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Privacy Policy

At Hammersmith United Charities we are committed to protecting your privacy. This statement describes how Hammersmith United Charities collects and uses personal data about people who visit our website.

Personal data means any information that you give us from which you can be identified, such as your name, your home address, your email contact details, or your telephone number. Personal data does not include information where your identity has been removed (i.e. anonymous data).

Who are we?

When we refer to “we” or “us” in this privacy notice we are referring to Hammersmith United Charities, a charity with registration number 205856. We are a controller of your personal data, which means we are responsible for deciding how we hold and use data about you. We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office with registration number Z7121372.

If you have any questions about this privacy notice or our data protection practices please contact us on officeadmin@hammersmithunitedcharities.com.

How do we collect personal data?

We obtain personal data from you when you use our website or sign up to our newsletter. This policy also covers situations when you contact us by email, fill in an online form eg to attend an event or fill in a paper form that you’ve downloaded from our website.

Using our website

Our website (http://hamunitedcharities.org.uk) is not intended for children and we do not knowingly collect data relating to children.

When you use our website, we use cookies to collect technical data (such as your internet protocol (IP) address, your browser type and version, and other technology on the devices you use to access the website) and information about how you use our website. Wherever possible we use aggregated or anonymous information which does not identify individual visitors to our website. Our Cookies Policy has information about how we use cookies on our website http://huc.popcorndigital.co.uk/cookie-policy/.

We will also collect any personal data you give us if you sign up to receive our newsletter (see Newsletters below).

We will only collect and use your personal data in this way if:

  • you have given your consent; or
  • it is necessary for our legitimate interests (or those of a third party) and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests.

Our websites may include links to websites run by other organisations. Clicking on those links or enabling those connections may allow third parties to collect or share data about you. Hammersmith United Charities is not responsible for the privacy practices of these other websites so you should read their privacy policies carefully.

Newsletters

We would like to keep in touch with you about the work that we do, events that we organise, and ways in which you can support us.

We use a third party, MailChimp, to deliver our email communications. Mailchimp will only use your personal data in accordance with our instructions. If you want to find out more about MailChimp, you can view their privacy notice here: https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/. If you consent to receive email newsletters from us, we will add your name and email contact details to our marketing database and we will share this information with MailChimp in order to send the emails to you.

From time to time, we may also send communications to you by post if we are satisfied that we have a legitimate interest to do so, for example, we may send you a Christmas card.

When you send us an email, fill in an online form or return a paper form

If you contact us by email or fill in an online or paper form that you’ve downloaded from our website we will use your personal data to consider and respond to your request or query, or to process any application you make to Hammersmith United Charities. We will only use your personal data in this way when we have a legitimate interest.

You can change your marketing preferences or opt out at any time by contacting us on 020 8741 4326, by post to Hammersmith United Charities at Sycamore House, Sycamore Gardens, Shepherds Bush W6 0AS or by email to: officeadmin@hamunitedcharities.com.

How do we protect personal information?

We have put in place appropriate security measures to prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way, altered or disclosed.

We limit access to your personal data to those employees, contractors and other third parties who have a business need to know. They will only process your personal data on our instructions and they are subject to a duty of confidentiality.

We do not transfer your personal data outside the UK.

We have procedures in place to deal with any suspected personal data breach.

Will we disclose the information we collect to outside parties?

We may disclose your personal data to:

  • external service providers such as our IT and system administration providers;
  • our professional advisers, for example, our accountants, auditors, insurers and lawyers;
  • if we are under a legal duty to disclose or share your personal data, for example, if required to do so by a court order or for the purposes of prevention of fraud or other crime;
  • where we need to share your personal data with a regulator, for example, making returns to HMRC or reports to the Charity Commission;
  • as part of a sale, transfer or merger of parts of our organisation or our assets.

We will not sell any information about your web browsing activity.

Data retention

We will only keep your personal data for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, regulatory, tax, accounting or reporting requirements. We may retain your personal data for a longer period in the event of a complaint or if we reasonably believe there is a prospect of a legal claim connected to our relationship with you.

Your rights

You have the right to ask for a copy of the information we hold about you and to have any inaccuracies in your information corrected.

In certain circumstances, you also have the right to:

  • Ask us to erase your personal data from our files and systems where there is no good reason for us continuing to hold it.
  • Object to us using your personal data to further our legitimate interests (or those of a third party) or where we are using your personal information for direct marketing purposes.
  • Ask us to restrict or suspend the use of your personal data, for example, if you want us to establish its accuracy or our reasons for using it.
  • Ask us to transfer your personal data to another person or organisation.

You also have rights in relation to automated decision making, but at Hammersmith United Charities we do not make any decisions affecting you based solely on automated processing.

If you have given your consent to us processing your personal data, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us on 020 8741 4326, by post to Hammersmith United Charities at Sycamore House, Sycamore Gardens; Hammersmith, W6 0AS or by email to: officeadmin@hamunitedcharities.com

We may need to request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and ensure your right to access your personal data (or to exercise any of your other rights). This is a security measure to ensure that personal data is not disclosed to any person who has no right to receive it. We may also contact you to ask you for further information in relation to your request to speed up our response.

Other people’s information

If you provide us with someone else’s personal details (for example when you suggest that we let someone know about our sheltered housing) you must make sure that you have that person’s consent to provide us with their details, particularly if you’re giving us sensitive information about them.

Changes

If your personal details change, please help us to keep your information up to date by notifying us using the contact details below.

We may update this privacy statement from time to time. If we do so, we will post the changes here so please check from time to time. By continuing to use our websites you will be deemed to have accepted such changes.

Contacting us

If you have any questions about this privacy notice or how we handle your personal information, please contact us on 020 8741 4326, by post to Hammersmith United Charities at Sycamore House, Sycamore Gardens; Hammersmith W6 0AS or by email to: officeadmin@hamunitedcharities.com.

You have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection – https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/.

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Opening our doors to older people in need of a home

We're inviting older people on a low income who need an affordable new home to tour our almshouses.

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We’re looking for a new Grants and Communication Officer

We have a terrific opportunity for someone at the early stages of, or looking to begin, their career in grant making. Find out more about our Grants and Communication Officer role here.

Location Based at Sycamore House (W6 0AS) with frequent visits to other HUC locations and grant holders (all in Hammersmith)
Salary: £28k – £34.5k (pro rata) depending on experience
Contract: 22.5 hours per week (3 days), Permanent
Reporting to: Head of Grants and Community
Benefits: 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata), Up to 8% employer contribution to pension, Health cash plan on completion of probation

The opportunity

This is a terrific opportunity for someone at the early stages of, or looking to begin, their career in grant making.

Key activities involve supporting the management of the grants programme, contributing to raising the profile of the organisation and the impact of our grant holders, and
maintaining the grants database.

Hammersmith United Charities is part of our community, and it is important that the Grants and Community team are in touch with what is happening in Hammersmith and the rest of our small team. This involves frequent visits to grant holders, partners or networking meetings as well as hands on involvement with the life of the Almshouses.

About you

We are seeking an individual who is passionate about community, loves working with people, is flexible and thrives in a changing environment, genuinely enjoys administration and takes pride in excellent attention to detail.

We particularly welcome applications from people with a strong connection to Hammersmith and Fulham.

Purpose of the role

To provide support to all aspects of the Charity’s grants and community work including:

  • Grants administration
  • Database, website and social media management
  • Supporting prospective and current grant holders
  • Helping promote the work of the Charity and that of our grant holders

Download the detailed Job Description here

Application process

We are committed to our team reflecting the diversity of the communities we work with and welcome applications from people of all ages, sexual orientations, genders,
ethnicities, nationalities, religions and beliefs.

If you are excited by the role but aren’t sure if you have the right experience then we’d still love to hear from you. Please feel free to contact Paul, our Head of Grants and Community, for an informal chat by emailing paul.robson@hamunitedcharities.com to arrange a call.

To apply, please send us written answers to the following questions using a maximum of 600 words in total OR answer the questions in a video of up to 5 minutes.

  1. Tell us why you want this job and why you want to work for Hammersmith United Charities
  2. Tell us about your skills and experience and how they are a good fit for the role

Please email your written answers or video to officeadmin@hamunitedcharities.com no later than midday on Tuesday 21 November 2023, shortlisting will take place that week.

First round interviews will be held online on 29th or 30th November

Second round interviews will be in person at Sycamore House, W6 0AS on Wednesday 6th or Thursday7 th December. A presentation may be required at final interview.

These dates may be subject to change and applicants will be advised in advance should this happen.

To be appointed to this role you must be eligible to work in the UK, undertake an enhanced DBS check and provide satisfactory references. We will follow up on this later in the process.

By submitting your application, you are consenting to the processing and storage of your personal data in order that you can progress through our recruitment and management process. We will never sell your data however we are obliged by law to inform you that should we be required to we may share your data with external agencies. This may include but is not limited to CareCheck (a service for managing and processing Disclosure & Barring Service clearance applications) and our HR Advisors. We will also contact those individuals you name as your referees to confirm your suitability for the role you are applying for. Your data will only be used for your role and to comply with our statutory and legal obligations. If your application is unsuccessful, we will retain your information for 6 months; after this date it will be safely destroyed. If your application is successful, we will retain your information for the duration of your commitment and up to 6 years after you cease employment.

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In pictures: out and about

Our team took part in the Wormholt & White City Community Festival in September, which celebrated our vibrant community.

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5 minutes with…Our community gardeners

Meet our community gardeners, India and Lucy, who nurture the award-winning green spaces at our almshouses.

What do you both do and why do you enjoy it?

We are the community gardeners for Hammersmith United Charities’ two sheltered housing schemes (almshouses), John Betts House and Sycamore House.

The gardens are an unexpected highlight at both almshouses. Visitor, residents and staff alike often comment on the beautiful surprise of the gardens as they discover them for the first time.

We manage, maintain and improve the gardens while also providing activities and workshops for residents. A big part of our role is to encourage the residents to use the gardens, and advise and support them with their own plots and pots displays.

At both the almshouses, we love the diversity of personalities, activities and events – and how each day is different from the last. The kindness of the residents to the staff and each other is a daily joy.

How would you describe the gardens?

The gardens provide a space for all residents to enjoy in a variety of ways. Groups of residents meet in the gardens for a chat and a cup of tea, others sit alone and immerse themselves in the sounds and sights of nature, or simply read a paper or have a chat on the phone.  Some residents get their daily exercise by doing laps of the gardens, while many residents have their own small plots and pots, getting involved in the practical nature of gardening, planting, watering and weeding.

Currently residents are preparing for spring by planting bulbs in pots and looking forward to the next growing season following the dark and quiet winter months.

How do the residents help you with the gardens?

We work closely with the residents and many of them assist us in maintaining the gardens by watering and weeding, sweeping paths, leaf clearance and dead heading the beautiful roses.  We appreciate all the work the residents do and could not maintain these award-winning gardens without them.

What are some important gardening jobs you’ll be doing as we head into the autumn and winter?

Seasonal jobs include leaf clearance and ensuring all pathways are safe, bulb planting and compost turning. We manage all our green waste so that it returns to the gardens for the health of the plants and trees. We are currently preparing areas in both gardens to create wildflower meadows for next summer.

What is your favourite local green space to visit and why?

India has recently introduced Lucy to W6 Garden Centre on the edge of Ravenscourt Park.  It is a beautiful oasis of indoor and outdoor plants, garden supplies and has a gorgeous cafe. Many of our residents enjoy it too!


Find out more 

 

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Almshouse living may boost life expectancy by up to 2.5 years

New research from Bayes Business School has found that many almshouse residents receive a “longevity boost”.

On average, the lower a person’s socioeconomic status, the lower their life expectancy. But new research from Bayes Business School has found that many almshouse residents receive a “longevity boost” compared to their peers of the same socioeconomic status from the wider population.

The new research is based on analysis of many decades of records from 15 English almshouses. The life expectancy of almshouse residents was compared to people of similar gender and socio-economic background from the general population and was generally found to be longer. Giving an example, the authors estimate that a 73-year-old man entering the almshouse with the highest longevity boost in the study today could live 2.4 years longer than his peers from the same socioeconomic group.

Almshouses, which have traditionally provided affordable community housing for older people, are usually designed around a communal courtyard or gardens. Residents live independently and there are plenty of opportunities for social connection and support when needed.

Professor Ben Rickayzen, report co-author and professor of actuarial science at Bayes Business School, said: “More research is needed to ascertain exactly what factors cause almshouse residents to have a longer life. However, we postulate that it is the sense of the community that is the most powerful ingredient.

“For example, a common theme… is that [almshouses] encourage residents to undertake social activities and responsibilities on behalf of their fellow residents. This is likely to increase their sense of belonging and give them a greater sense of purpose in their everyday lives while mitigating against social isolation.”

Hammersmith United Charities Chief Executive, Victoria Hill, said: “It’s great to hear some evidence for what we’ve always felt to be true. Community means different things to different people, but usually it’s more than just the opportunity to socialise and be active. It’s often things like feeling safe and welcome among your neighbours, knowing there’s always someone nearby to help or being able to help others. It doesn’t surprise me that this feeling of belonging in your community may help you live longer and, we hope, happier lives.”


Find out more 
  • The full report: ‘Almshouse Longevity Study: Can Living in an Almshouse Lead to a Longer Life?’
  • Bayes Business School news release with a summary of key findings
  • Find out more about Hammersmith United Charities’s almshouses
  • Find out more about almshouses and their history

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