Privacy Policy.

Who we are

The Anchored is a Christian community focused on helping people become rooted in Christ, mature in character and equipped to faithfully live as followers of Jesus.

The Anchored is operated by The Transformers Network, trading and operating as The Anchored.

For the purposes of applicable data protection law, The Transformers Network is the data controller responsible for the personal information collected through The Anchored website, forms, The Anchor Check and related services.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, contact us at tunde@theanchored.org.

Information we collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with The Anchored.

Information you provide to us

This may include:

• Your name
• Email address
• Age range
• Country
• Gender, where requested
• Messages or enquiries you send through our contact forms
• Information you provide when registering for gatherings, Formation or other activities
• Newsletter or resource subscriptions
• Partnership or giving-related information
• Responses you provide when completing The Anchor Check
• Other information you voluntarily provide to us

We only ask for information that is reasonably necessary for the particular service, activity or purpose.

The Anchor Check

When you complete The Anchor Check, we may collect your answers to assessment questions together with basic information you provide about yourself.

Your responses are used to calculate your results across the formation dimensions assessed by The Anchor Check and to provide you with personalised results and recommended next steps.

We may also use aggregated or anonymised results to understand patterns within our community, improve The Anchor Check and develop teaching, resources and formation experiences.

Where information has been properly anonymised so that it can no longer identify you, it is no longer treated as personal data.

Information collected automatically

When you use our website or digital services, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including:

• Device and browser type
• IP address
• Pages visited
• Referral source
• Approximate location derived from technical information
• Date and time of access
• Website performance and usage information

Where cookies, analytics or similar technologies require your consent under applicable law, we will request that consent before using them.

How we use your information

We may use personal information to:

• Provide The Anchor Check and calculate your results
• Deliver personalised formation insights and recommendations
• Register you for gatherings, Formation or community activities
• Respond to enquiries
• Send resources or communications you have requested
• Provide information about The Anchored and relevant activities
• Operate and improve our website, app and digital services
• Understand how people engage with our teaching, resources and formation experiences
• Maintain the security and integrity of our systems
• Maintain appropriate administrative records
• Meet legal, regulatory and safeguarding obligations
• Support the development of The Anchored's ministry and community

We will not sell your personal information.

Our legal basis for using your information

Where UK data protection law applies, we will process your personal information only where we have an appropriate legal basis.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include:

Consent

Where you have chosen to receive particular communications or have otherwise given us permission to process your information.

Contractual necessity

Where processing is necessary to provide something you have requested or registered for.

Legitimate interests

Where processing is reasonably necessary for the operation, administration, security or development of The Anchored, provided those interests do not override your rights and freedoms.

Legal obligation

Where we need to process information to comply with the law.

We may ask for additional consent where information is considered particularly sensitive or where the law otherwise requires it.

Religious belief and other sensitive information

Some interactions with The Anchored may reveal information about a person's religious beliefs or spiritual life.

Under UK data protection law, information concerning religious beliefs can constitute special category personal data and receives additional protection.

We recognise the sensitive nature of this information. Where our services require us to process special category information, we will do so only where an appropriate legal condition applies and will take reasonable steps to protect that information.

Completing The Anchor Check, attending a gathering or contacting The Anchored should not be understood as permission for us to disclose information about your religious beliefs to third parties for unrelated purposes.

Guide responses and community reflections

Some guides and formation resources provided by The Anchored allow you to write personal reflections in response to questions or exercises.

Unless we tell you otherwise, your responses are private by default and are not submitted to The Anchored simply because you complete a guide.

Where available, you may choose to download a copy of a completed guide or request that a copy is sent to you by email.

Contributing your reflections to The Anchored

Some guides may also give you the option to voluntarily contribute your reflections to The Anchored.

If you choose to do this, The Transformers Network, operating as The Anchored, may securely store and review the responses you submit for purposes including:

• Understanding questions, experiences and formation needs within our community
• Identifying recurring themes and areas where further teaching may be helpful
• Improving existing guides and formation resources
• Developing future teaching, articles, videos, guides and other resources
• Understanding, in aggregate, how people engage with particular formation topics

Participation is voluntary. You do not need to contribute your reflections in order to use a guide, download it or request a copy by email.

Sensitive information

Free-text reflections may reveal information about your religious beliefs, spiritual life or other sensitive personal circumstances.

Information revealing religious or philosophical beliefs is treated as special category personal data under UK data protection law.

Where we rely on your explicit consent to process this information for community insight and resource development, we will ask for that consent separately before your responses are submitted.

You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting tunde@theanchored.org. Withdrawal of consent does not affect processing that lawfully took place before consent was withdrawn.

How we protect contributed reflections

Where reasonably possible, we separate contributed reflections from directly identifying information such as your email address.

Access to identifiable or potentially identifiable reflection data is restricted to authorised people who need access for legitimate ministry, administration or resource-development purposes.

When reflections are analysed for wider community themes or used to inform future content, we will seek to work from anonymised or aggregated information wherever reasonably possible.

We will not publish your name, email address or an identifiable quotation from a private reflection without obtaining appropriate additional permission.

Emailing completed guides

If you provide an email address so that we can send you a completed guide, we will use that address to fulfil your request and for necessary communications relating to that request.

Requesting an emailed guide does not automatically subscribe you to marketing or general communications from The Anchored.

Where you separately choose to subscribe to The Anchored communications, that preference will be recorded independently.

Retention

Contributed reflections will normally be retained in identifiable or pseudonymised form for no longer than 24 months from submission unless there is a specific reason requiring a shorter or longer period.

We may periodically review contributed reflections before that period expires and delete information that is no longer reasonably necessary.

Information that has been genuinely anonymised so that it can no longer identify an individual may be retained for longer and used to understand community themes and develop future resources.

Email addresses collected solely to deliver a completed guide will not be retained for community research or marketing purposes unless you have separately chosen to receive communications from The Anchored.

For further information, or to request access to or deletion of contributed reflections, contact tunde@theanchored.org.

Email communications

If you subscribe to updates, request resources or otherwise choose to hear from us, we may send you relevant email communications.

Where required, we will obtain your consent before sending marketing or promotional communications. You can unsubscribe from optional email communications at any time using the unsubscribe option contained in the email.

Administrative or service messages relating directly to something you have requested may still be sent where necessary.

Giving and payments

Where you financially partner with The Anchored, payments may be processed by third-party payment providers.

We do not normally receive or store your complete payment-card details. Payment providers process those details according to their own privacy and security practices.

We may retain appropriate transaction information for administration, financial reporting, Gift Aid where applicable, fraud prevention and legal or accounting requirements.

How we share information

We do not sell or rent your personal information.

We may share information with trusted service providers where necessary to operate The Anchored, including providers supporting:

• Website hosting and infrastructure
• Database services
• Email delivery
• Analytics
• Registration and communications
• Payment processing
• Security and technical support

These providers should only process personal information as necessary to provide their services to us and subject to appropriate contractual and security protections.

We may also disclose information where required by law, to protect someone's safety, to investigate suspected misuse or fraud, or to protect the legitimate rights of The Anchored or others.

International transfers

Some of the technology providers we use may process information outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred internationally, we take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place as required by applicable data protection law. These safeguards may include recognised adequacy arrangements or approved contractual protections.

How long we keep your information

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, safeguarding or reporting requirements.

Different categories of information may therefore have different retention periods. Where information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to delete it, anonymise it or securely dispose of it.

Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information from unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, loss or misuse.

No internet-based system can guarantee absolute security, however, and you should take appropriate care when sharing information online.

Your data protection rights

Depending on where you live and the circumstances in which we process your information, you may have rights including the right to:

• Ask what personal information we hold about you
• Request a copy of your personal information
• Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Request deletion of your information in certain circumstances
• Ask us to restrict certain processing
• Object to certain uses of your information
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
• Request transfer of certain information in a portable format
• Raise concerns about how your information is being handled

These rights are subject to certain legal exceptions.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at tunde@theanchored.org.

You also have the right to raise a concern with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe your personal information has been handled unlawfully.

Children and young people

Our services are primarily intended for adults and older young people capable of engaging independently with our teaching and formation resources.

We do not knowingly seek to collect unnecessary personal information from children.

Where an activity is specifically intended for children or young people and parental or guardian consent is legally required, appropriate arrangements should be put in place before collecting their information.

Cookies and analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies necessary for the website to function properly.

We may also use analytics technologies to understand how visitors use our website and improve our services.

Where applicable law requires consent for non-essential cookies or tracking technologies, these technologies will not be activated until the appropriate consent has been obtained. You can also control certain cookies through your browser settings.

Third-party websites and services

Our website may contain links to external websites, platforms or services.

Once you leave a service operated by The Anchored, the privacy practices of the external organisation will apply. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites.

We encourage you to review their privacy information before providing personal information.

Automated assessment

The Anchor Check uses your responses to calculate scores and generate a formation picture across several dimensions.

This automated scoring is intended as a reflection and formation tool. It is not a clinical, psychological or medical assessment and should not be treated as a definitive judgement about your faith, character, spiritual maturity or relationship with God.

Your results are intended to help you reflect, identify possible areas for growth and consider appropriate next steps.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as The Anchored develops, our services change or legal requirements evolve.

When significant changes are made, we will update the date shown at the beginning of this policy and, where appropriate, provide additional notice.

Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, want to exercise your data protection rights or have concerns about how your information has been handled, please contact The Anchored through the Contact page on our website.