This Cookie Policy explains how Mended Space ("we", "us", "our") uses cookies and similar technologies ("cookies") when you visit mendedspace.co.uk. It is designed to be short, honest and easy to read — because we believe that is how it should be.
A cookie is a small text file that a website stores on your device (browser, phone, tablet). Cookies can hold a small amount of information, such as a login session identifier. The law in the UK (the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations "PECR") requires websites to be transparent about the cookies they use.
We use one cookie that is always on — a "strictly necessary" authentication cookie. It is required for the service you ask us to provide (keeping you logged into your account). Because it is strictly necessary, PECR does not require your consent for it, but we want you to know it exists.
| Cookie | Type | Party | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sessionId | Strictly necessary | First-party | Keeps you securely signed in across pages. Marked HttpOnly, SameSite=Lax, and Secure (HTTPS only). Contains a random session identifier, not your personal details. | 30 days, or until you log out |
| _gcl_au | Measurement — only after you accept | First-party (set by Google's tag) | Helps us count visits fairly when someone arrives via a Google ad. Set only after you accept the cookie notice (see section 3). Contains a random identifier, not your name, posts or messages. | Around 90 days |
If you accept the cookie notice, we load a Google measurement tag that counts visits so we know whether the site is reaching the people who need it. It records the page address without any query details — for example it sees /messages but never ?username=someone, and it never sees your posts, messages or account details. If you do not accept, no Google code loads at all — the site works exactly the same, we simply cannot count your visit.
You can withdraw this consent at any time: press the button below, which forgets your acceptance and reloads the page without measurement.
When you accept this notice, we store a single preference (ms_cookie_consent_v2) in your browser's localStorage on your device so we know not to show the notice again. This never leaves your device and contains no personal information. You can clear it at any time through your browser's site-data settings — or press the withdraw button above, which does it for you. (An older acceptance stored under ms_cookie_consent is ignored; everyone was asked again under the current wording.)
The optional local weather widget stores two more entries, also only on your device: ms_weather_geo (the coordinates you approved, so we don't ask again) and ms_weather_now (the last fetched temperature and condition, refreshed at most every 30 minutes). Coordinates are sent to the free open-meteo weather service to fetch your forecast and nowhere else; clearing them (via your browser's site-data settings) turns the widget back into its unasked state.
Posts on the feed may include embedded videos from YouTube. YouTube is a third-party service and may set its own cookies on your device when a video player loads or plays. These are not controlled by us and are not necessary for the rest of the site to work. You can avoid them by not playing embedded videos, by blocking third-party cookies in your browser, or by watching videos on YouTube's own site instead.
Note: if you delete the sessionId cookie you will be signed out and will need to log in again.
If we add any new cookies — for example, analytics or advertising cookies — we will update this page and, where required by PECR, ask for your consent before setting them. The "Last updated" date above always reflects the current version.
Questions about this Cookie Policy or our privacy practices? Email us at support@mendedspace.co.uk.