Cookie Policy

Cookies are small files a website stores on your device. Some are needed for the site to work at all; others are optional and only set once you agree. This policy explains which we use and how to change your mind.

1. Our approach

We set no analytics, advertising or profiling cookies until you consent. Declining leaves the site fully functional — nothing is withheld behind a cookie wall, and there is no dark pattern that makes rejecting harder than accepting.

2. Categories we use

Strictly necessary — always on. These keep the site secure and remember your cookie choice. They cannot be switched off, and under UK and EU law they do not require consent because the site cannot be delivered without them.

Analytics — optional, off by default. Aggregate measurement of which pages are read and how people arrive. Set only after you accept. Withdrawing consent stops them and removes them on your next visit.

We do not use advertising, retargeting, social or cross-site tracking cookies on this site.

3. The cookies we set

1. automentic_consent — strictly necessary — records which cookie categories you agreed to, so you are not asked on every page. First-party. Expires after 6 months.

2. PHPSESSID — strictly necessary — maintains your session while you use the site, for example while a form is being submitted. First-party. Session cookie; expires when you close the browser.

3. __cf_bm — strictly necessary — set by Cloudflare to distinguish people from bots and to protect the site. Third-party (Cloudflare). Expires after 30 minutes. Listed here on the basis that Cloudflare sits in front of the site; remove this row if a production scan does not find it.

We measure traffic with Plausible Analytics, which does not set cookies and does not store a persistent identifier. The script loads only after you accept analytics. If you refuse, we do not load it.

We do not set advertising, retargeting, social or cross-site tracking cookies.

If a production scan finds a further strictly necessary cookie from WordPress or Cloudflare (for example wordpress_test_cookie or cf_clearance), we will add it to this list. Optional cookies are never added without a new consent prompt.

4. Changing your choice

Open the cookie preferences at any time from the Cookie settings link in the footer of any page. You can also clear or block cookies in your browser settings; blocking strictly necessary cookies may stop parts of the site working.

5. How long consent lasts

Your choice is remembered for six months, after which we will ask again. We also ask again if we add a new cookie category, so consent is never carried over to something you have not seen.

6. Changes and contact

If we add or remove cookies we will update this page and the date at the top. Questions go to privacy@automentic.com. See also our Privacy Policy.