Privacy Policy
How we collect, use, and protect your personal information
Last updated: 8 October 2025
Who We Are
Stowmarket Life ("we", "us", or "our") operates the website stowmarket.life (the "Service"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about how we collect, use, and share your personal information.
This Privacy Policy explains how we handle your personal data when you use our website and services, in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Data Controller: Stowmarket Life
Contact: For any privacy-related questions, please contact us using the details at the end of this policy.
What Information We Collect
Personal Information You Provide
- Email Address: When you sign up for our newsletter, we collect your email address to send you updates about local events and community news in Stowmarket.
Information Collected Automatically
- Technical Data: We collect IP addresses temporarily for security purposes, including rate limiting to prevent abuse of our systems.
- Website Analytics: We use privacy-focused analytics to understand how visitors use our website. This service collects only anonymized, aggregated data that cannot identify individual users or track them across websites.
- Performance Data: We collect website performance metrics to improve your browsing experience.
How We Use Your Information
We use your personal information for the following purposes:
Newsletter Communications (Legal Basis: Consent)
- Send you updates about Stowmarket Life website launch
- Share information about local events and community activities
- Provide news and updates related to Stowmarket
Website Security (Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests)
- Prevent spam and abuse of our newsletter signup
- Protect against automated attacks and misuse
- Maintain the security and integrity of our systems
Website Improvement (Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests)
- Understand how visitors use our website
- Improve website performance and user experience
- Analyze traffic patterns and popular content
Legal Compliance (Legal Basis: Legal Obligation)
- Comply with applicable laws and regulations
- Respond to legal requests and prevent illegal activities
- Maintain unsubscribe records to prevent accidental re-addition and ensure email marketing compliance
How We Share Your Information
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We only share your data with trusted service providers who help us operate our website:
Service Provider Categories
- Database Hosting Provider: Securely stores your newsletter email addresses and website data.
- Email Delivery Service: Handles sending newsletters and marketing communications to subscribers.
- Web Hosting and Analytics Provider: Hosts our website and provides privacy-focused, anonymized usage analytics.
- Security and Rate Limiting Service: Protects against spam and abuse by temporarily storing IP addresses for rate limiting.
All our service providers are required to maintain appropriate security measures and only process your data as instructed by us.
Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.
How We Protect Your Information
We implement several security measures to protect your personal information:
Important: While we implement robust security measures, no system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but are committed to protecting your data using industry best practices.
Your Privacy Rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided at the end of this policy. We will respond to your request within one month.
Unsubscribe from Marketing
You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time by:
- Clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any marketing email we send you
- Contacting us directly using the contact details below
How Long We Keep Your Information
Newsletter Subscriptions: Active subscriptions are kept until you unsubscribe or request deletion. If you unsubscribe, we retain your email address with unsubscribe status for 3 years to prevent accidental re-addition from imports or admin errors, while still allowing you to voluntarily resubscribe if you choose.
IP Addresses: Temporarily stored for rate limiting (typically 1 hour) then automatically deleted
Analytics Data: Our analytics service collects only anonymized, aggregated data that cannot identify individuals. This data is retained for website improvement purposes.
Review Process: We regularly review our data retention practices and delete data when it's no longer needed.
Children's Privacy
Our service is not directed to children under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately and we will delete such information.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will:
- Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy
- Notify newsletter subscribers if the changes significantly affect how we handle their data
- Post the updated policy on our website
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or have concerns about how we handle your personal information, please contact us:
Response Time: We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within 48 hours and fulfill data protection requests within one month as required by UK GDPR.
Complaints
If you are not satisfied with how we handle your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK's data protection supervisory authority: