Privacy Policy

Who We Are

This Privacy Policy describes how urbovault (urbovault Limited) collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you visit our website and participate in our pottery wheel throwing workshops, ceramic glazing classes, and weekend pottery courses in Wexford. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data responsibly in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

Information We Collect

We collect information in several ways to provide you with the best possible experience:

• Contact Information: When you register for workshops or contact us, we collect your name, email address, phone number, and physical address.
• Workshop Data: We record details about classes you attend, including dates, times, and any special requirements or accessibility needs you may have.
• Payment Information: We collect billing details and transaction records for workshop fees, processed securely through third-party payment providers.
• Usage Data: We automatically collect information about how you interact with our website, including pages visited, time spent, and browser type.
• Cookies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and understand user behaviour patterns.

Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: Where you have explicitly agreed to our collection and use of your data, particularly for marketing communications and non-essential cookies.
• Contractual Necessity: We process information required to provide our pottery workshops and courses, fulfil your booking, and deliver the services you have requested.
• Legitimate Interest: We may process data to improve our website, prevent fraud, enhance security, and better understand our participants' needs.
• Legal Obligation: We process information when required by law, including tax compliance and safety regulations for workshop participants.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To process your workshop registrations and manage your bookings
• To communicate with you about upcoming classes, schedule changes, and workshop announcements
• To send you invoices and payment reminders for workshop fees
• To provide customer support and respond to your inquiries
• To improve our website functionality and user experience
• To analyse website traffic and participant engagement patterns
• To send marketing communications about new pottery courses and special offers (only with your consent)
• To comply with legal and regulatory obligations
• To maintain safety records and emergency contact information for workshop participants

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for specific periods based on the purpose of collection:

• Workshop Participant Records: We retain booking and attendance information for 36 months after your last workshop participation to support repeat registrations and course progression tracking.
• Contact Form Submissions: Messages submitted through our contact form are retained for up to 24 months after your last interaction, unless you request deletion sooner.
• Payment and Transaction Data: We retain billing records and payment information for 7 years to comply with financial and tax regulations.
• Analytics and Cookie Data: We retain anonymised usage data for up to 14 months to analyse website performance and user behaviour patterns.
• Server Logs: Technical server logs containing IP addresses and access information are retained for up to 12 months for security and troubleshooting purposes.
• Marketing Communications: If you opt in to receive newsletters, we retain your email address until you unsubscribe or request removal.

Your Rights

Under data protection laws, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right of Access: You can request a copy of all personal information we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You can ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to Erasure: You can request deletion of your personal data, subject to certain legal exceptions.
• Right to Restrict Processing: You can ask us to limit how we use your information in certain circumstances.
• Right to Data Portability: You can request your data in a structured, commonly-used format for transfer to another service.
• Right to Object: You can object to our processing of your data for marketing or legitimate interest purposes.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where we process data based on your consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in the Contact Us section below.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your website experience. Cookies are small data files stored on your device that help us remember your preferences and understand how you interact with our site. We use essential cookies to maintain website functionality and security, as well as analytical cookies to measure site performance and user engagement. Marketing cookies may be used to deliver relevant pottery course advertisements if you have consented. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings, though disabling certain cookies may limit website functionality. For detailed information about our cookie practices, please refer to our separate Cookie Policy.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Our website uses secure socket layer (SSL) encryption for all data transmission. Payment information is processed through certified payment gateways that meet industry security standards. While we strive to protect your data, no method of transmission over the internet is entirely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Third-Party Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your information with service providers who assist us in operating our website, processing payments, sending communications, and analysing data. These third parties are contractually obligated to use your information only for the purposes we specify and to maintain appropriate data security. We may also disclose information when required by law or to protect our rights and safety.

International Data Transfers

We operate within the European Union and primarily store data within EU servers. If we transfer personal information outside the EU, we implement appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses to ensure adequate protection in accordance with data protection regulations.

Supervisory Authority

You have the right to lodge a complaint with the data protection authority responsible for your jurisdiction. In Ireland, this is the Data Protection Commission (DPC). You can submit complaints regarding our data handling practices through their official channels. We encourage you to contact us first to resolve any concerns, but you have the independent right to escalate matters to the supervisory authority.

Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy on our website with a revised "Last updated" date. Your continued use of our website and participation in our workshops following such changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.