These Terms and Conditions are effective for any one enrolling on face-to-face or online Creative Writing Programme programmes or courses. These include: Creative Writing Programme, Life Writing Programme, Advanced Writing Workshops, Advanced Poetry Workshops, Beginners Poetry Workshops, Introduction to Creative Writing and our short courses including masterclasses in any venues being used by the Creative Writing Programme to deliver teaching.

These terms and conditions, together with the terms and conditions in the Handbook for your Programme, set out the terms that apply between Creative Writing Programme ("CWP" or "we" or "our") and any person ("you" or "your") enrolled on a programme of study (the "Programme"). These terms and conditions will apply from the day you enrol on the Programme by paying your course fee, and will continue to apply for as long as you remain enrolled on the Programme unless terminated earlier as permitted below.

Please note that places on the above Creative Writing Programme courses are allocated on a first come first served basis, on receipt of fee payment. The Creative Writing Programme reserves the right to make changes to the structure and the format of the programme and to withdraw a tutor if it deems these changes necessary. The running of all Creative Writing Programme courses is subject to adequate student numbers. If a course fails to recruit sufficiently, you will be offered a place on other courses. If none of these are suitable you will receive a refund of monies paid.

Registration and payment of fees

The CWP works on a self-enrolment and payment for access principle. Once you have paid your fees you will be provided with a username and password for your personal account on the CWP programme. Once your course page is ready (usually about two weeks before the beginning of your course) you will be notified and will then be able to access your course page for the duration of time covered by the fee you have paid. Once your course is over you will be automatically unenrolled.

There are two options for paying fees on a Creative Writing Programme course: You pay the full balance of the entire course due before the course starts. After you have paid your fee you will receive a receipt. Or you make two payments over the course of the year – one for your autumn term course and one for the spring/summer term course. A £100 admin fee is charged for students who pay in instalments.

The Creative Writing Programme will make every effort to ensure that the workshops take place at the advertised venues and that any technology platforms used by our online courses have full functionality. We cannot however guarantee this and may occasionally have to offer alternative locations/platforms, etc. If a payment is declined you will not have secured a place on the CWP.

Any queries over financial transactions and payment of fees should be sent to info@creativewritingprogramme.org.uk. The Creative Writing Programme reserves the right to refuse payments. Bookings are only accepted from students over 18 years of age.

Online Courses

Please note that international students will be responsible for any bank transfer fees and UK bank admin charges. All students attending online courses are required to have a computer/laptop with a video camera either built in or attached and reliable access to the internet. All students on online courses must have reached a good conversational standard in spoken English and be able to read well and express themselves clearly and articulately in written English.

Cancellation/refund policy

Please book a course only when you're sure you can attend. If you have paid for a course and discover you cannot attend, the cut-off time for requesting a refund is four working weeks before the beginning of the course. In the case of refunds a small admin fee of £50 will be charged to cover the bank/Stripe fees. Requests for refunds will not be accepted within the four working weeks before the beginning of a course. No refunds will be made once the course has started.

Students are responsible for following the course joining instructions and their own participation. Online courses will require a reasonable level of competency in using the internet and online communities. Please do not book unless you are confident of working in this way. We limit the number of students for each course to ensure proper tutor time. If, for any reason, you are not able to participate or choose to discontinue your participation in a course no refund will be made.

Handbook

You can access your course handbook from the online learning platform – the Moodle. It will include, among other information, full details of the structure and content, learning, teaching and assessment methods, regulations, conditions and complaints procedure of your course of study.

Medical Conditions and additional support

We welcome writers with medical conditions, disabilities and additional support needs and will make the necessary adjustments wherever possible. In order that we can create a positive and safe experience for everyone, it is important that we are fully aware of any medical condition, disability, or access requirements you may have. If you have any specific needs, please discuss with our course director Cathy Hayward who will then share with your tutor, where needed, and arrange for the necessary adjustments. This information will be treated in the strictest confidence.

The Creative Writing Programme is not able to offer professional support for mental health issues. Writers who are dealing with personally difficult subject matter or who are traumatised or psychologically disturbed by the work of other students on the programme are advised to ensure they are properly supported outside the courses.

Equal opportunities

The Creative Writing Programme welcomes a diverse population of tutors and students. We are committed to promoting equality in our activities and we aim to provide a learning, teaching and working environment free from unlawful discrimination against students and tutors – however they identify or however others perceive them.

Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights

You retain copyright in all work you create while enrolled on the Programme. CWP makes no claim of ownership of intellectual property created by you but retains the right to use your work for educational and/or promotional purposes through license agreements with your permission.

Lost work

The Creative Writing Programme will not be responsible for any work of individual writers that is lost in transmission or that is lost by tutors during the reviews of submitted work. All writers on the programme are strongly advised to keep copies of all work submitted to the programme on their own computers.

Termination

The Creative Writing Programme reserves the right to refuse enrolment on any programme or course to any individual who the director of the programme or any of its tutors feel might be a disruptive influence on other people's experience of that programme or course.

The Creative Writing Programme expects all students to behave in an appropriate manner and act with courtesy towards their tutor and fellow students. An integral part of the course is learning to critique your own and others' work. We reserve the right to remove anyone not acting in an appropriate manner and no refunds will be made when students are ejected for this reason.

The Creative Writing Programme reserves the right to withdraw any individual from the Programme who the director of the programme feels is being a disruptive influence on a class, or is being abusive to a tutor or any other individual enrolled on any course. The Creative Writing Programme reserves the right to refuse access to the forum to any individual who does not abide by the stated protocols for the use of the forum identified on the forum webpage.

Disclaimer

The Creative Writing Programme is an educational programme and as such does not guarantee that taking the Creative Writing Programme or any of its associated courses will lead to a writer's work being published.

Covid-19

In the event of a resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic and/or any restrictions on social gatherings, all sessions will be taught via the video conferencing platform Zoom for the duration of the restrictions. If there is inclement weather, meaning that meeting in-person is challenging or dangerous, classes will be taught online.

All tutors on the Creative Writing Programme have experience of teaching online and we have a secure and stable system for providing this service built into our website. You will need to ensure you have access to a computer/laptop connected to the internet with a video camera (most modern computers have one built in).

Creative Writing Programme e-newsletter

By enrolling on the Creative Writing Programme, you will automatically be signed up for the Creative Writing Programme's e-newsletter which is sent out at the beginning of every month. This email contains news of workshops, events and opportunities for the writing community in the south east. The CWP will never share your email address with any other organisation. If you do not wish to continue receiving the e-newsletter you can unsubscribe from it at any time by clicking the relevant link at the bottom of the e-newsletter.

If booking for an event, reading or masterclass — Event and Admission Restrictions

Please allow yourself plenty of time to arrive for events, performances or masterclasses that you have booked on to. Latecomers may not be admitted unless there is a suitable opportunity to do so. The Creative Writing Programme retains the right to amend the programme as a result of unforeseen circumstances. Recording any events, performances, workshops or taught sessions using audio or visual equipment is strictly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, cameras, video cameras and mobile phones.

The Creative Writing Programme or companies permitted by the Creative Writing Programme may carry out general filming or sound recording during some performances. By purchasing a ticket you are consenting to the recording of yourself as a member of the audience. Audience members will be informed of any filming or sound recording before the event begins.

The Creative Writing Programme reserves the right to refuse admission. No refunds will be offered to customers who are refused entry or ejected from our premises.

Online Sales

In the case of online events, online sales will be available up until the event is due to commence. Tickets for Creative Writing Programme events (performances, workshops, masterclasses or courses) are non-refundable except in the event of cancellation. Please note that a card transaction, while normally only taking minutes to confirm, may take up to three working days before the funds are deducted from your account. Customers are advised to take this into consideration when booking. If there are any problems with an online booking, the customer will be contacted on the details provided.

Lost Property

The Creative Writing Programme accepts no responsibility for lost or stolen items of personal property.

General Acceptance of Terms

Your access to and use of the Creative Writing Programme website ("the website") and any Services referred to in Clause 2, is subject exclusively to these Terms and Conditions. You will not use the website for any purpose that is unlawful or prohibited by these Terms and Conditions. By using the website you are fully accepting the terms, conditions and disclaimers contained in this notice. If you do not accept these Terms and Conditions you must immediately stop using this Website.

We reserve the right to update or amend these Terms and Conditions at any time and your continued use of the website following any changes shall be deemed to be your acceptance of such change. It is therefore your responsibility to check the Terms and Conditions regularly for any changes.

The Services

The website may provide communication tools such as email, bulletin boards, chat areas, news groups, forums and/or other message or communication facilities ("the Services") designed to enable you to communicate with others. Unless stated otherwise the Services are for your personal and non-commercial use only.

Child Supervision

We are concerned about the safety and privacy of our users, particularly children. Parents who wish to allow their children access to and use of the website/Services should supervise such access and use. By allowing your child access to the Services you are allowing your child access to all of the Services, including email, bulletin boards, chat areas, news groups, forums and/or other message or communication facilities. It is therefore your responsibility to determine which Services are appropriate for your child. Always use caution when revealing personally identifiable information about yourself or your children via any of the Services.

User Account, Password and Security

If a particular Service requires you to open an account you will be required to complete the registration process by providing certain information and registering a username and password for use with that Service. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the username and password and also for all activities which take place under your account. You agree to immediately notify us of any unauthorised use of your password or account or any other breach of security. In no event will ("the Website") be liable for any indirect or consequential loss or damage whatsoever resulting from the disclosure of your username and/or password. You may not use another person's account at any time, without the express permission of the account holder.

Acceptable Use

You acknowledge that all information, text, graphics, logos, photographs, images, moving images, sound, illustrations and other materials ("the Content"), whether posted publicly or transmitted privately, are the sole responsibility of the person from whom such Content originated. We do not control or endorse the Content and cannot guarantee the accuracy, integrity or quality of such Content and you acknowledge that by using the Services you may be exposed to Content that is offensive and/or indecent. ("the Website") will not be liable in any way for any Content or for any loss or damage of any kind resulting from the use of any Content transmitted via the Services and you agree to bear all risks associated with the use of any Content, including any reliance on the accuracy or completeness of such Content.

In using the Website/Services you agree not to:

• use the Services to send junk email, spam, chain letters, pyramid schemes or any other unsolicited messages, commercial or otherwise;

• post, publish, distribute or disseminate material or information that is defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, threatening, abusive, harassing or unlawful;

• post, publish, distribute or disseminate material or information that incites discrimination, hate or violence towards any person or group on account of their race, religion, disability, nationality or otherwise;

• threaten, abuse, disrupt, stalk or otherwise violate the legal rights (including rights of privacy and publicity) of others;

• use any information or material in any manner that infringes any copyright, trademark, patent or other proprietary right of any party;

• make available or upload files that contain a virus, worm, trojan or corrupt data that may damage the operation of the computer or property of another;

• collect or store personal information about others, including email addresses;

• advertise or offer to buy or sell goods or services for any commercial purpose, unless such communication facility specifically allows such messages;

• impersonate any person or entity for the purpose of misleading others;

• violate any applicable laws or regulations;

• use the Website/Services in any manner that could damage, disable, overburden or impair the Website/Services or interfere with any other party's use and enjoyment of the Website/Services;

• post, publish, distribute or disseminate material or information that you do not have a right to transmit under any law or under contractual or fiduciary relationships (such as inside information or confidential information disclosed in the course of employment or under a confidentiality agreement);

• attempt to gain unauthorised access to any of the Services, other accounts, computer systems or networks connected to the Website/Services through hacking, password mining or any other means.

We have no obligation to monitor the Services but shall be entitled to review materials posted to a communications facility and, at our sole discretion, to remove any material that breaches these Terms and Conditions or is otherwise objectionable.

Termination

We have the right to terminate your access to any or all of the Services at any time, without notice, for any reason, including without limitation, breach of these Terms and Conditions. We may also at any time, at our sole discretion, discontinue the Website/Services or any part thereof without prior notice and you agree that we shall not be liable to you or any third party for any termination of your access to the Website/Services.

Links to Third Party Websites

The Website/Services may include links to third party websites that are controlled and maintained by others. Any link to other websites is not an endorsement of such websites and you acknowledge and agree that ("the Website") is not responsible for the content or availability of any such sites.

International Use

You agree to comply with all applicable laws regarding the transmission of technical data exported from the United Kingdom or the country in which you reside (if different) and with all local laws and rules regarding acceptable use of and conduct on the Internet.

Intellectual Property Rights

The Website and its content (including without limitation the Website design, text, graphics and all software and source codes connected with the Website and the Services) are protected by copyright, trademarks, patents and other intellectual property rights and laws. In accessing the Website you agree that you will access the contents solely for your personal, non-commercial use. None of the content may be downloaded, copied, reproduced, transmitted, stored, sold or distributed without the prior written consent of the copyright holder. This excludes the downloading, copying and/or printing of pages of the Website for personal, non-commercial home use only.

Plagiarism

Students on the Creative Writing Programme will have access to the material of other writers while studying on the Creative Writing Programme. Confidentiality is essential and no work on the programme should be reproduced in part or in whole without the owner's permission (the owner being the original creator of the work). The Creative Writing Programme carries no liability for any accusations of plagiarism that might arise between students and writers while studying on any of our programmes or courses.

Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold ("the Website") harmless from and against any breach by you of these Terms and Conditions and any claim or demand brought against www.creativewritingprogramme.org.uk by any third party arising out of your use of the Services and/or any Content submitted, posted or transmitted through the Services, including without limitation, all claims, actions, proceedings, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, expenses (including reasonable legal costs and expenses) howsoever suffered or incurred by www.creativewritingprogramme.org.uk in consequence of your breach of these Terms and Conditions.

Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

Use of the Website/Services is at your own risk. The Website/Services are provided on an "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" basis without any representation or endorsement made and without warranty of any kind whether express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of satisfactory quality, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, compatibility, security and accuracy.

To the extent permitted by law, ("the Website") will not be liable for any indirect or consequential loss or damage whatsoever (including without limitation loss of business, opportunity, data, profits) arising out of or in connection with the use of the Website/Services. ("the Website") makes no warranty that the Website/Services will meet your requirements, that Content will be accurate or reliable, that the functionality of the Website/Services will be uninterrupted or error free, that defects will be corrected or that the Website/Services or the server that makes them available are free of viruses or anything else which may be harmful or destructive.

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions shall be construed so as to exclude or limit the liability of www.creativewritingprogramme.org.uk for death or personal injury as a result of the negligence of ("the Website"). Nothing in these Terms and Conditions shall affect your statutory rights as a consumer.

Severance

If any of these Terms and Conditions should be determined to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason by any court of competent jurisdiction then such Term or Condition shall be severed and the remaining Terms and Conditions shall survive and remain in full force and effect and continue to be binding and enforceable.

Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and you hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

Privacy Policy

The Creative Writing Programme is committed to protecting your privacy. This statement explains how we collect, use and store your personal information. We hold and process personal information in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). By using our websites, or by providing any personal information to the Creative Writing Programme, you consent to the collection and use of your personal information as set out in this Privacy statement.

If you do not wish to receive future communications from the Creative Writing Programme, please click the unsubscribe link which appears at the bottom of every email we send out through Mailchimp, or contact the Creative Writing Programme at info@creativewritingprogramme.org.uk. If you want us to provide, amend or delete the information we hold about you, please contact us directly.

What information do we collect?

We collect personal information about you, including your name, email address, postal address, telephone number, date of birth, as well as information about your relationship with The Creative Writing Programme, including your booking history, interests and any correspondence with us.

You may give us your personal information when you:

• book a ticket for an event

• purchase a service

• post documents to a website

• subscribe to our newsletter

• enrol on a course or workshop

• apply for a job, placement or volunteering opportunity

• or otherwise give us personal information online, in paper or electronic form, over the phone, or in person.

We may also receive information from external sources: third party organisations (e.g. individuals, project partners, venues, education institutions) but only when you have given consent, or if it is essential in order to deliver a service to you; social media, when we reply to comments and messages. We also create adverts tailored to suit your interests as a result of cookies (see below). Through our cookies on our website, information about your computer, including your IP address, operating system and browser type, for system administration and in order to create reports. This is statistical data about our users' browsing actions and patterns, and does not identify any individual.

Depending on your privacy settings, we may receive anonymous demographic or analytical information in order to understand the reach and effectiveness of our advertising.

Why and how we use your information

When you purchase a ticket or service, apply for a job, or sign up to our mailing list, we store your personal information so that we may contact you about your purchase; and to keep you informed about future events, services, or opportunities. We will only send emails to addresses that have been supplied directly to us by customers, and we always disable or remove addresses in our database when requested to do so by those customers. We will never pass your data on to any third parties.

If we have contacted you in the past and you have explicitly told us that you don't want to receive marketing, learning or fundraising communications from us, we will update your communications preferences, and keep your name and contact details on a list of people that we don't contact on Mailchimp. If you would prefer for your information to be completely removed from these databases, please let us know using the contact details at the bottom of this document.

How we keep your details secure

We use Mailchimp as our marketing automation platform to send our termly e-newsletters and other emails about our activities. Information you provide will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing in accordance with their Privacy Policy and Terms. We use Stripe online payment processing to process credit and debit card transactions. The Creative Writing Programme does not hold or store credit or debit card details.

We may retain information for a period of six years after your association with us has come to an end. Some information may be retained indefinitely for historical, statistical or research purposes. You have the right to require us to erase personal data at any time.

All subscribers to the Creative Writing Programme are given usernames and passwords to access learning pages and have access only to the course groups they are studying with.

Website and Cookies

We may collect information about your computer, including your IP address, operating system and browser type, for system administration and in order to create reports. This is statistical data about our users' browsing actions and patterns, and does not identify any individual.

The only cookies in use on our site are for Google Analytics and Search Console. Google Analytics and Search Console are web analytics tools that help website owners understand how visitors engage with their website. Google Analytics and Search Console customers can view a variety of reports about how visitors interact with their website so that they can improve it.

Like many services, Google Analytics and Search Console use first-party cookies to track visitor interactions as in our case, where they are used to collect information about how visitors use our site. We then use the information to compile reports and to help us improve our site. Cookies contain information that is transferred to your computer's hard drive. These cookies are used to store information, such as the time that the current visit occurred, whether the visitor has been to the site before and what site referred the visitor to the web page.

Google Analytics and Search Console collect information anonymously. They report website trends without identifying individual visitors. You can opt out of Google Analytics without affecting how you visit our site – for more information on opting out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites you use, visit this Google page.

If you have any queries about these Terms and Conditions, please email our course director Cathy Hayward on cathy@creativewritingprogramme.org.uk.