Privacy policy

Barbara Melville: Freelance Services

Effective date: 19^th May 2025

This privacy policy explains how I, Barbara Melville, collect, use, and protect your personal data when you access my services. I take your privacy seriously and comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who I am

Barbara Melville is a sole trader offering coaching, training workshops, copywriting, and linguistic analysis, with a focus on advocacy, neurodiversity, inclusion, and clear communication. I operate under my own name and am the data controller of any personal information you share with me.

Contact:

Email: hello@barbmelville.com

2. What Data I Collect

Depending on the service you access, I may collect:

Name and contact details (e.g. email, phone number)
Organisation and job title (if booking on behalf of a business or team)
Project or service-related information (e.g. event details, scheduling, platform preferences)
Access needs or accommodations
Payment and invoicing information (e.g. fees, purchase order numbers)
Session or project notes, including working drafts and outcomes
Website usage data (if you access my website)

For coaching clients, I may also collect:

Relevant personal background and lived experience (if voluntarily shared)
Goals, reflections, or summaries from sessions

For some services, particularly where health, wellbeing, or lone working is a consideration (e.g. coaching or workshop delivery), I may request an emergency contact. This typically includes their name, relationship to you, and a phone number, and is only used in the event of a serious concern for your safety or wellbeing. You should ensure the person is aware their information has been shared with me for this limited purpose.

If your booking involves third-party personal data (e.g. training participants, case study subjects, or survey respondents), I may also collect limited information about those individuals for the purposes of service delivery. In such cases, a separate Data Processing Form may be used to confirm the scope and handling of that data.

3. How I Collect Data

Your data may be collected when:

You contact me via email, phone, website, or social media
You book or attend a session, workshop, or meeting
You complete forms, questionnaires, or send documents
You engage with resources, events, or services I provide

4. Legal Basis for Processing

I process your data under one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract – to provide the service you’ve requested
Legitimate interests – for record-keeping, safeguarding, and improving services
Consent – where you have explicitly agreed to a use (e.g. newsletters or testimonials)
Legal obligation – where required by tax, legal, or professional standards

5. How I Use Your Data

I may use your data to:

Provide and tailor freelance services (e.g. coaching, training, writing, analysis)
Maintain records as required by insurers or regulators
Communicate with you about bookings, deliverables, or session details
Monitor and improve the quality of my services
Respond to safeguarding or wellbeing concerns, if applicable

I may also use reputable AI tools (e.g. language models) to support tasks such as content drafting, summarising notes, or generating resources. I do not input identifiable personal data into these tools unless the information is fully anonymised or I have your explicit permission. AI is only used to enhance my internal processes and does not replace human oversight or judgement.

6. How I Store and Protect Your Data

I use password-protected digital systems and reputable cloud storage services to store client data. Notes, drafts, and project files are kept securely and are only accessible to me.

I use trusted administrative support (e.g. a virtual assistant funded through Access to Work) who acts solely under my instruction and is bound by confidentiality.

I do not share your personal data with third parties unless legally required or with your consent.

7. Data Retention

I will retain your data for up to 7 years after our last contact, to comply with insurance and legal obligations. After this time, your data will be securely deleted.

8. Your Rights

You have the right to:

Access the personal data I hold about you
Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
Request deletion of your data (unless a legal reason requires its retention)
Restrict or object to certain types of processing
Withdraw consent, where applicable
Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (www.ico.org.uk)

To exercise these rights, please email: hello@barbmelville.com

9. Changes to This Policy

This privacy policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in services or legal requirements. The latest version will always be available on request or via my website, if applicable.