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Privacy Notice

Emma Cotton Celebrancy Last updated: 1/9/2026.

This privacy notice explains how I, Emma Cotton, collect, use, and protect your personal information when you use my website (www.emmacotton-celebrancy.com) or engage me as a funeral celebrant. I take your privacy seriously and I'm committed to handling your information — and that of the person being remembered — with the same care and respect I bring to every service.

I am the "data controller" for the purposes of UK data protection law (the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018).


Contact details: Emma Cotton, Funeral Celebrant 07958 465 474 emmacotton@mac.com www.emmacotton-celebrancy.com


1. The information I collect

Depending on how you interact with me, I may collect:


  • Contact details — name, email address, phone number, postal address
  • Enquiry information — details you share via my website contact form, email, or phone about the service you're enquiring about
  • Information about the person who has died — such as their life story, family relationships, career, achievements, hobbies, religious or spiritual beliefs, and any other details shared with me by family or friends to help me write and deliver a personal, fitting service
  • Information about family members and mourners — names and relationships, where relevant to the service
  • Photographs, videos, or audio recordings — where these are provided for use in a tribute, legacy video, or the service itself
  • Website usage information — such as pages visited or how you found my site, collected automatically if my website uses analytics tools or cookies (see Section 6)


Some of this information — particularly religious or philosophical beliefs, health information, or details relating to the deceased — is treated as special category data under UK GDPR. I only collect and use this where it's necessary to prepare and deliver the service you've asked me to conduct, and always with appropriate care and confidentiality.


2. How I use your information


I use your information to:

  • Respond to your enquiry and discuss the service you need
  • Prepare and write a funeral or memorial service, drawing on the details you provide
  • Communicate with you, the family, and (where relevant) the funeral director in the lead-up to and on the day of the service
  • Keep a record of services I have conducted, for my own reference and continuing professional development
  • Meet my obligations as a member of the Association of Independent Celebrants (AOIC), where relevant
  • Comply with legal or accounting obligations, such as invoicing
  • Send you information you've asked for, such as a quote or availability

I do not use your information, or that of the person being remembered, for marketing purposes without your clear consent.


3. My legal basis for using your information


Under UK GDPR, I rely on the following legal bases:


  • Contract — to take steps at your request before entering into a contract with you, and to perform that contract (i.e., to deliver the celebrancy service you've booked)
  • Legitimate interests — to respond to enquiries, maintain business records, and improve my services, where this does not override your rights and interests
  • Consent — where I ask for your explicit permission, such as to use photographs or video in a tribute, or to keep in touch for future services
  • Legal obligation — for example, keeping financial records for HMRC purposes

Where I process special category data (see Section 1), I rely on your explicit consent, given when you share this information with me for the purpose of preparing the service.


4. Who I share your information with:


I treat the details you share with me as confidential. I may share limited information with:

  • The funeral director managing the funeral, so the service can be coordinated properly
  • Venues (crematoria, churches, function rooms) where relevant to the day
  • Musicians, readers, or other service contributors, where you've asked me to liaise with them on your behalf
  • Professional bodies, such as the AOIC, only where required for accreditation, supervision, or complaints purposes
  • Service providers who support my business (e.g., email, cloud storage, or website hosting providers), who are only able to use your data to provide services to me

I do not sell or rent personal information to third parties.


5. How long I keep your information


I keep personal information only for as long as necessary:

  • Service preparation notes and eulogies — typically retained for 2 years in case you'd like a copy in future, then securely deleted.
  • Contact and invoicing records — retained for as long as required by HMRC (currently 6 years)
  • Enquiries that don't lead to a booking — retained for 12 months, then deleted

If you'd like your information deleted sooner, you can ask me at any time (see Section 7).


6. Cookies and website analytics


My website may use cookies or similar technologies to help it function properly and to understand how visitors use the site. This may include analytics tools that collect anonymised information about visits (e.g., which pages are viewed, how long for). You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings. Where consent is required for non-essential cookies, you'll be asked to provide it via a cookie banner on the site.


7. Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access the personal information I hold about you
  • Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
  • Request deletion of your information, where appropriate
  • Restrict or object to certain processing
  • Withdraw consent at any time, where I'm relying on consent (e.g., for photos or video)
  • Data portability, where relevant
  • Complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe your information has been handled improperly



To exercise any of these rights, please contact me using the details above. I'll respond within one month, as required by law.


You can also contact the ICO directly: Information Commissioner's Office https://ico.org.uk Helpline: 0303 123 1113


8. Keeping your information secure

I take reasonable steps to protect personal information from loss, misuse, or unauthorised access — including secure storage of documents and devices, and only sharing information with those who need it to help deliver your service.


9. Changes to this notice

I may update this privacy notice from time to time, for example if my practices change or the law requires it. The latest version will always be available on my website, with the date it was last updated shown at the top.