Important policies and procedures for our Repair Café
How we collect, use, and protect your personal information in accordance with UK GDPR.
In accordance with the UK's General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR and other relevant legislation) and as a responsible local community group, Totally Leighton Buzzard is committed to protecting your privacy and to making sure all your personal information is handled in a safe and responsible way.
This policy explains more about why we need or hold your data, our purpose in holding personal data and what your rights are and how we aim to adhere to excellent data protection principles as a community group.
Personal Data means any information that can be used to identify a person -- such as name, address, telephone number etc. By providing your personal data, you agree that we can use it in accordance with this policy. Please make sure you take time to read our policy and understand it.
Totally Leighton Buzzard (including the Repair Cafe Leighton Buzzard)
You provide personal information such as your name and email address when you either email, make an online enquiry or register to attend one of our Repair Café events or one of our other community events.
We also collect personal information if you want to become a volunteer.
We will only collect, store and use the minimum amount of data that we need for clear purposes, and will not collect, store or use data that we do not need.
We will only collect, store and use data for:
Your information may be stored securely on a third party website (eg Google Drive) for administration purposes, such as issuing of a newsletter or to advise you of group activities.
Your information is never shared or passed on to any other third party groups, organisations or individuals without your consent.
Our use of your personal data will always have a lawful basis. Your data will be used because you have consented to our use of your personal data and because it is in our legitimate interests.
We require your details to understand and respond to your enquiry, to provide you with a prompt and reliable service, and to send marketing communications and/or newsletters when they become available and if you have opted in to receive them.
We will not sell, distribute, or lease your personal information to third parties. Any personal information we request will be safeguarded under current legislation.
Your personal data will be kept for as long as it is needed in order to use it as described in this privacy policy, and/or for as long as we have your permission to keep it. Personal data can be deleted on request.
You have a choice about whether or not you wish to receive information from us. We will not contact you for marketing purposes by email unless you have given your prior consent. We will not pass your details to any third parties for marketing purposes. Also, you can change your marketing preferences at any time by contacting us by email.
You have a right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you and have any inaccuracies corrected. Any such requests should be made via email.
To withdraw your consent to us using your personal data at any time, and to request that we delete it, please email the group.
We will not keep your personal data for any longer than is necessary.
Data security is very important to us. We have taken suitable measures to safeguard and secure data collected, such as ensuring that any computers used by the group are password protected.
We will endeavour not to have data breaches. In the event of a data breach, we will endeavour to rectify the breach by getting any lost or shared data back. We will evaluate our processes and understand how to avoid it happening again. Serious data breaches which may risk someone's personal rights or freedoms will be reported to the Information Commissioner's Office within 72 hours, and to the individual concerned.
We keep this policy under regular review and always welcome your comments. If you have concerns about this our privacy policy or believe that Totally Leighton Buzzard has not adhered to this policy, please contact us and we will take reasonable efforts to promptly determine and remedy any issue.
Totally Leighton Buzzard - 9 February 2023
Our commitment to ensuring a safe environment for all volunteers and visitors. This covers our safe handling procedures, first aid, and emergency protocols.
Totally Leighton Buzzard and the Repair Café Leighton Buzzard is committed to providing a safe repair cafe event.
This Health and Safety Policy demonstrates our commitment to our volunteers and visitors.
You should also refer to our Disclaimer and this should be signed and dated before any repair work is conducted.
Totally Leighton Buzzard - 14 March 2023
Information for our valued volunteers about roles, responsibilities, training, and support. Click to read about what to expect when volunteering with us.
Totally Leighton Buzzard and the Repair Café Leighton Buzzard is committed to providing a high quality, dependable and transparent advice and repair service to all our visitors. Everyone is welcome and we endeavour to ensure that all volunteers and visitors enjoy the best possible Repair Café experience.
This Volunteer Policy demonstrates our commitment to our volunteers, our consistency in our decision-making process and information on how volunteers can expect to be treated in their roles.
The Repair Café Leighton Buzzard is a volunteer-led community project that offers a range of social, environmental and economic benefits to its local community. Our main aim is to enable the repairing of a personal or household possession instead of throwing it away. We offer a social meeting place where people of all ages and backgrounds can bring their damaged, broken or torn possessions to be repaired. This means we recognise and value those who have a wide range of hands-on practical and interpersonal skills and rely on a committed team of volunteers to deliver and maintain a high-quality and reliable repair and advice service. There is no charge but visitors are welcome to leave a donation.
Volunteers are recruited by word of mouth, by the publicity we send out and our website, or as the result of visiting the Repair Café. New volunteers are invited to visit an event and asked to complete a Volunteer Application form giving their contact details, information on the skills they can offer and the reason they wish to volunteer. They are also asked to disclose any serious health issues and to complete an Emergency Contact form.
We do not carry out DBS checks or take up references. We may ask volunteers to assist a more experienced member at their first session, or at any time if they need more support.
A full explanation of how a repair café session operates is given at the pre-repair café meeting. We ask volunteers, particularly non-repairers, what role they would like. Every effort is made to ensure that volunteers are happy and comfortable with what is being asked of them.
Repairers are not required to show proof of their professional qualifications and/or training but they should only attempt repairs for which they have the necessary skills, competence and expertise. Repairers are encouraged to work together and learn from each other and to involve visitors wherever possible.
Totally Leighton Buzzard is committed to the promotion of equal opportunities through the way we manage the group and run events. No person should suffer or experience less favourable treatment, discrimination or lack of opportunities on any of the grounds set out in the Equality Act 2010. We welcome volunteers and visitors from diverse backgrounds.
Totally Leighton Buzzard accepts that it has a duty of care to avoid exposing our volunteers to any risks which may affect their health, safety and well-being. The Emergency Contact form completed by all volunteers names a relative or friend who can be contacted in the event of an emergency. A Risk Assessment covering the normal activities undertaken at Repair Café sessions is available to all volunteers on request. This is reviewed and updated on an annual basis.
All volunteers are expected to take responsibility for their own health and safety whilst on the premises and follow the correct safety procedures when fulfilling their Repair Café roles.
In addition to the Public Liability insurance provided at the current venue, Totally Leighton Buzzard has additional public liability insurance to cover all the higher risk activities listed in the Risk Assessment.
Unless notified to the contrary, it is assumed that volunteers are happy that their personal email addresses and optional contact phone number are shared with the Repair Cafe organising team. These details are not shared with other volunteers or Repair Cafe visitors.
Volunteers are asked to provide their email address when completing the Repair Cafe registration form so that they can be informed about future Repair Café events. Reminder messages about Repair Café events will be sent via email, which can be unsubscribed from at any point.
Volunteers are asked to provide their phone number if they wish to receive SMS or calls in case of urgent updates, for example a repair cafe event being cancelled at short notice.
No volunteer should ever be out-of-pocket and reimbursement of any purchases or other expenses will be made as soon as possible for agreed purchases on behalf of the Repair Cafe. Volunteers are asked to produce a receipt if possible. If a purchase is made via the internet, a copy of the e-invoice should be passed to Edwina Osborne. Motor mileage and subsistence expenses are currently not covered. Volunteers are encouraged to ask the organisers for any specific tools, consumables or equipment they need.
In the event of a problem or concern, volunteers are asked to speak to Edwina, Karen or Marsha in the first instance.
a. All repairers are reminded that the Repair Café Leighton Buzzard acts as a 'clinic' and not a 'hospital'. With this in mind, repairers are asked to make as quick a diagnosis of a problem as possible and a decision on whether to proceed with the repair. If a repair is likely to take a long time, the repairer should consider whether it is worth their time to proceed.
b. Repairers have the right to refuse any item for repair that:
c. If a repairer is unable or does not wish to attempt a repair for any reason, s/he is not required to justify this decision but should offer as much advice as possible to the client.
d. Repairers are expected to involve the client in the repair of the item as much as is safely and practically possible. They are also asked to share their skills with the client when appropriate.
e. It is not the policy of the Repair Café that repairers should take items home in order to complete a repair. Should a repairer wish to make a private arrangement with a client, it is at the sole discretion and responsibility of the repairer and contact details should be exchanged. As a precaution, it is preferable to and inform the management team that such an arrangement has been made.
f. Visitors are not supposed to leave an item with a repairer and collect it later. Should a visitor wish to do this, repairers should refer to Edwina for a decision, as this situation may be acceptable in extenuating circumstances.
As the first point of contact, the reception volunteers should greet all visitors and make them feel welcome. Reception and front-of-house volunteers work closely together, the latter acting as the interface between registration and the repair zone.
Volunteers have a responsibility to:
19 February 2023 - Totally Leighton Buzzard
Note: Click on each policy section above to expand and read the full details. If you have any questions about our policies, please contact us here