Privacy Policy

Last updated: November 2025

The VIB Club is owned and operated by Ellie Smeaton Photography (“we”, “us”, “our”). We are committed to protecting your personal information and respecting your privacy.

If you have any questions about this policy or how your data is handled, please contact us at:
Email: hello@elliesmeaton.co.uk
Address: 28 South Street, Dorchester, DT1 1BY


1. What Personal Information We Collect

We may collect and store the following information when you interact with us or become a member of The VIB Club:
Full name
Email address
Social media handles (if provided)
Profile photos (if uploaded within Heartbeat)
Payment information processed securely through Stripe
Website usage and analytics data collected via cookies or tracking tools
Note: We never store full card details ourselves.

2. How We Collect Personal Information

We collect personal information in the following ways:
Membership sign-up forms via Heartbeat
Payments processed via Stripe
Website forms (including waitlists or contact submissions)
Email or direct communication
Cookies and website analytics tracking tools (where active)

3. How We Use Personal Information

We use your personal information to:
Deliver member content and services
Process membership payments
Provide onboarding and customer support
Communicate updates, service changes or important membership information
Improve our website, services and user experience
Maintain secure access to the membership platform
We do not sell or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your data based on:
Contractual necessity: to provide the membership you signed up for
Legitimate interest: improving our services and user experience
Consent: for optional communications such as marketing emails
You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting hello@elliesmeaton.co.uk.

5. Third-Party Service Providers

We use trusted, secure external platforms to deliver services:
Stripe: payment processing
Heartbeat: membership and community platform
They only receive the information necessary to deliver their services and have their own privacy policies and security measures in place.

6. Cookies & Tracking

Our website may use cookies, tracking pixels and analytics tools (e.g. Google Analytics, Meta Pixel) to monitor website performance and improve user experience.
You can control cookies through your browser settings, and a cookie banner may appear when you first access the site.

7. Data Storage & Retention

Member data is stored securely within Heartbeat
Payment data is stored by Stripe (we never have direct access to card details)
We retain personal information while you are an active member or as required by legal and financial regulations
You may request deletion of your information by emailing hello@elliesmeaton.co.uk

8. Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard your personal information, including encryption, password protection and restricted access.

9. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:
Request access to personal information we hold about you
Request correction or updates to your information
Request deletion of your personal data
Withdraw consent or object to processing
Request a copy of data we hold
To exercise these rights, contact hello@elliesmeaton.co.uk.

10. Age Restrictions

The VIB Club is intended for those aged 18 and over and we do not knowingly collect information from minors.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. The latest version will always be available on our website, with the updated version date displayed above.

Contact Us

For any questions or concerns about your data or privacy, please contact:
Email: hello@elliesmeaton.co.uk Address: 28 South Street, Dorchester, DT1 1BY