Privacy Notice

Last updated: 21 September 2026

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At Discover Pilates, I respect your privacy and take the protection of your personal information seriously.

This Privacy Notice explains how I collect, use, store and protect your personal information when you visit my website, book or attend a class or workshop, contact me, join my mailing list, purchase or participate in an online programme, or otherwise use my services.

I operate Discover Pilates as a small independent business and aim to collect only the information I genuinely need to provide my services and run my business.

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1. Who I am

Discover Pilates is operated by Emma Smale as a sole trader.

For the purposes of UK data protection law, I am the data controller responsible for the personal information I collect and use.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or how your information is handled, please contact me:

Email: emma@discoverpilates.co.uk
Website: www.discoverpilates.co.uk

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2. What personal information I collect

Depending on how you interact with Discover Pilates, I may collect:

• your name

• email address

• telephone number

• booking and attendance information

• information relating to purchases and payments

• information you provide when you contact me

• responses to questionnaires, feedback forms and other forms

• information relating to your health, injuries, physical limitations or exercise needs where relevant to your participation

• information you provide when joining a mailing list or waitlist

• information relating to your participation in online programmes

• technical information collected when you use my website, such as IP address, browser type and device information, where applicable.

I do not intentionally collect information that I do not need for the purposes described in this Privacy Notice.

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3. How I collect your information

I may collect information when you:

• visit or use my website

• book or attend a Discover Pilates class or workshop

• purchase or participate in an online programme, including Strong From Within

• complete a PAR-Q or other health questionnaire

• contact me by email or another communication method

• join my mailing list or a programme waitlist

• complete a form

• make a payment.

Most information is collected directly from you.

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4. How I use your information

I may use your personal information to:

• process and manage bookings

• provide Pilates classes, workshops and online programmes

• communicate with you about your bookings, purchases or participation

• process payments

• assess whether exercise is appropriate and identify relevant adaptations

• provide appropriate support

• respond to enquiries

• administer my business

• maintain appropriate business and client records

• send marketing communications where I am legally permitted to do so

• improve my services and website

• meet legal, accounting, tax and insurance requirements

• establish, exercise or defend legal claims where necessary.

 

5. Lawful bases for using your information

UK data protection law requires me to have a lawful basis for collecting and using personal information.

Depending on the circumstances, I may rely on:

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Contract – where I need your information to provide a service you have booked or purchased.

Legal obligation – where I need to process or retain information because I am legally required to do so, for example certain financial and accounting records.

Legitimate interests – where processing is reasonably necessary for the operation and administration of my business and does not override your rights and interests. This may include maintaining appropriate business records, responding to enquiries and managing the security of my website and services.

Consent – where you have actively given consent, for example where consent is required for certain marketing communications or processing particular health information.

Where I rely on consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time.

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6. Health information

Some Discover Pilates services involve collecting information about your health, injuries, physical limitations, pregnancy or pelvic health.

Information relating to your health is special category personal data under UK data protection law and receives additional protection.

I only collect health information where it is relevant and necessary to provide my services safely and appropriately.

For example, you may provide information through a PAR-Q or other health questionnaire so that I can identify whether you may need adaptations, further information or professional advice before participating.

Where required, I will obtain your explicit consent to process health information. This consent will require a clear affirmative action and will not be assumed simply because you participate in a service.

Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw your consent by contacting me. However, if relevant health information is necessary for me to provide a service safely, withdrawing consent may mean I am unable to continue providing that service.

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7. PAR-Q and health information for face-to-face services

Health and PAR-Q information for face-to-face classes and other services may be collected using paper or digital forms.

Paper records are stored securely and are not left publicly accessible.

Where digital forms are used, reasonable measures are taken to restrict access and protect the information provided.

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8. Strong From Within and other online programmes

If you purchase or participate in Strong From Within or another Discover Pilates online programme, I may process information required to:

• process your purchase

• provide programme access

• communicate with you about the programme

• provide programme support

• administer online or Zoom sessions

• provide programme materials

• manage your participation

• process relevant health information provided as part of the programme.

 

Online programmes may involve third-party services such as Google Forms, Google, Zoom, Wix and Stripe.

Health information provided as part of an online programme will be handled in accordance with Section 6 of this Privacy Notice.

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9. Email marketing

I use Kit to manage my email marketing and subscriber lists.

Where I have an appropriate lawful basis, I may use your name and email address to send information about Discover Pilates classes, workshops, events, online programmes and other relevant services.

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe link included in my emails.

I will not make receiving marketing communications a condition of purchasing a service.

Unsubscribing from marketing will not prevent me from sending essential communications relating to a booking, programme or service you have purchased.

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10. Who I share your information with

I do not sell your personal information.

I may use trusted third-party service providers where necessary to operate Discover Pilates and provide my services. These currently include:

Wix – website, bookings and related online services.

Stripe – payment processing and transaction administration.

Google and Google Forms – forms, including PAR-Qs where applicable, and storage of information relating to my services.

Kit – email marketing and subscriber management.

Zoom – delivery of online sessions.

These providers may process information outside the UK and operate their own appropriate safeguards and international transfer arrangements.

I may also share information with professional advisers, insurers, accountants, legal advisers or relevant authorities where reasonably necessary for legitimate business, legal, regulatory or insurance purposes.

I will only share information that is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

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11. International transfers

Some service providers I use operate internationally. This means personal information may sometimes be processed or stored outside the UK.

Where this occurs, appropriate safeguards or other lawful mechanisms for international transfers will be used as required by UK data protection law.

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12. How I protect your information

I take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against accidental loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, disclosure or destruction.

Measures include appropriate password protection, secure storage, limiting access to information and securely storing paper records.

No method of electronic storage or transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure, but I take reasonable steps to protect the information I hold.

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13. How long I keep your information

I only retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and to meet relevant legal, insurance, accounting and business requirements.

Client and health records: Relevant client records, including PAR-Q and health information, may be retained for up to 7 years after your last participation or session, where necessary for insurance, legal or record-keeping purposes.

Financial and transaction records: These are retained for the period required by applicable tax, accounting and legal requirements.

Marketing information: If you unsubscribe from marketing, I will stop sending marketing communications. I may retain a minimal record of your opt-out so that I can respect your request.

Enquiries: Information relating to an enquiry that does not result in you becoming a client will normally be deleted when it is no longer reasonably required.

Legal, insurance or complaint-related records: Information relevant to an ongoing complaint, insurance matter, dispute or legal claim may need to be retained for longer where appropriate.

When information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, destroyed or anonymised as appropriate.

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14. Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, your rights under UK data protection law may include:

• the right to know how your personal information is being used

• the right to request access to personal information I hold about you

• the right to ask me to correct inaccurate information

• the right to ask me to erase information in certain circumstances

• the right to ask me to restrict processing in certain circumstances

• the right to object to certain processing

• the right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

• certain rights relating to data portability and automated decision-making, where applicable.

These rights are not absolute and legal exceptions may apply.

To exercise a right or ask a question about your information, contact emma@discoverpilates.co.uk.

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15. Cookies and website technologies

My website is operated through Wix and may use cookies and similar technologies necessary for the website to function.

Depending on the features enabled, cookies or similar technologies may also be used for analytics, functionality or other purposes.

Where consent is required for non-essential cookies, this will be requested through the relevant website cookie controls.

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16. Links to other websites

My website may contain links to third-party websites or services.

Those organisations have their own privacy policies and I am not responsible for how they process personal information.

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17. Changes to this Privacy Notice

I may update this Privacy Notice to reflect changes to my services, technology, service providers or data protection requirements.

The latest version will be published on my website and the date at the top will show when it was last updated.

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18. Data protection complaints

If you have a concern or complaint about how I have collected, used or handled your personal information, please contact me at emma@discoverpilates.co.uk.

I will acknowledge a data protection complaint within 30 days of receiving it.

I will take appropriate steps to investigate the complaint and will keep you informed about its progress where appropriate. I will provide you with the outcome of my investigation without undue delay.

You also have the right to raise a concern or make a complaint directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent data protection regulator. You do not have to complain to Discover Pilates before contacting the ICO.