Updated Society Policies

All Fellows and Members of the Society have the privilege of introducing guests, for whom they shall personally vouch by signing the visitors’ book at all ordinary meetings, provided not more than two guests are introduced at one time nor the same person more than three times in any one programme year or calendar year.

• Guests must be accompanied by the Fellow or Member whilst within the Society's premises.
• No Fellow or Member shall have the right to introduce any guest who is either a suspended member or an expelled former member of the Society.
• Displayers on meeting days are welcome to invite more than the usual number of guests. However, it is requested that the names of guests who are not Fellows or Members are given to the General Manager in advance. This list will be available at the reception desk and name badges prepared; this saves embarrassment to the guests, especially as displayers might be in a meeting room on the first or second floor when their guests arrive.  
• No guests are permitted to attend the first meeting of the programme year, when material from the Royal Philatelic Collection is displayed.

Permission for any exception to this Guest Policy may only be given by the Council, the President or the Honorary Secretary.  

1. Privacy
   • The Royal Philatelic Society London (RPSL) is committed to maintaining high standards of security and confidentiality for information in our custody and control. Safeguarding this information is critical to our successful operation.
   • This privacy policy has been written using Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) guidance. RPSL handles Personal Data solely as a Controller as defined in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) approved on 27th April 2016, and in force from 25th May 2018. This data is stored exclusively in secure hosting facilities in accordance with the requirements of the GDPR.
2. Collecting and handling data
   • RPSL will hold and process the personal information which you provide via the RPSL website, or its other websites, or by submitting emails or online, by postal or any other kind of form, for organisational and promotional purposes in the following ways:
   • Digital systems
     • On proprietary contact management, subscription, accounting, or other databases relating to its collections and other activities, or by any other digital means.
     • Data held on the Society’s servers is backed up to servers controlled by Computing Information Systems Ltd, Brunel House, Volunteer Way, Faringdon SN7 7YR, United Kingdom.
   • Postal, email and telephone Privacy Policy
     • Members will receive communications which form part of the primary function of the Society. These include subscription reminders, any communications which are benefits of membership such as the Society’s journal, information contained in newsletters, and anything provided by law or in the statutes of the Society. Other communications may reflect the fact that every Member is a guarantor of the company. For example, information concerning premises and fundraising, which are the legitimate interest of members.
     • In addition to the above, whether a Member or not, if you supply RPSL with your telephone number, we may contact you with information regarding new services, online surveys, or upcoming events. If you supply the Society with your postal address you may receive periodic mailings with information on new services or forthcoming events. Your email address may be used by RPSL to notify you about updates to the site and/or to contact you for marketing, fundraising and informational purposes.
   • Newsletters
     • When RPSL uses a third-party provider (e.g. MailChimp or other tools) to deliver its online information and newsletter services, these tools gather statistics around email opening and clicks using industry standard technologies to help monitor and improve the service.
   • Events Registration
     • When RPSL uses third party providers, information may be received and held for registration of its events.
   • Security and performance
     • When RPSL uses a third-party service to help maintain the security and performance of its websites it processes the IP addresses of visitors to the RPSL website(s).
   • Use of Cookies
     • In addition to the information you submit to the RPSL via the websites, RPSL may collect information about visits to the websites. RPSL collects information on page browser access. This is used within RPSL to improve the design and layout of its websites.RPSL gathers information on the relative popularity of each page, the average number of pages accessed by visitors, the number of emails sent, or files downloaded, and the average time spent on the site. None of this information is linked back to you as an individual.
     • The website(s) may use the following cookies on each page:
       • Session cookies - to enhance your browsing quality by allowing RPSL to know what pages you visit on this website and others.
       • Google Analytics - RPSL may use this information to compile reports on website usage, visitor sources and analyse browser versions.
       • YouTube cookies - may be set on your computer once you click on the YouTube video player. YouTube will not store personally-identifiable cookie information for playbacks of embedded videos using the privacy-enhanced mode.
3. Data disclosure to third parties
   • Except for officers and those elected or appointed to Council, Society representatives, and those acting with the authority of Council, we will not pass your contact details to any member, volunteer, organisation or third party without your express permission.
   • Paid members of staff may have access to your contact details and to records relating to transactional financial information such as subscriptions, purchases and fees for services which may include room hire, safety deposit boxes, and any other service for which the Society charges a fee.
   • RPSL does not sell personal information nor will it pass on online personal information to any organisation or individual outside of its control.
4. Active consent
   • Please note that by ticking a consent button or any other method requesting active consent included in the website(s) or newsletter, or any other instance, whilst sending your personal information to RPSL you are explicitly consenting to the processing and transfer of such information.
5. External links
   • RPSL may provide hyperlinks from the websites to websites of third parties. Please note that this privacy statement applies only to the contents of the RPSL website(s) and not to those websites to which RPSL may provide a link.
6. Changes to this privacy policy
   • RPSL keeps its privacy notice under regular review.
   • This privacy notice was last updated on 15th October 2024.
7. How to contact us
   • A request for disclosure of any of your personal information held by the Society can be made to RPSL:
     • by email to administration@rpsl.org.uk, or
     • by post to The Royal Philatelic Society London, 15 Abchurch Lane, London EC4N 7BW, United Kingdom
   • This is free of charge, however, should your request go beyond the scope of our membership database we would be obliged to charge a nominal fee of £10.
   • RPSL may require proof of identity from you prior to disclosing such information to safeguard the security of your information.
   • Any member can see the basic data which we hold by logging on as a member to the website at www.rpsl.org.uk and navigating to ‘My Details’.

This website and the information contained within it have been compiled solely for the purpose of providing information about the Royal Philatelic Society London, and the services that it offers to Fellows and Members throughout the world, to other philatelists, and to those who may be interested in learning more about the Society.

This website is not intended for distribution to, use or access by any person in any jurisdiction where the act of that person accessing the site would cause the Royal Philatelic Society London, and associated organisations to be in breach of any law or regulation in that jurisdiction.

This website is provided 'as is' without any express or implied warranty of any kind and, in particular, no warranty is given as to the quality, fitness for purpose or performance of the website or its freedom from errors, omissions and inaccuracies. There may be a delay between significant changes in the affairs of the Royal Philatelic Society London happening and this website being updated to reflect those changes.

By accessing this website you agree that the Royal Philatelic Society London will not be liable for any direct, indirect or consequential loss arising from the use of the information and other material contained in this website. Accessing, downloading and/or use of this website by any person is entirely at the risk of such person.

Any links to other web sites provided by this website have been included for convenience only. The inclusion of any link does not imply any endorsement by the Royal Philatelic Society London of the linked website. Further, since the Royal Philatelic Society London has no control over the content of any site to which this website is linked, the Royal Philatelic Society London shall not be liable in respect of any matter arising out of your use of such linked sites, irrespective of whether or not any such linked site is operated by any organisation associated with the Royal Philatelic Society London.

The exclusions and limitations above apply to the extent permitted by law, which shall be determined under English law in London.

Material published by The Royal Philatelic Society London on these web pages is copyright The Royal Philatelic Society London and may not be reproduced without permission. The copyright in any logos and brands contained in that material belong to the Royal Philatelic Society London or its licensors. Copyright exists in all original material published on the internet by members of The Royal Philatelic Society London and may belong to the author or to The Royal Philatelic Society London depending on the circumstances of publication. Audio and visual material, logos and brands must not be reproduced without the consent of their owners.