1. Introduction

FIRST UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1178433) trading as FIRST Tech Challenge UK (referred to as “FIRST,” “we,” or “us”) with its registered address at FIRST UK, London (WC2) Office, 7 Bell Yard, London, WC2A 2JR.

Our Head of Operations (HoO) acts as the Data Protection Manager. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at: privacy@firsttechchallengeuk.org.

This policy explains:

  • What personal data we collect and how we use it.
  • The legal basis for processing your personal data.
  • Where we collect information about you.
  • How we keep your data safe and who has access.
  • How we keep your information up to date.
  • Your rights to access and correct your information.
  • Changes to this Privacy Policy.

2. What Personal Data We Collect and How We Use It

2.1. Supporters

If you support us—such as making a donation, volunteering, fundraising, or attending an event—we usually collect:

  • Your name.
  • Your contact details.
  • Your bank or credit card information (if applicable).

Where appropriate, we may also ask for:

  • Information related to your health (e.g., allergies or disabilities) so we can ensure you have a positive experience with us.
  • Your motivation for giving (e.g., your personal experience with FIRST UK). This question is always optional.

We use your data to:

  • Provide services, products, or information you have requested.
  • Process your donation or support your fundraising, including Gift Aid.
  • Maintain a record of your relationship with us.
  • Share your story if you consent. For example, some participants choose to share their experiences as Ambassadors, Mentors, or Volunteers to help further our work. This may involve sharing sensitive information. With your explicit and informed consent (and that of your parent/guardian if you are under 18), we may use this information in events, promotional materials, or reports.
  • Manage your marketing preferences. If you consent, we will contact you about our progress and how you can support us. Our communications will make it clear how to opt-out at any time.
  • Improve our services, events, and communications. This may involve analysing your information to tailor our outreach or understanding those who support us. We do not sell or share personal data with third parties for marketing, though we may share information with partners when running joint events, which will be communicated at the time of registration.
  • Detect and reduce fraud or credit risk.

If you start filling out an online form but do not submit it, we may contact you to see if you need help with the form or our website.

2.2. Young People’s Data

We collect and handle information from children in a way that is suitable for their age. This information is only collected to support our charitable goals, such as programme delivery and event management.

Where possible and appropriate, we seek consent from both the child and their parent/guardian. Our events have specific guidelines about children’s participation, and our advertising for those events is age-appropriate.

3. The Legal Basis for Processing Your Personal Data

We process personal data based on the following:

  • Contractual Obligations: We process your data when necessary to fulfil a contract or agreement with you.
  • Legitimate Interest: We have a legitimate interest in processing personal data for business-related purposes, such as marketing and fundraising, where this does not override your fundamental rights.
  • Consent: For specific activities, such as using images or video of you, we will request your explicit consent.

4. Where We Collect Information About You

We may collect information in the following ways:

  • Directly from You: When you register for an event, tell us your story, make a donation, or communicate with us.
  • From Third Parties: You might permit other organisations to share your data with us, such as through social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter.
  • Through Our Websites or Apps: We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience on our site. 

The type of device you use to access our website may provide us with information about your device settings and any issues, such as crashes. Please refer to your device manufacturer or operating system provider for more details.

5. How We Keep Your Data Safe and Who Has Access

We use various technical and organisational measures to keep your data secure, including password protection and access restrictions. Our network is safeguarded and regularly monitored.

We conduct regular reviews to ensure that only trained staff, volunteers, and contractors have access to personal information. When we use external companies to handle data, we conduct thorough checks and establish clear contractual requirements.

Some suppliers may operate outside the European Economic Area (EEA). In such cases, we ensure that they provide adequate protection in line with UK data protection laws. By submitting your personal information to us, you agree to this potential transfer, storage, or processing outside the EEA.

In rare cases, we may need to disclose your information to the police, regulatory bodies, or legal advisors if legally required.

We will only share your data in other circumstances if we have your explicit and informed consent.

6. Keeping Your Information Up to Date

If your contact details change, please inform us at privacy@firsttechchallengeuk.org.

We retain your personal data only as long as necessary to provide the services you requested or for other lawful purposes, after which it will be deleted. We may retain data longer if required to comply with legal obligations.

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:

  • Access, correct, or delete your personal data.
  • Restrict or object to how we process your data.
  • Request that we transfer your data to another organization (data portability).

To access your data, please send a description of the information you want and proof of identity to:
FIRST UK, 7 Bell Yard, London, WC2A 2JR.

We do not accept these requests by email for security reasons. If you would like us to stop processing your personal data, and it is not necessary for the original purpose (e.g., processing a donation), please contact us at privacy@firsttechchallengeuk.org.

For further guidance, you can also refer to the Information Commissioner’s guidance (this link will open in a new window). If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you have the right to file a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. If significant changes occur, we will make this clear on our website or notify you directly. We are committed to reviewing our policies annually or as required by law.

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