Kearney News Membership Policy

Version: 1.0
Effective Date: June 2026

Publisher: Catherine Kearney Solutions Limited trading as Kearney News

1. Introduction

Kearney News offers membership programmes that allow readers and supporters to contribute to the sustainability and growth of independent journalism.

Membership helps support our reporting, investigations, community journalism, website operations and the continued development of accessible news services.

This Membership Policy explains how memberships operate, member rights, and the responsibilities of both Kearney News and its members.

2. About Our Membership Programme

Membership is a voluntary way to support Kearney News.

Membership fees help fund:

• Independent journalism
• Investigative reporting
• Community news coverage
• Website maintenance
• Accessibility improvements
• Reader engagement initiatives
• Editorial development

Membership does not provide ownership, voting rights or editorial influence over Kearney News.

3. Membership Benefits

Membership benefits may vary depending on the membership package selected.

Benefits may include:

• Ad-free browsing
• Early access to selected content
• Premium articles
• Members-only newsletters
• Invitations to online events
• Exclusive updates
• Community discussions
• Digital publications
• Behind-the-scenes content

Membership benefits may change from time to time.

Kearney News reserves the right to add, amend or remove benefits where reasonably necessary.

4. Membership Tiers

We may offer multiple membership levels, including but not limited to:

• Supporter Membership
• Premium Membership
• Founding Member Membership
• Community Membership

Specific benefits and pricing will be displayed at the point of purchase.

5. Membership Fees

Membership fees are displayed on our website and are payable in advance.

Fees may be charged:

• Monthly
• Quarterly
• Annually
• As a one-off contribution

All prices are displayed in Pounds Sterling (£).

Where applicable, prices include VAT.

6. Automatic Renewals

Where memberships are sold on a recurring subscription basis, membership will automatically renew unless cancelled.

By subscribing, members authorise recurring payments using their chosen payment method.

Members will continue to have access to membership benefits while payments remain active.

7. Cancellation

Members may cancel recurring memberships at any time.

Cancellation will stop future payments but will not normally result in a refund for the current billing period.

Access to membership benefits will continue until the end of the paid subscription period unless otherwise stated.

8. Refund Policy

Membership payments are generally non-refundable.

However, refunds may be considered where:

• Required by law.
• A duplicate payment has been made.
• A technical error has occurred.
• Kearney News determines a refund is appropriate.

Promotional offers that include a money-back guarantee will be governed by the terms of that specific promotion.

Any guarantee offered during a sale, promotion or special offer applies only to memberships purchased during that promotional period.

9. Consumer Rights

Nothing within this policy affects any statutory rights available under UK consumer protection legislation.

Where applicable, consumers may have rights under:

• Consumer Rights Act 2015
• Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013
• Other applicable legislation

10. Member Conduct

Members must use membership services responsibly.

Members must not:

• Share login credentials.
• Circumvent paywalls.
• Reproduce premium content without permission.
• Abuse staff or contributors.
• Post unlawful content.
• Harass other users.

Kearney News reserves the right to suspend or terminate memberships where these rules are breached.

11. Editorial Independence

Membership does not provide:

• Editorial control
• Influence over reporting decisions
• Influence over article publication
• Influence over investigations
• Influence over editorial opinions

Editorial decisions remain solely the responsibility of Kearney News.

12. Donations and Membership

Membership should not be interpreted as a charitable donation unless expressly stated.

Membership payments are generally exchanged for access to membership benefits and services.

Separate donations may be offered through our website.

13. Accessibility Commitment

Kearney News is committed to making membership services accessible to everyone.

As an organisation committed to disability inclusion, we aim to:

• Improve digital accessibility.
• Provide accessible communication methods.
• Consider reasonable adjustments where appropriate.
• Ensure disabled members can access services fairly.

Members requiring accessibility support are encouraged to contact us.

14. Armed Forces Covenant Commitment

Kearney News supports the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant.

We recognise the contribution of:

• Serving personnel
• Reservists
• Veterans
• Military families

We seek to ensure membership services are delivered fairly and without disadvantage to members of the Armed Forces community.

15. Data Protection

Membership information is processed in accordance with:

• UK GDPR
• Data Protection Act 2018
• Our Privacy Policy

Information collected may include:

• Name
• Email address
• Billing details
• Membership preferences

Payment information is processed by authorised payment providers and is not stored by Kearney News unless necessary for lawful business purposes.

16. Suspension or Termination

Kearney News reserves the right to suspend or terminate membership where:

• Membership fees remain unpaid.
• Fraudulent activity is suspected.
• Account security has been compromised.
• Membership terms are breached.
• Illegal activity is detected.

Where possible, notice will be provided.

17. Changes to Membership Services

Kearney News may update membership features, benefits, pricing or services.

Material changes will be communicated through:

• Email
• Website notices
• Member communications

Continued use of membership services after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of those changes.

18. Limitation of Liability

While we strive to provide uninterrupted access, we do not guarantee that membership services will always be available.

Kearney News shall not be liable for:

• Temporary service interruptions.
• Technical failures beyond our control.
• Third-party platform outages.
• Internet connectivity issues.

Nothing in this policy excludes liability that cannot legally be excluded under UK law.

19. Complaints

Membership-related complaints may be submitted to:

Email: privacy.compliance@kearneynews.press

Postal Address:
Kearney News
82 Firsby Court
Hemlington
TS8 9LA

Complaints will be handled in accordance with our Complaints Policy.

20. Governing Law

This Membership Policy shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

Any disputes shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales unless otherwise required by applicable consumer protection legislation.

21. Contact Us

Kearney News
A trading name of Catherine Kearney Solutions Limited

82 Firsby Court
Hemlington
TS8 9LA

Email: privacy.compliance@kearneynews.press

© Kearney News. All rights reserved.