HUMANITY AT HEART Working in Romania

Thursday, 19 July 2012

Volunteers' Tea and visit to Borde Hill

Every year we do a special afternoon tea for the shop volunteers to thank them for all their hard work. This year we decided to have a trip to a local garden called Borde Hill, followed by tea in the cafe afterwards. A lovely time was had by all - we braved the cold and winds, and managed to gallop around the garden, reviving ourselves with cake, scones and tea afterwards.

Tuesday, 10 July 2012

The Girls finally move into their new home in Birlad, Romania

We are pleased to hear that after 2 years of living in the State Institution, Geta and Irma moved into their new permenant home on Monday. Linda and Mike from RAKE went out to Birlad to settle the girls in, and sent us this lovely report and photos.

Doing the washing up!

Irma and Geta with Cela.

We set off on Monday morning to go and collect the girls and amazingly there were no set backs – we were allowed to take them! The girls didn’t know we were coming so they were really excited to see us. When we arrived at the house we all had lunch with the team from Myosotis (the charity we are working with). They were great and we have every confidence in their ability to care for and support our young people. I was so proud of Irma and Geta, who despite the environment they have been living in for two years, behaved beautifully with perfect manners.

Mike and I were then “on duty” for the next few days. On Wednesday we were joined by Cela (our support worker from Casa Linda). We were acutely aware of the close relationship the girls have with Cela and how vital it is to have her there, at least for the first weeks. The girls were totally relaxed and happy.

The house is great and all the items HAH enabled us to buy looked lovely. Although on the edge of the town (about a 15 minute walk from the town centre) it feels like its in the country. We were woken by the noise of cockerels and barking dogs. The temperature was about 38 degrees but the house has a lovely patio area shaded by grape vines and once we discovered a table in the cellar which we brought out we spent most of our time outside. The garden needs some work and a new fence (a job for next Spring), but it has 4 apple trees, a plum tree, and a couple of other fruit trees we couldn’t identify. We are hoping to get chickens as soon as possible.

"Hope for the Colony" Community Centre

Here are some recent pictures taken on on 1st June at our Community Centre in Petrosani. They were celebrating Children's Day in Romania.

Tuesday, 26 June 2012

Plant Sales

We really need your help. Our plant sale area has proved to be extremely successful - so much so, that we need more plants to sell. Now is a great time to have a clear up in the garden, so please don't throw anything on the compost heap - pot it up and bring it in for us to sell. Many perennials such as hardy geraniums can be cut back and split now. We will also happily take any excess produce from your veg patch or allotment to sell.

We have already taken over £800 on the plants, and we're aiming for £1000 by the end of July, so please help us. All profits from the plants help our projects in Romania.
Many thanks.
Ann

Wednesday, 20 June 2012

RAKE House

I recieved an update from Linda at RAKE, together with some lovely pictures of the girls visiting their new home. Here is a copy of Linda's email:

The girls haven’t moved into their home yet but we are really pleased that last Wednesday they were given permission to visit the house. Our support worker, Cela, who HAH support , went with them. They spent the day at the house (and were very excited by everything) and met all the Myosotis team who will be involved in the project. A couple of them knew the girls from years back when they went on camping holidays. They had planned to spend some time sorting out the garden together as it is so overgrown but it was pouring with rain (not just us then!) so instead they all had lunch and just spent time together.

The Myosotis team were very impressed by how polite they were and how they immediately helped with laying the table and washing up. I feel very proud of them that they haven’t forgotten how to behave properly despite the awful environment they’ve been in for the last 2 years. They are spending another day at the house on Tuesday. We are still waiting to hear when they will move in permanently – but we are still awaiting the boss man to visit the house and officially authorise it. At least the girls have something to look forward to now......

Great news, and here's hoping the paperwork can be done soon and the girls can move in permenantly.

Tuesday, 19 June 2012

WI Fashion Night

The Fashion show on Monday night was a great success. It was organised by the Hassocks WI, and HAH provided the outfits. We hope to arrange some further joint ventures later in the year. Our thanks to the WI for a wondeful night.

Above, some of the lovely WI ladies who were models for the night

Friday, 25 May 2012

Update on new house, RAKE

Have received some pictures from Linda of the new kitchen. HAH paid for the kitchen, so it's great to see the completed room.

I hope to be able to give the news that the youngsters have moved in very soon.

About the Charity

Humanity at Heart (Reg. Charity No. 1042937) is a small, independent charity, based in a village called Hassocks in West Sussex, England, where we have a charity shop.

Opening hours are:

Monday to Friday 9.30-4.30.

Saturday 9.30-5pm

Established in 1990, in response to the media coverage of conditions in Romania following the Revolution, Humanity at Heart started by sending out lorry loads of aid to the orphanages. Subsequently our focus has changed to long term community based projects.

We provide funding for Romanian-led initiatives in the community, thereby fostering and supporting an ethos of self-help. We fund a voluntary project helping the elderly in Petrila, and provide significant funding for a therapy centre for children on the autistic spectrum, a day centre in Arad for poor families and street children, a day centre helping a poor Roma community, as well as project which provides a small home for 6 youngsters with special needs in Birlad.

Privacy Statement

PERSONAL DATA PRIVACY NOTICE

Humanity at Heart (HaH) is a small charity with a limited need to collect and process data from our donors, other supporters, volunteers and other contacts (collectively, “our Contacts”) . As such we have not considered it necessary to register under the Data Protection Act 1998.

However, the implementation of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May 2019 and the upcoming new Data Protection Act impose new obligations on HaH in relation to personal data, which this notice addresses.

Personal Data

For the purpose of this notice, the term “personal data” means data relating to a living individual which allows that person to be identified. Such identification can be by the information alone or in conjunction with any other information in the data controller’s possession or likely to come into such possession.

HaH is unlikely to acquire personal data from any source other than the individual identified by the data or someone acting on such individual’s behalf and with their knowledge.

Data Controller

HaH is the data controller (contact details below) as it decides how personal data is processed and for what purposes.

How HH Uses Personal Data

HH acquires personal data in various ways.

We use your personal data for the following purposes: -

· To maintain records of our contacts who have expressed an interest in HaH’s work and to send communications about the activities of HaH , to such individuals from time to time;

· To fundraise for HH, which will include processing of donations by means of Gift Aid or similar tax efficient arrangements;

· To manage our employees (if any) and volunteers;

· To maintain HaH’s accounts and records;

HaH does not access bank account, credit card or similar financial data from donors.

Security and Other Matters

HaH is committed to ensuring that personal data is maintained securely and is protected from loss, unintended destruction or damage and from unauthorised or unlawful processing; it has put in place suitable physical, electronic and organizational procedures.

HaH will not collect or retain excessive amounts of personal data and will, to the extent it is able, keep the personal data it needs up to date.

Retention

Personal data will be retained in relation to each of our contacts and volunteers as long as relevant law requires or, if longer, so long as we consider there to be an ongoing relationship to an individual. After that time such data will be securely destroyed.

Legal Basis for Processing Personal Data

Personal data is processed on the following bases:

· For our contacts and volunteers, explicit consent of the individual in relation to one or more of the data uses set out above.

· For employees, processing necessary for carrying out obligations under employment, social security or social protection law, or other relevant laws;

Sharing Personal Data

Subject to the following or to the requirements of any relevant law, personal data will be treated as strictly confidential and will only be shared among the trustees of HaH and HaH will not share personal data with third parties. Personal data may also on occasion be shared with volunteers working with HaH.

Personal data may also need to be shared with tax authorities to allow for tax reclaims or other processing of donations qualifying for tax benefits.

Rights in Relation to Personal Data

Unless subject to an exemption under the GDPR, individuals have the following rights with respect to their personal data: -

· The right to request a copy of any personal data which HaH holds;

· The right to request that HaH corrects any personal data if it is found to be inaccurate or out of date;

· The right to request that personal data is erased where it is no longer necessary for HaH to retain such data;

· The right to withdraw consent to the processing at any time

· The right to request that HaH provide a copy of personal data, and where possible to transmit that data directly, to another data controller, (where applicable).

· The right, where there is a dispute in relation to the accuracy or processing of personal data, to request a restriction is placed on further processing;

· The right to object to the processing of personal data, (where applicable)

· The right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioners Office.

Further processing

If HaH wishes to use any individual’s personal data for a new purpose, not covered by this notice, then we will provide that person with a new notice explaining this new use prior to commencing the processing and setting out the relevant purposes and processing conditions. Where and whenever necessary, HaH will always seek such individual’s prior consent to the new processing.

Contact Details

To exercise all relevant rights, queries or complaints please in the first instance Ann Heroys via email, humanity@humanityatheart.org.uk or by phone 01273 846135

You can contact the Information Commissioners Office on 0303 123 1113 or via email https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/email/ or at the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire. SK9 5AF.

May 2018