LIGHTHOUSE TAI CHI®
DATA PROTECTION POLICY & PRIVACY NOTICE
Document Control: Last Updated: August 2026
Legislation Status: Fully compliant with UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018, and Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA).
Scope: Applies to all participants, students, digital platform users, and contractors of Lighthouse Tai Chi®.
1. Overview and Purpose
Lighthouse Tai Chi® is dedicated to protecting the privacy, rights, and security of personal data collected from our participants, instructors, and website visitors. As a professional fitness, martial arts and well-being instruction provider, we collect and process data in strict accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA). This policy ensures transparency and outlines how we handle data safely.
2. Lawful Bases for Processing Data
We only process data when there is a clear legal justification under Article 6 of the UK GDPR. The specific bases we rely on include:
· Contractual Necessity: To manage class registrations, process digital payments via our shop, and communicate scheduling updates.
· Legal Obligation / Vital Interests: To ensure a safe environment by recording health disclosures relevant to physical exercise (Tai Chi. Aqua Tai Chi/Qigong) to prevent injury.
· Legitimate Interests: To send operational news, enhance system security across our digital platforms, and contact emergency services if an incident occurs during a class.
Note: Under the DUAA 2025 framework, certain public-interest exemptions apply to legitimate interests (such as emergency safeguarding or preventing immediate harm) which do not require a separate balancing test.
3. Categories of Data We Collect
We limit collection strictly to what is necessary for providing safe instruction and administering our services:
· Contact Details: Full name, email address, phone number, and emergency contact details.
· Health Data (Special Category): Physical health disclosures, medical conditions, or rehabilitation information relevant to safely participating in Tai Chi, Qigong, or Aqua Tai Chi.
· Administrative Data: Records of class attendance, payments, digital subscriptions (e.g., Video Club), and consent forms.
4. Data Retention and Storage
Personal data is retained only as long as necessary to fulfill the operational and legal purposes detailed in this policy:
· Active Participant Files: Retained for the duration of active membership and a maximum of 7 years following a participant's last class to satisfy insurance and tax audit obligations.
· Security: Stored securely using encrypted digital storage and cloud environments with restricted administrative access.
· Disposal: When data falls outside our retention threshold, it is permanently deleted or securely shredded.
5. Mandatory Complaints Process (DUAA 2025 Requirement)
In compliance with Section 103 of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, Lighthouse Tai Chi® operates a formal, mandatory process to handle data protection concerns internally before regulatory escalation.
If you believe your personal data has been mishandled, you have the right to file a complaint through any of our channels: in writing, via email (lighthousetaichi1@gmail.com), or by phone (07876 377321). We treat informal data protection concerns with the same statutory weight as a formal complaint.
Our structural complaint handling commitment:
· Acknowledgment: We will formally acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 30 days of submission.
· Resolution: We will thoroughly investigate the matter and deliver a formal response without undue delay.
· Escalation: If you remain unsatisfied with our internal response or the way your complaint was handled, you retain the statutory right to escalate the matter directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
6. Your Data Rights
Under UK data protection law, you possess key statutory rights regarding your personal profile:
· Right of Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you. (Under DUAA 2025, 'stop the clock' rules apply to clear up requests or check identities without reducing the processing time).
· Right to Rectification and Erasure: You have the right to request correction of inaccurate data or the deletion of data when it is no longer legally required.
· Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based purely on explicit consent, you can withdraw that consent at any moment.
7. Contact Details
For inquiries regarding this policy, to exercise your rights, or to submit a data protection complaint, please contact us directly:
Lighthouse Tai Chi®
Email: lighthousetaichi1@gmail.com
Phone: 07876 377321
Website: www.lighthousetaichi.com
Business Name: Lighthouse Tai Chi®
Any images or films will be used for promotional and advertising activities only by LHTC. They are never sold or given to 3rd parties. All identities are withheld, and permission is requested prior to the image being taken or used by LHTC. A client may request that images and film are never taken. See our social media, filming and photography policy.
Email addresses when requested by LHTC, are used only to send specific learning resources and newsletters and contact about the sessions pertinent to the client/student. No other persons or agencies have the right to access any data held on file. Clients/ students may unsubscribe at any time without giving any reason.