Thank you to all Managing Trustee bodies who completed the 2022 Annual Data Protection Checklist (Checklist). We recognize the hard work and commitment by those Managing Trustees and their District Data Champions.

It is that time of year again when all Local Churches, Circuits and Districts need to complete the 2023 Checklist. The Checklist is not new and completing this exercise will hopefully now form part of your timetable of things to review annually. Please treat this Article as a gentle reminder. The Checklist is the process through which Managing Trustees annually review the ways in which they use and protect personal information relating to individuals. Managing Trustees confirm that they are fulfilling the responsibilities imposed by data protection legislation by completing the Checklist and confirming that each of the seven checks have been satisfied.

Your District Data Champion will soon be circulating an email via the Circuit with a link to a Google Form version of the 2023 Checklist which you can complete online. Special thanks go to your Sheffield District Data Champion who has created a Google Form specific to each District. The 2023 Data Protection Annual Checklist and Guidance is already available on the TMCP Website with detailed guidance to help you and you can download the short form of the Checklist (Short Form) here. You can either complete and submit the Google Form online, or download the Short Form and submit the completed Checklist to your District Data Champion, whichever option you prefer. Please do however ensure the completed Checklist is returned to your Data Champion by 31st May 2023.

The Data Protection Annual Checklist and Guidance explains the purposes behind the Checklist, and provides detailed guidance to help you complete and submit the Checklist as well as to carry out the practical steps to achieve compliance.

If you have completed the 2021 and 2022 Checklists, the 2023 Checklist should simply mean revisiting your data mapping (your stocktake of the information you hold and what you do with it) and ensuring this is up to date. The second stage of completing the Checklist should be as straightforward as confirming that the remaining six checks are in hand. If you are unsure, then the Data Protection Annual Checklist and Guidance will explain what each check means and how to fulfil it.

TMCP has always promoted data protection as ‘People Protection’ and we urge all Managing Trustees to see this once-a-year project as demonstration of your commitment to safeguarding everyone associated with your Local Church, Circuit and District in the best way possible.

Your District Data Champion has been offered specific training on completing the Checklist and is on hand to provide support and assistance to you. If your District Data Champion is unable to assist, then please contact TMCP. If you are unsure who your District Data Champion is then please ask your District Chair or contact us and we will provide their details. You can also contact TMCP at any time with your data protection queries at dataprotection@tmcp.org.uk.

Sign up to receive the News Hub alerts to keep a pace with what is available. Alternatively, please do not hesitate to contact TMCP if you have any general data protection queries and the Connexional Team’s Data Protection Officer for enquiries relating to safeguarding and complaints and discipline issues.