Cookies Policy
Last updated: 17 April 2026
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and to provide information to website owners.
Cookies help us understand how visitors use our site, remember your preferences, and improve your overall experience. Some cookies are essential for the site to function, while others are optional and require your consent.
How We Use Cookies
We use cookies on the Mystic Thread website for several purposes, all aimed at providing you with a better browsing experience and helping us improve our services.
Types of Cookies We Use
Essential Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function properly. They enable basic features like page navigation, access to secure areas, and cookie consent preferences. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, so they are set automatically and cannot be disabled.
Examples of essential cookies:
- cookie_consent: Remembers your cookie preferences so we don't ask you repeatedly
- session_id: Maintains your session as you navigate between pages
Duration: These cookies typically expire when you close your browser or after 12 months, depending on their purpose.
Analytics Cookies
Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. We use this data to identify which pages are most popular, how visitors navigate the site, and where improvements might be needed.
These cookies do not collect information that identifies you personally. All data is aggregated and therefore anonymous.
Examples of analytics cookies:
- _ga: Distinguishes unique visitors
- _gid: Distinguishes unique visitors over a shorter timeframe
- _gat: Limits the rate at which data is collected
Duration: Analytics cookies typically last between 24 hours and 2 years.
Your consent: We only set analytics cookies if you have given your consent through our cookie banner.
Functional Cookies
Functional cookies allow the website to remember choices you make and provide enhanced, personalised features. For example, they might remember your preferred language or region.
The information these cookies collect may include personally identifiable information that you have disclosed, but they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites.
Duration: Functional cookies typically expire after 12 months or when you close your browser.
Your consent: These cookies are only set with your consent.
Third-Party Cookies
In some cases, we use cookies provided by trusted third parties to help us analyse website usage and improve our services.
We do not use third-party advertising cookies or allow advertisers to place cookies through our website. Any third-party cookies we do use are strictly for analytics purposes and are only set with your consent.
Managing Your Cookie Preferences
You have several options for managing cookies:
Cookie Banner
When you first visit our website, you'll see a cookie banner that allows you to accept all cookies or customise your preferences. Your choices are saved and remembered for future visits.
Cookie Preferences Centre
You can change your cookie preferences at any time by clicking the "Cookie Settings" button in the footer of any page. This opens our cookie preferences centre where you can enable or disable different types of cookies.
Browser Settings
Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can set your browser to refuse cookies or to alert you when cookies are being sent. However, please note that if you disable essential cookies, some parts of our website may not function properly.
Here's how to manage cookies in common browsers:
- Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
- Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
- Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Cookies and website data
- Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Cookies and site data
Cookies We Set
Below is a detailed list of the cookies used on the Mystic Thread website:
Essential Cookies
| Cookie Name | cookie_consent |
| Purpose | Stores your cookie consent preferences |
| Duration | 12 months |
| Type | First-party |
| Cookie Name | session_security |
| Purpose | Ensures secure browsing and prevents cross-site request forgery |
| Duration | Session (deleted when browser closes) |
| Type | First-party |
Analytics Cookies (Optional - Require Consent)
| Cookie Name | _ga |
| Purpose | Distinguishes unique visitors for analytics |
| Duration | 2 years |
| Type | Third-party (Google Analytics) |
| Cookie Name | _gid |
| Purpose | Distinguishes unique visitors over a 24-hour period |
| Duration | 24 hours |
| Type | Third-party (Google Analytics) |
Cookies and Personal Data
Some cookies may process personal data. When they do, this processing is covered by our Privacy Policy and handled in accordance with GDPR.
Essential cookies that are necessary for the website to function are set based on our legitimate interest in providing you with a functioning website. Optional cookies are only set with your explicit consent.
How Long Do Cookies Last?
Cookies can be temporary or persistent:
Session Cookies
These are temporary cookies that expire when you close your browser. They help maintain your session as you move between pages and ensure the site functions properly during your visit.
Persistent Cookies
These remain on your device for a set period (specified in the cookie) or until you manually delete them. They remember your preferences for future visits and help us understand how you use our website over time.
We regularly review the cookies we use and remove any that are no longer necessary. We also ensure that cookies don't remain on your device longer than needed.
Do We Use Cookies for Marketing?
No. We do not use cookies for marketing purposes, advertising, or tracking your behaviour across other websites. Our cookie usage is limited to making our website function properly and understanding how visitors use it so we can improve the service.
Updates to This Policy
We may update this Cookies Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use or for legal and regulatory reasons. When we make significant changes, we'll update the "last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you through our website.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies.
More Information About Cookies
If you'd like to learn more about cookies in general, the following resources may be helpful:
- All About Cookies: www.allaboutcookies.org
- ICO Guidance on Cookies: www.ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-pecr/cookies-and-similar-technologies
- Your Online Choices: www.youronlinechoices.eu (for information about behavioural advertising and online privacy)
Contact Us
If you have questions about our use of cookies or this Cookies Policy, please contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Post: Mystic Thread Benefits Advice Ltd, 142 Victoria Street, Bristol, BS1 6DL, United Kingdom