Cookie Policy
Last updated: 8 September 2026
This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, how Apex Aspire Limited (“we”, “us”, “our”) uses them on apexaspire.co.uk, and what choices you have regarding their use.
We comply with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). Except where cookies are strictly necessary to provide a service you have requested, we will only set cookies with your consent.
What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files that a website places on your computer, phone, or other device when you visit. They are widely used to make websites work correctly or more efficiently, and to provide information to the website owner. Cookies can be “session” cookies (deleted when you close your browser) or “persistent” cookies (stored on your device for a set period).
We also use similar technologies — such as local storage and pixels — where relevant. References to “cookies” in this policy cover all such technologies.
Cookies we use
We use a small number of cookies, grouped into the categories below. We do not use any advertising, retargeting, or cross-site tracking cookies.
1. Strictly necessary cookies
These cookies are essential for this website to function. They do not require your consent under PECR because they are necessary to provide a service you have explicitly requested. You cannot opt out of these cookies without disabling the relevant functionality.
| Cookie name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| payload-token | Apex Aspire (Payload CMS) | Authenticates admin users logged into the website’s content management system. Only set for authenticated CMS administrators; never set for regular website visitors. | Session / up to 2 hours |
| __cf_bm | Cloudflare | Set by Cloudflare Turnstile, which we use to protect our contact form against automated bot submissions. This cookie distinguishes between humans and bots. No personal browsing data is used for advertising. | 30 minutes |
| cf_clearance | Cloudflare | Records that a Cloudflare challenge (bot verification) has been passed, so the challenge is not repeated unnecessarily during the same session. | Session / up to 1 year |
2. Analytics and performance cookies
We use two optional analytics services on this website. They are enabled only after you accept analytics cookies through the consent banner. Choosing essential cookies only keeps both services disabled.
- Apex Aspire Pulse analytics — receives page views, routes, referrers, screen dimensions, performance measurements, and engagement metrics. It uses random pseudonymous identifiers in browser storage:
_pulse_visitorin local storage, with no fixed expiry, and_pulse_sessionand_pulse_session_tsin session storage. The session identifier rotates after 30 minutes of inactivity or when the tab session ends. These identifiers are pseudonymous and are not guaranteed to be anonymous. Withdrawing consent through Cookie settings in the footer removes them from this browser where storage is available. - Google Analytics 4 (GA4) — helps us understand user journeys and site performance in more detail. GA4 sets
_gaand_ga_*cookies only after you accept analytics cookies. You can withdraw consent through Cookie settings in the footer.
| Storage key / cookie name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| _pulse_visitor | Apex Aspire Pulse analytics | Random pseudonymous visitor identifier used to distinguish visits for analytics. Set only after analytics consent. | No fixed expiry; removed on consent withdrawal or browser storage clear |
| _pulse_session | Apex Aspire Pulse analytics | Random pseudonymous session identifier used to group analytics events in the current tab session. It rotates after 30 minutes of inactivity. | Tab session |
| _pulse_session_ts | Apex Aspire Pulse analytics | Records the session activity time used to determine when the session identifier should rotate. | Tab session |
| _ga | Google Analytics (GA4) | Used by Google Analytics to distinguish users. Assigns a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors and calculate aggregate statistics about site usage. Only set with your consent. | 2 years |
| _ga_XXXXXXX | Google Analytics (GA4) | Used by Google Analytics to persist session state and track events within a session. The suffix is specific to the GA4 measurement ID for this website. Only set with your consent. | 2 years |
If we introduce any additional analytics cookies in future, this policy will be updated before they are set, and your consent will be sought where required.
Legal basis for using cookies
Under PECR and UK GDPR, our legal bases are as follows:
- Strictly necessary cookies — no consent is required; these are set on the basis of legitimate interests or because they are essential to deliver a service you have requested (for example, keeping you logged in to the admin panel, or completing a bot-protection challenge when submitting our contact form).
- Analytics and performance cookies — Google Analytics 4 cookies (
_gaand_ga_*) are set only on the basis of your consent. Apex Aspire Pulse analytics is also enabled only after your consent. You can withdraw that consent through Cookie settings in the website footer.
How to manage and control cookies
You can control or delete cookies at any time. Your options include:
Browser settings
Most web browsers allow you to manage cookies through their settings. You can typically find these options under Privacy, Security, or History in your browser menu. Common browser guides:
Please be aware that restricting or deleting cookies may affect the functionality of this website. In particular, disabling the Cloudflare Turnstile cookies may prevent our contact form from working correctly.
Opting out of analytics
You can change or withdraw your analytics consent at any time. Select Cookie settings in the website footer, then choose Use essential cookies only. This stops Pulse analytics and GA4 and clears the Pulse identifiers stored by this website where storage is available. You can also delete the _ga and _ga_* cookies via your browser settings. You may also install the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on to prevent Google Analytics from collecting data about your visits across all websites.
Third-party cookies
Some cookies on this website are set by third parties (Cloudflare and Google). We do not control how those third parties use data collected via their cookies. We encourage you to review their own privacy and cookie policies:
Children
This website is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly set cookies on devices used by children.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in technology, legislation, or our practices. When we make significant changes, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Contact us
If you have any questions about how we use cookies, or wish to exercise any rights you may have under UK GDPR, please contact us at:
Apex Aspire Limited
Email: admin@apexaspire.co.uk
Website: apexaspire.co.uk
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection, if you believe your rights have not been respected.