Open Sports Privacy Policy
Effective date: July 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how OpenSportsUK Limited (“Open Sports”, “we”, “us” or “our”) collects, uses, stores and shares personal data in connection with Open Sports clubs, coaching sessions, camps, holiday activities and related services.
For the purposes of UK data protection law, OpenSportsUK Limited is the data controller of the personal data described in this Privacy Policy unless stated otherwise.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or about how we use personal data, please contact:
Christopher MacFarlane
Email: chris@opensports.uk
Website: www.opensports.uk
1. Who this Privacy Policy applies to
This Privacy Policy applies to personal data relating to:
a) parents and legal guardians who make bookings with Open Sports;
b) children attending Open Sports activities;
c) emergency contacts and authorised collectors; and
d) any other individuals whose personal data is provided to Open Sports in connection with a child’s booking or attendance.
2. The personal data we collect
Depending on the activity and the information provided to us, Open Sports may collect and process the following categories of personal data.
2.1 Parent / guardian information
This may include:
a) parent or guardian name;
b) email address;
c) telephone number;
d) address, if provided;
e) booking and payment information;
f) communication preferences; and
g) records of communications with Open Sports.
2.2 Child information
This may include:
a) child’s name;
b) school year group and school details where relevant;
c) attendance and booking records;
d) information relevant to the child’s participation in sport and club activities;
e) image permissions or preferences recorded through the booking platform; and
f) any other information reasonably required to deliver the relevant activity.
2.3 Health, welfare and support information
This may include:
a) medical conditions;
b) allergies;
c) injuries;
d) medication requirements;
e) asthma, epilepsy, diabetes or other health information relevant to safe participation;
f) learning needs, SEND needs, sensory needs or communication needs relevant to participation;
g) behavioural information relevant to safe participation, supervision or support; and
h) emergency or welfare information provided by parents or shared with us in connection with the child’s safe participation.
2.4 Emergency contact and collection information
This may include:
a) emergency contact names;
b) emergency contact telephone numbers;
c) relationship to the child;
d) authorised collection arrangements; and
e) late collection or supervision arrangements relevant to the child.
2.5 Incident, safeguarding and administration records
This may include:
a) accident and incident records;
b) first aid records;
c) safeguarding or welfare records where relevant;
d) behaviour or conduct records relevant to club delivery; and
e) complaints, investigations and related correspondence.
3. How we collect personal data
Open Sports collects personal data:
a) directly from parents or guardians when they make a booking, complete forms, contact us or otherwise provide information to us;
b) through the Open Sports website and booking platform;
c) from communications with parents, guardians or emergency contacts;
d) from Open Sports staff and coaches in the course of running clubs and recording attendance, incidents or welfare information; and
e) where reasonably necessary, from the school which your child attends, in connection with safeguarding, welfare, medical, learning, behavioural, collection or operational matters relevant to a child’s safe participation in Open Sports activities. This may also include their school photo in order to learn the names of the children quicker and to provide clear reference.
4. Why we use personal data
Open Sports uses personal data for the following purposes:
a) to administer bookings and payments;
b) to allocate children to clubs and manage termly enrolment;
c) to contact parents about bookings, schedules, venues, changes, cancellations and club administration;
d) to supervise children and deliver sports coaching safely;
e) to understand medical, learning, behavioural and support needs relevant to safe participation;
f) to respond to illness, injury, accidents or emergencies;
g) to manage collection, late collection and handover arrangements;
h) to maintain attendance, first aid, incident, safeguarding and operational records;
i) to manage behaviour, welfare and safeguarding concerns;
j) to investigate complaints or incidents;
k) to comply with legal, safeguarding, insurance and regulatory obligations;
l) to improve and manage our services; and
m) where appropriate, to send newsletters and updates about Open Sports clubs, camps and services.
5. Our lawful bases for processing personal data
Under the UK GDPR, Open Sports must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. Depending on the circumstances, Open Sports relies on one or more of the following lawful bases.
5.1 Contract
Processing is necessary to take steps at a parent’s request before entering into a contract, and to perform our contract with the parent for the provision of Open Sports clubs and related services. This includes processing personal data to administer bookings, take payment, confirm places, communicate club information and deliver the booked activity.
5.2 Legitimate interests
Processing is necessary for Open Sports’ legitimate interests in running a safe, effective and well-administered sports coaching business, provided those interests are not overridden by the rights and freedoms of the child or parent. This may include processing personal data to:
a) manage bookings and communications;
b) maintain attendance and operational records;
c) support safe supervision, behaviour management and club administration;
d) investigate incidents or complaints;
e) protect the welfare of children and staff; and
f) improve and manage our services.
5.3 Legal obligation
Processing is necessary for compliance with legal obligations to which Open Sports is subject, including obligations relating to health and safety, safeguarding, accounting, taxation, insurance and responding to lawful requests or legal claims.
5.4 Vital interests
In limited circumstances, Open Sports may process personal data where necessary to protect the vital interests of a child or another person, for example in a medical emergency.
6. Special category data
Some of the information Open Sports processes about children is special category data under the UK GDPR, including health information and certain information about learning, support or welfare needs.
Where Open Sports processes special category data, it will do so only where it is lawful and appropriate, and where a valid condition under Article 9 UK GDPR applies. Depending on the circumstances, Open Sports may rely on one or more of the following conditions:
a) explicit consent, where this is the appropriate basis and has been obtained;
b) processing necessary to protect the vital interests of the child or another person where the child or parent is physically or legally incapable of giving consent;
c) processing necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; and/or
d) processing necessary for reasons of substantial public interest where permitted by law, including safeguarding children and individuals at risk, where applicable.
Open Sports will only request and use special category data that is reasonably necessary for the safe and proper delivery of its activities or for compliance with legal and safeguarding obligations.
7. Sharing personal data
Open Sports may share personal data where reasonably necessary and lawful to do so.
7.1 Sharing with schools
Open Sports may share relevant personal data with school your child attends and may share relevant personal data with Open Sports, where reasonably necessary for:
a) safeguarding and child welfare;
b) health and safety;
c) medical support and emergency response;
d) understanding and supporting learning, behavioural or support needs relevant to safe participation;
e) attendance, handover, late collection and supervision arrangements;
f) behaviour management, pastoral support or operational matters connected with the child’s participation in Open Sports activities; and/or
g) investigating incidents, complaints or concerns.
This may include sharing information about a child’s medical conditions, allergies, learning needs, behavioural needs, support strategies, collection arrangements or safeguarding concerns where relevant to the child’s safe participation in an Open Sports activity.
7.2 Sharing with service providers
Open Sports may share personal data with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate our business, such as:
a) booking platform providers;
b) payment processors;
c) website and IT service providers;
d) email and communication platforms; and
e) insurers, legal advisers, accountants or professional advisers where reasonably necessary.
Where third parties process personal data on our behalf, we expect them to do so securely and only for the relevant purpose.
7.3 Sharing in emergencies, safeguarding matters or where required by law
Open Sports may share personal data with emergency services, medical professionals, local authorities, regulators, safeguarding agencies, police, courts or other third parties where reasonably necessary:
a) to protect a child or another person;
b) to respond to an emergency;
c) to deal with a safeguarding concern;
d) to comply with a legal obligation; or
e) to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
8. Newsletters and marketing communications
8.1 Open Sports may send parents administrative emails relating to their child’s booking, including booking confirmations, club information, venue updates, cancellations and other service-related communications. These communications form part of the service we provide and parents cannot opt out of essential booking and club-related messages while they have an active booking with us.
8.2 Open Sports may also send parents newsletters and updates about Open Sports clubs, camps and related sports and family services of interest which may or may not be an Open Sports sponsor.
8.3 Parents can unsubscribe from newsletter and marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe link in the email or by contacting chris@opensports.uk.
9. Photography and video
9.1 Open Sports understands that images of children require careful handling.
9.2 Open Sports will manage photography and video in accordance with the permissions and preferences recorded through the booking platform and in accordance with applicable data protection law and safeguarding practice.
9.3 Parents should notify Open Sports promptly if image permissions change.
10. How long we keep personal data
10.1 Open Sports will keep personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including for safeguarding, operational, legal, insurance and accounting purposes.
10.2 Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the reason it was collected. As a general guide:
a) booking, payment and attendance records may be retained for a reasonable business and accounting period;
b) accident, incident, first aid and safeguarding records may be retained for longer where appropriate to protect children, respond to complaints, meet insurance requirements or defend legal claims;
c) newsletter and marketing records may be retained until the parent unsubscribes or asks us to stop; and
d) correspondence and complaint records may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary to deal with the matter and any related legal or insurance issues.
10.3 Open Sports may retain information for longer where required by law, where reasonably necessary for safeguarding purposes, or where needed in connection with actual or potential legal claims.
11. Data security
11.1 Open Sports takes reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration or disclosure.
11.2 These measures may include:
a) restricting access to personal data to those who need it;
b) using password-protected systems and secure platforms where appropriate;
c) using reputable booking and payment providers;
d) storing records securely; and
e) requiring staff to handle personal data appropriately and confidentially.
11.3 However, no system is completely secure and Open Sports cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted electronically.
12. International transfers
12.1 Open Sports does not intend to transfer personal data outside the United Kingdom except where this occurs through the use of third-party providers who store or process data overseas.
12.2 Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, Open Sports will take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with UK data protection law.
13. Your data protection rights
13.1 Depending on the circumstances, parents and, where applicable, children may have the following rights under UK data protection law:
a) the right to be informed about how personal data is used;
b) the right to request access to personal data;
c) the right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data;
d) the right to request erasure of personal data in certain circumstances;
e) the right to request restriction of processing in certain circumstances;
f) the right to object to certain processing, including certain marketing communications;
g) the right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent; and
h) the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”).
13.2 These rights are not absolute and may not apply in every case.
13.3 To exercise any of these rights, please contact chris@opensports.uk.
14. Complaints
14.1 If you have any concerns about how Open Sports uses personal data, please contact us first and we will try to resolve the issue.
14.2 You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
15. Changes to this Privacy Policy
15.1 Open Sports may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, guidance, our services, our booking systems or our business operations.
15.2 The latest version will be published on the Open Sports website and will apply from the date stated at the top of the policy.