Cookie Policy

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They're widely used to make websites work properly and to understand how a site is being used. They aren't programs and can't carry viruses — they just store a small piece of information a website can read on your next visit.

2. Cookies Used on This Site

This website is kept deliberately simple, and that's reflected in how few cookies it uses.

Essential cookies — always active. Strictly necessary cookies that keep basic site functionality working. These don't identify you personally and can't be switched off while using the site.

Contact form (Formspree) — required only if you use the form. Our contact form is handled by Formspree, a third-party service, which may use minimal technical cookies to process the submission securely and filter spam. This only applies if you actually use the form, not just from browsing the site. See Formspree's own privacy policy.

Google Maps & Google Calendar — only if you click to view them. Maps and the parish diary across the site don't load until you actively click “Click to load.” Once you do, Google may set its own cookies — see Google's privacy policy.

Analytics cookies — not currently used. This site doesn't use Google Analytics or any similar tool to track visitors.

3. Your Consent

Because this site only sets anything beyond essential cookies when you actively choose to use the contact form or click to load a map or calendar, there's no separate cookie banner in place — nothing loads without you asking for it first. If analytics or any other non-essential cookies are introduced in future, a consent request will be added at that point.

4. How to Manage Cookies

You can view, block or delete any cookies through your browser settings at any time — search “manage cookies” plus your browser's name (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) for the exact steps, or see the ICO's guidance. Blocking essential cookies may stop the contact form working correctly.

5. Third-Party Services

This website relies on a few outside services: Google Fonts (Google LLC), which loads the typefaces used across the site; Formspree (Formspree, Inc.), which processes and delivers messages sent through the contact form; Google Maps, which only loads if you click to view a map; and Google Calendar, which only loads if you click to view the parish diary. See Google's privacy policy and Formspree's privacy policy. We have no control over cookies set by these services once you interact with them directly.

6. Legal Basis for Using Cookies

The use of cookies here is governed by UK PECR and UK GDPR. Essential cookies are used on the basis of legitimate interest in running a functioning website — consent isn't required, as these are strictly necessary. Maps, the calendar and the contact form only set anything when you actively use them, which counts as your consent to that specific action. Our full approach to personal data more broadly is set out in the Privacy Policy.

7. Questions About Cookies

If you have any questions about how this site uses cookies, get in touch: office@alfordgroup.org.uk or 01507 443948. You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.