A statement about Beacon data incident

A statement about Beacon data incident – and information for our supporters

On Monday 3rd August, Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice was unfortunately informed about a data breach affecting Beacon, the third-party system that we use to manage our donors’ and supporters’ information.

We understand that this will be worrying to those affected, and we are truly sorry that this has happened. Protecting your personal information is extremely important to us.

What has happened? 

Beacon is the database we use to manage supporter information, including fundraising and engagement records. It is a specialist charity database provider used by more than 1,000 charities. 

On Monday 3rd August, Beacon informed us that they are investigating unauthorised access to their systems. At present, their investigation is ongoing and they are working with independent cyber-security specialists to establish the full facts.  

What data has been compromised? 

Some information held within our Beacon database may have been affected. At this stage, we have not been informed that any supporter information has been misused.  

It is unclear what data has been impacted but this could include personal information including name, address, email, date-of-birth, work contact information (if you have engaged with us in that capacity), donation amount, details of fundraising activity, groups or events you may have supported, and any interactions/correspondence with our fundraising team.  

Please rest assured that no payment card details or direct debit details have been affected. Donations are processed through our payment provider, Stripe and direct debits through Go Cardless, both of which are separate from Beacon.

It is also important to be clear that Beacon is not the system we use for the care records of the children and families we support. Those records are held on a separate system and have not been affected by this incident. 

Where can I find out more information? 

Beacon is regularly updating a dedicated Incident FAQ page with the latest information as their investigation progresses. This is aimed at their customers, including Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice. 

What action have we taken? 

We are working closely with Beacon to understand any potential impact on Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice and the people who support us. We will be contacting those we believe to have been affected by email. We have also reported this as an incident to the Information Commissioner’s Office. 

Do I need to do anything? 

There is currently no evidence that supporter information has been published or misused, and we are not aware of any fraud or harm resulting from this incident. 

However, the information could potentially be used to make phishing emails, telephone calls or fraudulent requests appear more convincing. It could also lead to unwanted disclosure of your contact details, charitable giving or relationship with Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice. 

As a precaution, we encourage you to remain vigilant against unexpected emails, texts or phone calls requesting personal or financial information. 

We are monitoring the situation carefully and will update this page should there be any significant developments. 

We remain committed to being here for the children and families across West Yorkshire who need our help. We are incredibly grateful for your continued support, which enables us to provide vital care every day. We never take your support for granted and we want to sincerely apologise for any worry or concern this incident may cause.

If you have any questions, please contact us at dataprotection@forgetmenotchild.co.uk