Privacy policy

Last updated: 12 October 2026

Golden Thread Stories is a partnership between Sophie Edwards and Tom Barton. We help people record, write and preserve their life stories.

We understand that this work involves information that is personal and sometimes sensitive. We treat that information with care and use it only for the purposes explained below.

Who is responsible for your information?

Golden Thread Stories is responsible for deciding how and why your personal information is used.

You can contact us at:

sophie@goldenthreadstories.co.uk
tom@goldenthreadstories.co.uk

What information do we collect?

If you contact us about our services, we may collect your name, contact details and any information you choose to include in your enquiry.

If you become a client or take part in a life-story project, we may also collect:

  • recordings and transcripts of conversations;

  • drafts, notes and correspondence;

  • photographs, captions, letters and other family material;

  • information about your life, family, relationships and experiences;

  • payment and administrative information; and

  • information about other people who appear in your story.

Life stories may sometimes include sensitive information, such as details about health, beliefs or personal relationships. We will discuss how such material is handled with the person whose story we are recording.

Our website may also collect limited technical information through cookies and similar technologies. More information is provided in our cookie policy.

How do we use your information?

We use personal information to:

  • respond to enquiries;

  • discuss, plan and provide our life-story services;

  • record conversations and turn them into written chapters;

  • edit, design, produce and, where requested, print books;

  • keep clients informed and manage our working relationship;

  • maintain appropriate business, financial and legal records; and

  • protect the security and proper operation of our website and services.

We will not sell your personal information.

We will not use a client’s story, photographs or testimonial to promote Golden Thread Stories unless we have permission to do so.

Our reasons for using your information

Depending on the circumstances, we use personal information because:

  • it is necessary to take steps towards or fulfil an agreement with you;

  • we have a legitimate business reason to use it, such as responding to an enquiry or maintaining appropriate records;

  • we need to meet a legal obligation; or

  • you have given us consent.

Where information requires additional protection, we will identify an appropriate legal basis and obtain explicit consent where required.

Who do we share information with?

We may use trusted service providers to help us operate the business and produce each book. These may include providers of:

  • website hosting and analytics;

  • email and secure cloud storage;

  • recording and transcription;

  • writing, editing and design tools; and

  • professional printing and delivery.

We share only the information needed for the relevant task. We may also share information where required by law or with professional advisers such as our accountant, insurer or solicitor.

Some technology providers may process information outside the UK. Where this happens, we take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate data-protection safeguards are in place.

How long do we keep information?

We keep personal information only for as long as it is reasonably needed for the purpose for which it was collected, to provide any agreed future service, and to meet our legal, accounting and insurance obligations.

The retention of recordings, transcripts, drafts, photographs and finished books will be agreed as part of each client project. Clients may ask us about the information we hold or request its deletion, subject to any legal or contractual reason why we need to retain it.

How do we protect your information?

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access or disclosure. Access is limited to the people and service providers who need it for the purposes described in this notice.

No method of storing or transmitting information is completely risk-free, but we review the way we handle personal material and aim to use reputable, appropriately secured services.

Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

  • ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you;

  • ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;

  • ask us to delete information;

  • ask us to restrict how information is used;

  • object to our use of information;

  • receive certain information in a portable format; and

  • withdraw consent where we rely on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, contact either of us using the email addresses above.

You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk.

Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy as our services and working practices develop. The date at the top of this page will show when it was last updated.