Anti-Discrimination, Equality and Diversity Policy

Radio Ninesprings is committed to providing a working environment in which employees and volunteers are able to realise their full potential and contribute to the success of the radio station, irrespective of their gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, part-time status, age, religion or belief, to promoting equality and diversity in the work place.

Radio Ninesprings will not discriminate unfairly on these grounds.

Data Protection Guidelines

Radio Ninesprings is a charitable company limited by guarantee and must comply with the terms of the Data Protection Act.

We may hold information about individuals and other businesses and use the information only for:

• Staff administration (including payroll and volunteers)
• Advertising, marketing and public relations for the business
• Accounts and records (some not-for-profit organisations)

In our handling of personal information, we adhere to the eight principles of the Data Protection Act, which are that data should be:

• Fairly and lawfully processed
• Processed for limited purposes
• Adequate, relevant and not excessive
• Accurate and up to date
• Not kept for longer than is necessary
• Processed in line with your rights
• Secure
• Not transferred to other countries without adequate protection

Please contact Station Manager, Steve Haigh with any questions about Data Protection or the use of or handling of personal information by Radio Ninesprings, under the terms of the Data Protection Act.

This privacy policy

Sets out how Radio Ninesprings uses and protects any information that you give Radio Ninesprings.

Radio Ninesprings is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

Radio Ninesprings may change this policy from time to time by updating this page.

You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes.

This policy is effective from: October 2018.

What we collect

We may collect the following information:

• Your name and job title
• Your contact information including email address
• Your demographic information such as postcode, preferences and interests 

What we do with the information we gather?

We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service and in particular for the following reasons:

• Internal record keeping.
• We may use the information to improve our products and services
• We may periodically send promotional emails about new products, special offers or other information that we think you may find interesting using the email address that you have provided
• From time to time, we may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes. We may contact you by email, phone or post. We may use the information to customise the website according to your interests.

Security

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure we have put in place suitable physical electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

Cookies

Cookies are text files containing small amounts of information which are downloaded to your device when you visit a website. Cookies are then sent back to the originating website on each subsequent visit or to another website that recognises that cookie. Cookies are useful because they allow a website to recognise a user’s device.

You can find more information about cookies at:

• www.allaboutcookies.org
• www.youronlinechoices.eu

Cookies do lots of different jobs, like letting you navigate between pages efficiently, remembering your preferences, and generally improve the user experience. They can also help to ensure that adverts you see online are more relevant to you and your interests. By using our website you agree that we can place these type of cookies on your device.

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information that you provide whilst visiting such sites. These sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

Controlling your personal information

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:

Whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website look for the box that you can click to indicate that you do not want the information to be used by anybody for direct marketing purposes

If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes you may change your mind at any time CONTACT US. We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties that we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen.

You may request details of personal information that we hold about you under the Data Protection Act 1998.

A small fee will be payable.

If you would like a copy of the information held on you CONTACT US

If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please CONTACT US as soon as possible. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.

 

Radio Ninesprings – Safeguarding Policy

This policy will enable Radio Ninesprings to demonstrate its commitment to keeping safe the young people and adults with whom it works alongside. Radio Ninesprings acknowledges its duty to act appropriately to any allegations, reports or suspicions of abuse.

The policy has been drawn up in order to enable Radio Ninesprings to:

• promote good practice and work in a way that can prevent harm, abuse and coercion occurring
• to ensure that any allegations of abuse or suspicions are dealt with appropriately and the person experiencing abuse is supported
• and to stop that abuse occurring

The policy relates to the safeguarding of young people and adults

Adults are defined as:

• People aged 18 or over

Young people are defined as:

• People aged under 18

The policy applies to directors/trustees/managers, staff, volunteers, students and others who work on behalf of Radio Ninesprings.

In order to implement the policy, Radio Ninesprings will work:

• to promote the freedom and dignity of the person who has or is experiencing abuse
• to ensure the safety and well-being of people who do not have the capacity to decide how they want to respond to abuse that they are experiencing

• to manage the radio station in a way that promotes safety and prevents abuse
• to recruit directors/trustees/managers, staff, volunteers, students and others safely, ensuring that all necessary checks are made
• to provide effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support and training

Radio Ninesprings -

• will ensure that all are familiar with this policy
• will ensure that the Designated Named Person understands his /her responsibility to refer incidents of young person /adult abuse to the relevant statutory agencies i.e. local authority, police
• The Designated Named Person for Safeguarding Adults at Radio Ninesprings should be contacted for support and advice on implementing the policy

Any child can experience abuse or neglect. For guidance on the signs to look for, go to;

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/briefings/definitions-signs-child-abuse 

https://somersetsafeguardingadults.org.uk/information-for-the-public/

Designated Named Person:

Radio Ninesprings has an appointed an individual for dealing with safeguarding concerns. In his /her absence, a Deputy will be available to consult with.

The Designated Named Person for safeguarding within Radio Ninesprings is:

Adrian Dening, Technical and Training Manager/ Trustee

07545 641068

01935 423873 (home /out of hours)

The roles and responsibilities of the named person(s) are:

• to ensure that directors/trustees/managers, staff, volunteers, students and others are aware of what they should do and who they should go to if they have concerns that a young person or adult may be experiencing or has experienced abuse or neglect
• to ensure that concerns are acted on, clearly recorded and referred to the Designated Named Person(s) where necessary
• to follow up any referrals and ensure the issues have been addressed
• to reinforce the utmost need for confidentiality and to ensure that directors/trustees/managers, staff, volunteers, students and others are adhering to good practice with regard to confidentiality and security
• if appropriate they will be given support and afforded protection if necessary under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. They will be dealt with in a fair and equitable manner and they will be kept informed of any action that has been taken and the outcome

Responding to people who have experienced or are experiencing abuse:

Radio Ninesprings recognises that it has a duty to act on reports or suspicions of abuse or neglect. It also acknowledges that taking action is never easy.

If an allegation is received Radio Ninesprings will:

• Reassure the person concerned
• Listen to what they are saying
• Record what has been said/witnessed as soon as possible
• Remain calm and not show shock or disbelief
• Tell the person concerned that the information they give will be treated seriously
• Not ask detailed or probing questions
• Not promise to keep it a secret

If abuse has just taken place and been witnessed the priorities will be:

• To call an ambulance, if required
• To call the police if a crime has been committed
• To preserve evidence
• To keep everyone safe
• To inform the Designated Named Person(s)
• To record what happened in an appropriate confidential and secure file

All situations of abuse or alleged abuse will be discussed with the Designated Named Person or their Deputy. If a director/trustee/manager, member of staff, volunteer, student, or other, feels unable to raise concerns with the Designated Named Person or their Deputy then concerns can be raised directly with the appropriate local authority or the police. The alleged victim will be told that this will happen. This stage is called ‘the alert’. If the individual experiencing abuse does not have capacity to consent a referral will be made without that person’s consent, in their best interests.

Raising a Safeguarding ‘Alert’:

In an emergency call 999

Non-emergency call to police 101

Somerset County Council Somerset Direct 0300 123 2224

Somerset County Council Adults and Mental Health emergency out of hours team 01823 368244

Contact Somerset County Council at: www.somerset.gov.uk,

or, phone Somerset Direct on 0300 123 2224

or, contact the Adults and Health Customer Experience Officer at:

Floor B2, East County Hall Taunton TA1 4DY

Email: customerexperience@somerset.gov.uk

The phone call should be followed up in writing to the Young People and Adult Social Care team at Somerset County Council outlining the concerns using a Safeguarding Alert form. This form can be found at: www.somerset.gov.uk.

Managing allegation made against director /trustee/manager, member of staff, volunteer or student or other:

Radio Ninesprings will ensure that any allegations made against the above will be dealt with swiftly. Where it is thought a criminal offence has taken place, the police will be informed. If a crime has been witnessed the police should be contacted immediately. The safety of the individual(s) concerned is paramount. A risk assessment must be undertaken immediately to assess the level of risk by the alleged perpetrator. This will include whether it is safe for them to continue in their role or any other role whilst the investigation is undertaken. The Designated Named Person will ensure that the Radio Ninesprings disciplinary procedures are coordinated with any other enquiries taking place as part of the ongoing management of the allegation.

Recording and managing confidential information:

Radio Ninesprings is committed to maintaining confidentiality wherever possible and information around Safeguarding should be shared only with those who need to know. The information recorded will be kept secure and comply with data protection.

Disseminating /Reviewing the policy:

The Safeguarding Policy will be communicated to directors /trustees /managers, staff, volunteers, students and others. The Designated Named Person will be responsible for ensuring that this is done.

This Policy will be reviewed annually.

Last updated:

17 August 2026