‍Our statement and information for supporters

On Monday 3 August 2026, Women at The Well was informed by Beacon, the third-party CRM system we use to manage information about our supporters and donors, that they had experienced a cyber security incident.

We understand that news of a data breach may be concerning, and we are truly sorry that this incident has happened. The trust that our supporters place in us is incredibly important, and we take our responsibility to protect your personal information very seriously.

We are working closely with Beacon to understand the full extent of the incident and what information may have been affected. While investigations are ongoing, we wanted to be transparent and let you know what has happened, the steps we have taken, and how you can protect yourself.

We will provide further updates if any new information becomes available that may affect you.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at: info@watw.org.uk

Women at The Well affected by Beacon CRM data breach

Frequently Asked Questions

  • On Wednesday 29 July 2026, Beacon, our CRM software provider, became aware that they may have experienced a cyber security incident. Beacon immediately engaged external cyber security specialists to investigate the incident and secure their systems.

    Their current understanding is that compromised user credentials were used to gain unauthorised access to Beacon, and that copies of database backups were created. While the copying or extraction of this data has not been conclusively confirmed, the evidence currently available suggests that these copies were likely downloaded.

    Women at The Well was informed about the incident by Beacon on Monday 3 August 2026.

  • We are continuing to work with Beacon to establish exactly what information may have been accessed.

    The information we hold within Beacon relates to our supporters and donors and may include:

    • Name

    • Contact details, including email address and telephone number

    • Organisation and job title (where applicable)

    • Records of your support for Women at The Well, including donation history and communications

    We do not store payment card details, bank account information or other financial information within Beacon.

    At this stage, we have no evidence that any personal information has been shared or misused, however, as a precaution, we are contacting those who may be affected so they are aware and can remain vigilant.

  • Protecting your personal information is extremely important to us. Since being notified of the incident, Women at The Well has:

    • Reviewed the information held within Beacon that may have been affected;

    • Carried out a risk assessment of the potential impact;

    • Required all authorised Women at The Well Beacon users to reset their passwords and review their authentication arrangements;

    • Reported the incident to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO);

    • Reported the incident to the Charity Commission

    Contacted all supporters whose data may have been affected

  • We are not currently aware of any misuse of your personal information. However, as a precaution, we recommend remaining alert for suspicious communications.

    Please:

    • Be cautious of unexpected emails, telephone calls, texts or messages claiming to be from Women at The Well or another organisation you trust;

    • Check the sender’s email address carefully before responding or clicking on links

    • Avoid opening attachments or clicking links in unexpected communications

    • Never share passwords, verification codes or financial information in response to unsolicited requests

    • Verify any request to change payment details or make a donation using a trusted contact method.

  • ‍ ‍

    We are committed to keeping our supporters informed and will provide further updates if investigations identify any information that may affect you.

    We are incredibly grateful for your trust and continued support for Women at The Well. We never take this support for granted, and we sincerely apologise for any concern or uncertainty this incident may cause.

    Thank you for your understanding and patience while we work through this matter,

  • If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at info@watw.org.uk