Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 1 October 2026

Level Trust respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information when you use our website, contact us, make a donation, apply to volunteer, participate in our activities or otherwise interact with Level Trust.

Level Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1178223.

For the purposes of UK data protection law, Level Trust is the data controller responsible for the personal information described in this policy.

Our contact details

Level Trust – Uniform Exchange
Unit 2G
Frasers Plus
Luton
LU1 2TW

Telephone: 07480 753905

You can also contact us using the Contact Us page on leveltrust.org.

Information we may collect

The personal information we collect depends on how you interact with us.

General enquiries

If you contact us, we may collect:

  • your name

  • email address

  • telephone number

  • the contents of your enquiry

  • any other information you choose to provide

Donations and fundraising

If you donate to Level Trust or take part in fundraising, we may collect:

  • your name

  • contact details

  • billing or postal address

  • donation amount and date

  • payment reference information

  • recurring donation information

  • fundraising activity

  • Gift Aid information and declarations, where applicable

  • correspondence relating to your donation

Payment information may be processed directly by our payment provider. Level Trust does not normally need to receive or store your complete bank or payment card details.

Volunteer applications

If you apply to volunteer with Level Trust, we may collect information including:

  • your name

  • address

  • email address

  • telephone number

  • skills and experience

  • reasons for volunteering

  • information about your eligibility to undertake the role

  • information relevant to your ability to safely perform the role

  • referee names and contact details

  • employment, education or volunteering history

  • information supplied during the recruitment process

  • safeguarding and DBS information where appropriate

If you provide the details of a referee, you should ensure that they are aware that their information is being provided to Level Trust.

Children, young people and families

As a children’s charity, some of our services involve children, young people, parents, carers and families.

Depending on the service or activity, we may need to collect information such as:

  • names and contact information

  • age or date of birth

  • school or educational information

  • parent or carer details

  • emergency contact information

  • attendance information

  • information required to provide support

  • health, accessibility, dietary or additional needs

  • safeguarding information

  • photographs, videos or personal stories where appropriate permissions have been obtained

We take particular care when processing information relating to children and young people.

Job applications

If you apply for employment with Level Trust, we may collect information contained within your application, CV, references and other information necessary for the recruitment process.

Website information

When you visit our website, we may automatically receive technical information including:

  • your IP address

  • browser type

  • device information

  • pages visited

  • approximate location derived from your network

  • referral source

  • website activity

  • cookie preferences

Please see our Cookie Policy for more information.

How we use your information

We may use your personal information to:

  • respond to enquiries

  • provide our charitable services

  • process donations

  • administer recurring donations

  • manage Gift Aid

  • manage volunteers

  • carry out recruitment and reference checks

  • carry out appropriate safeguarding checks

  • organise activities, events and programmes

  • communicate with families, schools and partner organisations

  • keep appropriate records of our work

  • administer fundraising activities

  • send communications you have requested

  • operate, maintain and improve our website

  • prevent fraud or misuse

  • protect the safety of children, young people, volunteers, staff and others

  • meet our legal, regulatory and financial obligations

  • respond to complaints

  • establish, exercise or defend legal claims

We will not use personal information for purposes that are incompatible with the reason it was originally collected unless we are permitted to do so by law.

Our lawful bases for using personal information

Under UK data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal information.

Depending on the circumstances, we may rely on:

Consent

Where you have freely given us permission to use your information for a particular purpose.

You can withdraw consent at any time.

Contract

Where using your information is necessary to enter into or perform an agreement with you.

Legal obligation

Where we need to process information in order to comply with a legal or regulatory requirement.

Legitimate interests

Where processing is reasonably necessary for the legitimate operation of Level Trust and those interests do not override your rights and freedoms.

This may include administering our charity, communicating with supporters, improving our services, maintaining security and keeping appropriate records.

Vital interests

In exceptional circumstances, we may process information where it is necessary to protect someone’s life or physical safety.

Special category and sensitive information

Some information requires additional protection under data protection law.

This may include information about:

  • health

  • disability

  • racial or ethnic origin

  • religion

  • sexual orientation

  • biometric information

  • other protected characteristics

We will only collect and process this information where it is necessary and where an appropriate lawful condition applies.

Because Level Trust works with children and vulnerable people, we may also process safeguarding information or information relating to criminal convictions where this is necessary and permitted by law.

Appropriate safeguards and access controls will be applied to this information.

Who we may share information with

We do not sell personal information.

Where necessary, we may share information with trusted organisations including:

  • website and IT providers

  • email and communications providers

  • payment and Direct Debit providers

  • banks and financial institutions

  • professional advisers

  • accountants and auditors

  • schools, nurseries and educational organisations

  • organisations helping us deliver charitable services

  • safeguarding organisations

  • Disclosure and Barring Service services where appropriate

  • government departments

  • HM Revenue & Customs

  • regulators including the Charity Commission and Information Commissioner’s Office

  • law enforcement agencies where required

  • other organisations where disclosure is required by law

We only share information where there is an appropriate reason to do so.

Payment providers

Online donations may be processed by third party payment providers, including providers used for Direct Debit or online payment processing.

These organisations may process personal information as independent data controllers or data processors and may have their own privacy policies.

International data transfers

Some of the technology providers we use may process or store information outside the United Kingdom.

Where this happens, we will take appropriate steps to ensure that personal information continues to receive an appropriate level of protection in accordance with UK data protection law.

How long we keep information

We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and to meet legal, safeguarding, regulatory, accounting and reporting requirements.

Different types of information may therefore be retained for different periods.

For example:

  • accounting and financial records are normally retained for at least the period required by charity and tax legislation

  • Gift Aid declarations and associated information are retained for the period required by HMRC

  • unsuccessful volunteer or employment applications will normally be retained only for a reasonable period after the recruitment process unless there is a legitimate reason to retain them longer

  • safeguarding records may need to be retained for longer periods in accordance with safeguarding requirements

  • enquiry information will be retained for as long as necessary to deal with the enquiry and any appropriate follow up

  • consent records may be retained so that we can demonstrate how and when consent was obtained or withdrawn

Information that is no longer required will be securely deleted, destroyed or anonymised.

Keeping information secure

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against:

  • unauthorised access

  • loss

  • destruction

  • alteration

  • misuse

  • accidental disclosure

Access to personal information is restricted to people who reasonably need it to perform their role.

No internet based service can be guaranteed to be completely secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect the information entrusted to us.

Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

  • be informed about how your information is used

  • request access to personal information we hold about you

  • request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information

  • request deletion of your personal information

  • request restriction of how your information is used

  • object to certain types of processing

  • request transfer of your information where applicable

  • withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

  • raise concerns about certain automated decisions where applicable

These rights are not absolute and some may only apply in particular circumstances.

Children and young people’s information

Level Trust recognises that children and young people require particular protection when their personal information is used.

We aim to collect only information that is necessary for our work and to explain how information will be used in an appropriate and understandable way.

Where necessary, we may obtain permission from a parent or carer.

There may also be circumstances where we need to process or share information without consent in order to meet safeguarding obligations or protect a child or another person from harm.

Marketing communications

Where required, we will only send electronic marketing communications where we have an appropriate lawful basis to do so.

You can ask us to stop sending marketing communications at any time.

Complaints

If you are concerned about how Level Trust has handled your personal information, please contact us first so that we have an opportunity to investigate.

You also have the right to raise a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Information about making a complaint can be found at ico.org.uk.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our activities, website, technology or legal obligations.

The latest version will be published on this website with its most recent review date.

Right to be Forgotten Policy

Last updated: 1 October 2026

Your right to request deletion of your personal information

Under UK data protection law, individuals may have the right to ask Level Trust to delete personal information held about them.

This is commonly known as the right to erasure or the right to be forgotten.

The right is not absolute and there are circumstances where Level Trust may need or be permitted to retain information.

When you can ask us to delete your information

You may have the right to ask us to erase personal information where:

  • the information is no longer required for the purpose for which it was collected

  • you previously gave consent and have now withdrawn it

  • you object to processing based on legitimate interests and there is no overriding reason for us to continue

  • your information has been processed unlawfully

  • the information must be deleted to comply with a legal obligation

  • other circumstances under applicable data protection legislation apply

You may also object to the use of your personal information for direct marketing.

When we may need to keep information

The right to erasure does not apply in every situation.

We may need to keep some or all of your personal information where it is necessary:

  • to comply with a legal obligation

  • to retain charity, tax or accounting records

  • to retain Gift Aid records

  • for safeguarding purposes

  • for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims

  • to protect the rights or safety of another person

  • for certain public interest, research, statistical or archiving purposes where permitted by law

  • for another lawful reason that means the information cannot yet be deleted

Where only part of your information needs to be retained, we will consider whether the remaining information can be deleted.

Information about children

Particular consideration will be given to requests involving personal information collected about children and young people.

However, safeguarding or legal requirements may mean that some records must continue to be retained.

How to make a request

You can request deletion of your personal information by contacting Level Trust.

Please provide:

  • your full name

  • your contact details

  • details of the information you would like us to delete

  • any information that will help us locate your records

Requests can be made through the Contact Us page on leveltrust.org, by telephone or in writing.

Level Trust – Uniform Exchange
Unit 2G
Frasers Plus
Luton
LU1 2TW

Telephone: 07480 753905

You do not need to use the words “right to be forgotten” for us to treat your communication as an erasure request.

Confirming your identity

We may ask for reasonable information to confirm your identity before deleting personal information.

We will only ask for information that is necessary and proportionate for this purpose.

This is intended to prevent somebody else from fraudulently requesting deletion of your information.

How long we will take to respond

We will respond to a valid request without undue delay and normally within one month.

In certain circumstances, the response period may be extended where a request is particularly complex or where a number of requests have been made.

If an extension is required, we will explain this to you.

Information shared with other organisations

Where appropriate, if information has been deleted and we previously disclosed that information to another organisation, we will take reasonable steps to inform relevant recipients of the deletion where required by law.

Third party organisations may have their own legal responsibilities or reasons for retaining information.

Backup systems

Information may remain temporarily within secure backup systems after it has been removed from our active systems.

Where immediate deletion from a backup is not technically possible, the information will remain protected and will not normally be used for any other purpose before it is overwritten or securely deleted.

If we cannot delete your information

If we decide that we cannot comply fully or partly with your request, we will explain the reason unless the law prevents us from doing so.

You may also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk.

Contact us

For questions about this policy or your personal information, please contact:

Level Trust – Uniform Exchange
Unit 2G
Frasers Plus
Luton
LU1 2TW

Telephone: 07480 753905

Registered charity number: 1178223

Jennie White

I feel extremely honoured to be the CEO of Level Trust.

It is a responsibility that I take very seriously. I spent many years as a senior leader in education working in a variety of settings including: custodial and secure units, mainstream primary and secondary schools and alternative provision.

I have been a part of the Level Trust team since 2021 and my favorite part of my job is working with our amazing staff, trustees and volunteers to support children and families across Luton. In my spare time you will find me walking my four dogs, reading or watching Strictly!

Jade Halsey

I support the running of our Uniform Exchange and Learning Locker and also work out in our amazing local community and schools to build relationships and reach those in need more directly. My favourite part about my job is using my own life experience to support families and meeting the wonderful next generation of adults. I love hearing individual thoughts and feelings straight from our community and seeing how we can help. I am so passionate about the importance of Level Trusts and its role in our community and I’m excited to see what the future holds. 

Serena Bower

As a successful HR professional with 20+ years experience at operational and strategic level, my passion is unlocking the barriers to successful growth for SMEs with people at its core. Fuelled by my passion and enthusiasm for understanding the needs of people and ensuring this contributes to the success of business, I firmly believe that people are a business's greatest asset. I am delighted and honoured to be supporting Level Trust in a people and HR capacity – playing a part in the charity’s amazing journey and the incredible impact the team are having on the everyday lives of those most vulnerable in society.

Outside of work, I place family at the heart of everything - nurturing my 14 year old Autistic child to be the best he can be, and raising money and awareness for the charity Erase Meso – a charity raising critical funds for Mesothelioma (Asbestos Cancer Research) following my brothers terminal diagnosis 4 years ago but defying all odds, through clinical immunotherapy trials, now being in remission.

Fowzia Ahmed

Fowzia Ahmed is a teacher passionate about creating inclusive environments where young people feel supported and empowered to thrive. As a former Deputy SENDCo, she has extensive experience in safeguarding and SEND. She currently leads Student Leadership and Girls’ Aspirations, developing opportunities that inspire confidence and personal growth. Fowzia is also the founder of Barakah, a community initiative dedicated to empowering the next generation of female leaders.

Lauren Barford- Dowling

I’m 28 and from Luton. I have 4 children who are 11, 7, 6 and 6 months. I grew up in Marsh Farm and know the struggles of not having the right uniform.

I enjoy visiting new places, crafting something up and spending time with my family.

I became a trustee for Level Trust because I have a strong love for all the work they do supporting families like my own with everyday problems. I’ve been in that situation myself and now I’m looking to advocate and help others benefit from all the opportunities Level Trust has to offer.

Sharon Esnard

A qualified accountant with extensive experience in financial stewardship, Sharon Esnard serves as a trustee of Level Trust, helping to guide the charity’s strategic direction and ensure robust governance. Sharon is committed to creating a fairer start for children in Luton and uses her professional insight to support Level Trust’s mission of removing barriers to education. Her work reflects a strong belief in the power of practical, compassionate support for families.

Catherine Farrell

Catherine Farrell has been involved in fundraising for over 28 years and has been working with Level Trust since March 2022.

An expert in networking, raising money for special projects, running capital appeals and core funding. Catherine has raised millions of pounds for social welfare projects, community and youth projects, homelessness, hospices and disability charities. She is energetic and passionate about her work and understands the motivation for giving. She is a trust and major donor fundraiser and has also obtained significant funding through national lottery sources.

Rachel Warwick

Rachel Warwick is Chair of Trustees at Level Trust. She has experience in fundraising, marketing, and governance in education and the charity sector. Rachel founded the national holiday hunger charity MakeLunch in 2011 and is currently Director of Mobilisation at Scripture Union. She is passionate about tackling poverty and creating opportunities for children to thrive.

Sufian Sadiq

Sufian Sadiq is the Director of Teaching School at Chiltern Learning Trust, with responsibility for overseeing two regional Hub areas in the South East of England. Chiltern Teaching School are one of the largest providers of CPD to the sector nationally.

He is a passionate activist within the educational landscape around race, equity and inclusion. He is a Fellow and Board Member of the Chartered College of Teaching, as well as a Fellow for the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors.

He plays an active role in numerous charitable organisations as a Trustee and also holds key governance roles within educational organisations.

Mostaque Koyes

Mostaque grew up in the Bury Park area of Luton, close to the Kenilworth Road stadium of his beloved Luton Town Football Club, where he holds the position of Community Ambassador.

He runs a local printing company Bartham Press, founded Community Interest Luton, and leads on its various initiatives which seek to better the lives of people in the region.

Mostaque has worked in business and charity for many years. He knows the local area and the people very well, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his ambassador role.

Chris Curtis

Chris is the Chief Executive of Youthscape, a national youth charity based in Luton. His work has focused on supporting young people’s development in areas like mental and emotional wellbeing.

In his spare time he’s a bit of a Mac nerd and a member of The Magic Circle.

Bina Briggs

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Anisah Akthar

Anisah graduated from UCL with a degree in Education and Philosophy and started her career in the field of admissions.

She is now Head of Student Experience and Corporate Communications for Luton Sixth Form College and is the youngest female, ethnic minority Head of Department in the history of the college.

Anisah is a strong advocate for Luton and showcases the town on a national platform, something which she describes as a privilege.

Wasim Akhtar

Wasim is a passionate solicitor who has grown up in Central Luton. As a Partner at Hannah Solicitors, he has been committed to promoting progression and creating opportunities for the young and upcoming generation.

Whether it’s legal advice, career guidance, or community development, he is always available to make a positive impact.

Wasim has worked with small boutique and large firms bringing together skills from both and is part of a community employment objective to create brighter futures.

Altaf Hussain

Altaf is the Principal and CEO of Luton Sixth Form College, the oldest and one of the largest and best specialist sixth form colleges in the country supporting the dreams of over three thousand highly ambitious young professionals.

Altaf is convinced the future UK Prime Minister will come from Luton Sixth Form College – you read it here first!

Donna Davie

I work for Whittaker Plane and alongside Level Trust. I am passionate about helping people and I enjoy working behind the scenes to make sure businesses run smoothly and efficiently. Originally from Chicago, I have now called Luton home for over 15 years. When not working, I can be found with my two kids or inside the pages of a good book.

Mark Plane​

Mark Plane qualified as a Chartered Accountant with ICAEW in 2011 and founded Whittaker Plane in 2014.

Whittaker Plane Ltd is founded on values of integrity and excellence and supports many businesses and charities to achieve their goals.

Whittaker Plane supports Level Trust with book-keeping, payroll, accounts and advice to the CEO and Trustee board.

As a Luton parent Mark has seen the great work of Level Trust in his children’s schools.

Kim Ansell

I run the Uniform Exchange and Learning Locker. As a mum with three children, I know what it's like trying to get everything the children need for school. You just get what they need and they grow, it breaks or they lose it! It can be really hard to find the money to replace or buy new things when there’s not much left after you’ve paid your bills. I like helping people and I get to know lots of families on my estate. I'm known as the uniform lady (!) and people say hello when I'm out with my family or walking my dog.

Kerri Porthouse

I have spent many years working within the public sector. At 18 years old, I joined the Police Force and spent a number of years policing on the front line. I then moved into education, primarily focussing on safeguarding and supporting children and young people. I have two young children myself, who keep me busy and I love to spend time outdoors exploring with them. You may also find me exercising or with my head in a book.