Our complete policy covering safety, inclusivity, data protection and advocacy.
"We aim to create a safe, welcoming space for everyone to enjoy playing chess."
Creating a safe, enjoyable and inclusive space for everyone to play chess involves several key components. The following sets out the steps and guidelines we follow to achieve this aim, alongside our approach to data protection and member advocacy.
We maintain a comprehensive code of conduct that outlines expected behaviour, including respect, fair play, and anti-harassment policies.
Consequences for breaking the rules are clearly defined and consistently enforced.
We work to ensure our venue (physical and online) is accessible to people with disabilities. This includes physical access to our meeting space and screen reader compatibility for our website.
We promote diversity and inclusion by welcoming players of all backgrounds, genders (including non-binary, trans and LGBTQ+ players), ages, and skill levels.
We encourage a friendly and supportive atmosphere where players can learn and enjoy the game without fear of judgment.
We establish mentorship programmes where experienced players help newcomers improve their skills and integrate into the community.
We offer resources like books, tutorials, and workshops to help players improve their skills.
We recognise the stress and pressure that can come with competitive play and provide resources for mental health support where needed.
For online platforms, moderators oversee interactions to ensure the environment remains respectful and safe.
We provide clear and confidential channels for players to report any issues or harassment.
We implement robust anti-cheating measures to maintain the integrity of the game.
We promote good sportsmanship by rewarding fair play and discouraging unsporting behaviour.
We organise regular events and tournaments to keep the community engaged and active.
We regularly solicit feedback from the community to identify areas for improvement and ensure members' needs are being met.
Providing clear guidelines about acceptable behaviour and conduct when engaging with children and vulnerable adults.
Identifying and assessing potential risks and hazards to safeguard those under our care.
Ensuring that our volunteers and staff are carefully selected and vetted to ensure their suitability for working with children and vulnerable adults.
For the full English Chess Federation safeguarding framework, see Safeguarding and the ECF — English Chess Federation.
Visitors' personal data is not saved on our website. For the purpose of communication about the club's activities and events, following membership registration we may store the following personal details:
The following data will be stored on our website when visitors leave comments:
An anonymised string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available at automattic.com/privacy. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.
If you leave a comment on our site, you may opt to save your name, email address, and website in cookies. These cookies will last for one year and are for your convenience so you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment.
If you have an account and log in to this site, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.
When you log in, we will set up several cookies to save your login information and screen display choices. Login cookies last two days, and screen options cookies last a year. If you select "Remember Me," your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.
If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after one day.
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g., videos, images, articles). Embedded content from other websites behaves exactly the same way as if the visitor had visited the other website.
These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracing your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.
By default, we do not share any personal data with external entities. Any personal data you provide to us may be shared with the Committee of London Women's Chess Club or our Team Captains for the purposes of running the club appropriately, arranging games and events, or otherwise contacting members.
If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognise and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.
For users that register on our website, we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.
If you have an account on this site, have left comments, or if we hold any personal data about you elsewhere on the website, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.
Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.
Providing access to advocates within the chess community can be incredibly valuable for individuals who may have concerns or encounter challenges related to safety, inclusivity, or any other issues.
Dedicated advocates who are trained to support and advocate for community members can help ensure that everyone feels heard, supported, and empowered to address their concerns. Advocates can provide guidance, assistance with navigating policies and procedures, and a supportive ear for individuals facing difficulties.
By offering advocacy services, we are demonstrating a commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment within the chess community and empowering individuals to seek assistance when needed. It's a proactive approach that helps foster trust, transparency, and accountability within the community.
If anyone has concerns or needs support, knowing that advocates are available to assist them can provide peace of mind and encourage them to reach out for help when necessary. This contributes to building a stronger, more supportive chess community where everyone can enjoy the game to the fullest.
If you have any privacy or data-specific concerns or comments, or wish to raise a safeguarding matter, please contact us at info@londonwomenchess.org.uk.
We would love to speak with you. Feel free to reach out using the details above.