Cookie Policy
What cookies are
Cookies are small files a website asks your browser to store. They are used to remember things between pages and visits — for example, whether you have already answered a question like this one.
What we use
We keep this simple. Skanda Vale does not advertise, does not sell anything through this website beyond a few books paid for through PayPal, and does not share your browsing with anyone for marketing.
Before you choose: nothing
When you first arrive, we set no cookies at all. You will see a short notice asking whether we may measure how the site is used. Until you answer, nothing is stored by us.
If you accept: measurement only
If you choose Accept, we load Google Analytics. It sets cookies — usually named _ga and _ga_ followed by a code — which last up to two years. They tell us things like which pages are read most, and whether people find what they came for. Your IP address is shortened before it is recorded, so it does not identify you. We use this only to make the website better.
If you decline: nothing
If you choose Reject, Google Analytics is never loaded and no measurement cookies are set. The site works exactly the same.
Remembering your answer
We remember your choice for twelve months so you are not asked on every page. This is kept in your browser's local storage rather than in a cookie, and it holds nothing but your answer and the date you gave it. You can change your mind at any time using the Cookie Settings link on this page.
Embedded videos, music and maps
Some pages include a video, an audio player or a map that is hosted elsewhere.
Our YouTube videos are embedded in YouTube's no-cookie mode: nothing is stored unless you actually press play. If you do play one, YouTube may then set its own cookies under its own rules.
A few pages carry a SoundCloud player, a Mixlr player, or a Google Map. These may set their own cookies when the page opens, and we cannot switch that off from our side. If you would rather avoid this, most browsers let you block third-party cookies. Each company's own privacy policy explains what it collects.
Spam protection on our forms
Our contact, booking and prayer-request forms are protected by Cloudflare Turnstile, which checks that a form is being filled in by a person rather than a machine. It does not track you across websites and is not used for advertising.
Our newsletter
If you tick the newsletter box on one of our forms, your name and email address are sent to Mailchimp, who deliver our newsletter. That is not a cookie — it is information you have given us deliberately — and you can unsubscribe from any newsletter we send.
Managing cookies in your browser
Every browser lets you see, block and delete cookies. Blocking all cookies will not stop this website working. Your browser maker's own instructions:
Chrome: support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050
Safari: support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/safari/sfri11471/mac
Firefox: support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-cookies-and-site-data-firefox
Edge: support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge
Questions
If you have a question about this policy, please email [email protected].