Letter from the Chairman

Dear Member

Keeping in touch with the NBC

If you reside within the European Union you may well have received a number of letters and emails from companies and organisations asking you to give consent to receiving future communications. This arises by virtue of a European Union Data Protection Regulation (known as GDPR). GDPR takes effect on 25 May 2018. The NBC is not exempt from GDPR and anyway we take very seriously the way we use your personal data (for example, using your name and email address) and the amount of information we send to you.

We have been advised that while the GDPR does not inhibit most of the ways we currently use your personal data, there is doubt over whether we can continue to provide you with all information about the NBC’s activities. For example, it seems that telling you about volunteering opportunities or fundraising activities is treated as direct marketing and therefore your prior explicit consent is required in order for us to correspond with you. As the NBC’s future success is dependent upon volunteers and income from fundraising it is imperative that we continue to be able to tell you about such initiatives.

I am therefore writing to you to request your written consent to the NBC contacting you either by post or email (or preferably both) with regard to information and materials regarding the NBC’s:

  • announcements (e.g. a new website address);
  • events (e.g. any 25th Anniversary celebrations);
  • fundraising (e.g. events, NBC trips, raffle tickets);
  • volunteering opportunities to assist the NBC; and
  • developments in your country or region.

The law says your consent (if you wish to give it) must be explicit so an opt-in is required.   The law also says that in giving consent you must have the choice to select communication by post, email or both. To make this as easy as possible you can do this via our website when you join or renew.  You can also contact the secretary for a form.

I urge you to give this your prompt attention. Thank you.

Finally, I appreciate that you may have questions about this, so we have placed a page of FAQs on the website. Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions.

With best wishes,

David Fisher

Chairman – Neotropical Bird Club