information held about you.
Ask for inaccurate or incomplete information to be corrected.
Request erasure of information in certain circumstances.
Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances.
Object to processing based on legitimate interests.
Request transfer of information you have provided, where the right to data portability applies.
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
These rights are subject to applicable legal conditions and exemptions.
To exercise a right, please contact us through the general website contact form. Your request will be directed to the appropriate officer or organisation. Requests concerning information held by a Chapel or the national administration may need to be referred to the relevant responsible party.
We may need to verify your identity before responding.
19. Complaints
If you have a concern about how your personal information has been handled, please contact us through the general website contact form in the first instance.
You also have the right to complain to the UK’s independent data protection regulator:
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Website: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
20. Children’s information
This website is intended primarily to provide public information about the Order, its history, activities and Chapels. We do not knowingly seek to collect children’s personal information for unrelated purposes.
If you believe a child has submitted personal information unnecessarily, please contact us so that the matter can be reviewed.
21. Automated decision-making
We do not use personal information collected through this website to make decisions about individuals solely by automated means that produce legal or similarly significant effects.
22. Changes to this Privacy Notice
This Privacy Notice may be updated to reflect changes in the website, the services we use, provincial arrangements or applicable legal requirements.
The latest version will be published on the website with its revision date.
Last reviewed: 17 October 2026