Privacy Policy

Bizzybirds Networking

Who we are

Bizzybirds Networking is a business networking community run by Jane King, supporting small business owners across East Sussex through regular in-person meetings, membership, social events and online resources.

Our website address is: https://bizzybirdsnetworking.co.uk

This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal data when you visit our website, book or attend a Bizzybirds meeting, or become a member.

What personal data we collect and why

We may collect and process personal data including:

  • your name, email address, business name and location
  • booking details when you reserve a place at a Bizzybirds meeting
  • membership information when you join or renew your membership
  • business details submitted for member directories or promotions
  • payment confirmation details from third-party payment providers
  • technical data such as IP address and browser type for website security and performance

We only collect information that is necessary to run Bizzybirds Networking and communicate effectively with members and visitors.

Payments, bookings and refunds

Meeting bookings (non-members)

Non-members can book and pay for Bizzybirds Networking meetings in advance via PayPal. When you book, we collect your name, email address and booking details so we can manage attendance and contact you with relevant information about the meeting.

Payments are processed securely by PayPal. Bizzybirds Networking does not store your card or payment details.

PayPal’s privacy policy can be viewed at:
https://www.paypal.com/uk/legalhub/privacy-full

Membership payments and renewals

In time Members will be able to join or renew their Bizzybirds Networking membership online. Membership payments will be processed securely through a third-party payment provider such as PayPal.

We receive confirmation of payment and basic transaction details only. These are used for membership administration, communication, and accounting purposes.

Cancellations and refunds

If you are unable to attend a Bizzybirds meeting after booking:

  • refunds are not guaranteed and are considered on a case-by-case basis
  • where possible, bookings may be transferred to a future meeting
  • refund decisions are made by Jane King, based on notice given and individual circumstances

If a meeting is cancelled by Bizzybirds Networking, attendees will be offered either:

  • a full refund, or
  • the option to transfer their booking to a future meeting

Membership fees are non-refundable once a membership period has started, unless required by law.

Why we keep booking and payment information

We retain booking and payment confirmation details to:

  • manage attendance and membership records
  • communicate essential information about meetings or membership
  • meet legal and accounting obligations

Comments

If comments are enabled on the site and you leave a comment, we collect the data shown in the comments form, along with your IP address and browser user agent to help with spam detection.

An anonymised string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to check if you use it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available at https://automattic.com/privacy/.
After approval, your profile picture may be visible publicly alongside your comment.

Media

If you provide us with images or upload images to the website (for example as part of a member directory listing), please avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Visitors to the site may be able to download and extract this data from images.

Cookies

We use cookies to help the website function properly and to improve your experience.

  • If you leave a comment, you may opt in to saving your name and email address in cookies for convenience. These last for one year.
  • Temporary cookies may be set to check whether your browser accepts cookies.
  • Login cookies are used for registered users and expire after a set period unless “Remember Me” is selected.

You can manage or delete cookies through your browser settings at any time.

Embedded content from other websites

Pages on this site may include embedded content such as videos or social media posts. Embedded content behaves in the same way as if you visited the external website directly.

These third-party websites may collect data about you, use cookies, and monitor your interaction with their content in line with their own privacy policies.

Who we share your data with

We do not sell or share your personal data for marketing purposes.

Your data may be shared only with trusted third-party services required to run Bizzybirds Networking, including:

  • website hosting providers
  • email communication platforms
  • payment providers such as PayPal
  • booking or membership management tools

If you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email.

How long we retain your data

  • Booking and membership information is retained for as long as necessary for administration, legal, and accounting purposes.
  • Comments and their metadata may be retained indefinitely to allow follow-up comments to be approved automatically.
  • Registered users can view, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except their username).

What rights you have over your data

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

  • request access to the personal data we hold about you
  • request correction or deletion of your data
  • withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time

This does not include data we are legally required to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.

Where your data is sent

Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.

Contact

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how your data is handled, please contact:
Jane King
Bizzybirds Networking
jane@bizzybirdsnetworking.co.uk

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