Rat Race Privacy Policy & Cookie Policy

Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Notice explains how Rat Race (Events) Limited ("Rat Race", "we", "us", "our") collects, uses, stores, shares and protects your personal data when you use our website, create an account, purchase products, enter events, travel with us, volunteer, apply for opportunities, contact us, or otherwise interact with our services.

This notice applies alongside any specific privacy notices provided for particular events, promotions or services.

2. Who We Are

Rat Race (Events) Limited (company number SC259949) is the data controller for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and applicable privacy laws.

Registered office: 272 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 4JR
Operational correspondence address: F3 Hurstwood Business Centre, Thirsk, YO7 3BX
Email: events@ratrace.com
ICO registration reference: Z3543628

3. Personal Data We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

  • Identity data (name, date of birth, nationality where required)
  • Contact data (address, email, telephone number)
  • Account and booking history
  • Transaction and refund data
  • Event participation details
  • Emergency contact information
  • Travel and accommodation preferences
  • Medical, accessibility and safety information where required
  • Communications history with our team
  • Marketing preferences and consent records
  • Website usage, cookies and technical device data

4. Special Category Data

Because Rat Race delivers physically demanding adventure events, we may process health-related personal data where necessary for participant welfare, event safety, emergency response, evacuation coordination, insurance requirements, and reasonable adjustments.

5. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data to:

  • Deliver events, products and services
  • Process bookings, payments and refunds
  • Manage customer service enquiries
  • Deliver safety briefings and operational communications
  • Coordinate travel, logistics and accommodation
  • Manage medical incidents and emergencies
  • Prevent fraud and misuse
  • Improve our website and services
  • Send marketing communications where permitted
  • Meet legal and regulatory obligations

6. Lawful Basis

We rely on lawful bases including:

  • Performance of a contract
  • Legal obligation
  • Legitimate interests
  • Consent
  • Vital interests
  • Additional lawful conditions for special category data where applicable

7. Marketing

We may send Rat Race marketing communications where permitted by law.

You may unsubscribe at any time.

We only share your data with sponsors or commercial partners for direct marketing where you have explicitly opted in.

8. Sharing Your Data

We may share data with:

  • Payment processors
  • Website hosting and IT providers
  • CRM and email marketing platforms
  • Analytics providers
  • Event medics and safety teams
  • Insurers
  • Tracking and logistics providers
  • Accommodation and transport suppliers
  • Guides, contractors and operational crew
  • Professional advisers
  • Regulators or authorities where required

9. International Transfers

As Rat Race operates international events, personal data may be transferred outside the UK where operationally necessary. Appropriate safeguards will be used.

10. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including operational delivery, legal compliance, insurance requirements, financial record-keeping and dispute resolution.

Typical retention periods may include:

  • Financial transaction records: up to 7 years to comply with accounting and tax obligations
  • Customer account and booking history: while your account remains active and for a reasonable period afterwards
  • Incident, accident and insurance-related records: as long as reasonably required for legal defence, insurance handling or regulatory obligations
  • Medical and event safety records: only as long as operationally necessary plus any applicable legal retention period
  • Marketing suppression records: retained as necessary to ensure opt-out requests are respected
  • Customer service correspondence: retained for service quality, dispute handling and operational analysis

11. Your Rights

You may have rights under UK data protection law to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you
  • Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
  • Request deletion in certain circumstances
  • Restrict how we process your data
  • Object to processing based on legitimate interests
  • Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent
  • Request transfer of certain data to another provider
  • Lodge a complaint with the ICO

We may request proof of identity before fulfilling certain requests.

12. Recruitment, Crew & Volunteers

If you apply for a role, volunteer, work as crew, contractor or event support personnel, we may collect personal information relevant to recruitment, operational suitability, emergency planning, payroll or contractual administration.

This may include CVs, employment history, references, qualifications, emergency contacts, travel information, right-to-work documentation, availability and communications.

13. Photography, Video & Media

Rat Race events often involve photography and filming for marketing, editorial, promotional and event documentation purposes.

Where participation includes photography or filming, relevant terms or event notices will explain how this is managed. Where separate consent is required, this will be requested.

14. Payments & Fraud Prevention

Payments are processed by third-party payment providers. Rat Race does not store full card payment details.

We may process transaction data, payment status, refund information and fraud prevention information to administer bookings, instalment plans and protect the business and participants.

15. International Events & Travel

As Rat Race operates domestic and international events, we may process information necessary to coordinate participation, including accommodation, transport, emergency response, overseas supplier coordination, passport-related travel details where necessary, and insurance-related administration.

Certain destinations may require sharing limited participant information with local operators, accommodation providers, transport providers, guides, emergency responders or insurers.

16. Security

We maintain appropriate technical and organisational safeguards designed to protect personal data against unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, loss or disclosure.

Access to personal data is restricted to those with a legitimate business need.

17. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your data, please contact us first at events@ratrace.com.

You may also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office via ico.org.uk.

18. Changes

We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version will always be published on our website.

Cookie Policy

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files placed on your device to help websites function, remember preferences, analyse performance and support marketing.

Cookies We Use

We may use:

  • Strictly necessary cookies
  • Analytics cookies
  • Functional cookies
  • Marketing cookies (where consented)

Cookie Consent

Where required, non-essential cookies will only be set with your consent through our cookie management tools.

Managing Cookies

You can manage cookie settings through your browser or consent preferences tool.

Contact

Privacy queries: events@ratrace.com
Write to: Privacy, Rat Race (Events) Limited, F3 Hurstwood Business Centre, Thirsk, YO7 3BX