MalinaPatrol ("we", "us", "our") operates a free community dog waste bag dispenser network and interactive map at malinapatrol.co.uk. This Privacy & Cookie Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and the choices you have.
MalinaPatrol is operated by Anna Schofield, who acts as the data controller for the personal information described in this policy. MalinaPatrol is a volunteer-run community initiative based in North Tyneside, United Kingdom, working to help keep parks and public spaces cleaner for everyone.
You can browse the core pages of our website without creating an account. We collect information that you choose to provide through our forms and, where you have given consent, limited website usage and device information through analytics technologies. Some essential technical information is also processed automatically to deliver and secure the website.
| Information | Why we collect it |
|---|---|
| Name and email address | Responding to enquiries |
| Message and selected enquiry subject | Understanding and responding to the request |
| Station ID and issue reported | Maintaining MalinaPatrol stations |
| Suggested location or postcode | Assessing possible future locations |
| Partnership or business enquiry details | Discussing potential collaboration |
| Cookie preferences | Remembering your consent choices |
| Website and device usage data (pages viewed, approximate region, browser type, device type) | Analytics, only where consent has been provided |
| IP address, request information and security logs | Delivering, protecting and troubleshooting the website |
| Location information | Finding the nearest station, and identifying the location of a reported station |
| Authorised refiller name and access record | Operating the station refill log and maintaining the network |
| Refill entries (station, date, time, quantity, optional notes) | Recording maintenance activity across the network |
We rely on different lawful bases depending on the purpose of processing:
| Purpose | Lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Responding to general enquiries | Legitimate interests |
| Processing empty-station reports | Legitimate interests in operating and maintaining the network |
| Assessing suggested locations | Legitimate interests in developing the network |
| Responding to business enquiries | Legitimate interests, or steps requested before entering into an agreement |
| Analytics (Google Analytics, Microsoft Clarity) | Consent |
| Necessary cookie preference storage | Strictly necessary under PECR; legitimate interests for associated personal-data processing |
| Website hosting, security and troubleshooting logs | Legitimate interests in providing and securing the website |
| Operating the refill log and authorised access records | Legitimate interests in maintaining the station network |
| Legal or regulatory records, where applicable | Legal obligation |
Where we rely on legitimate interests, you have the right to object — see "Your rights" below. This right carries extra weight for children, and we take that into account in how we use information.
Essential for the website to function properly. Used to remember your cookie preferences and cannot be switched off.
Only with your consent, we use Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity to understand how many people visit the site, which pages are most popular, how visitors navigate through the website, roughly which region visitors come from, and how visitors interact with individual pages (such as clicks and scroll depth). Microsoft Clarity may provide session recordings and interaction information. We configure Clarity to mask form inputs and reduce the capture of personal information, but you should not enter sensitive personal information into free-text fields. We do not deliberately use analytics information to identify named individuals. However, analytics identifiers, device information and session interaction records may still constitute personal information.
Analytics and similar technologies are not activated until you give consent through the cookie banner: our website only loads Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity after a consent cookie confirms you have opted in. If you later withdraw consent, we signal to those tools that they must stop and reload the page so that nothing continues in the background. You can accept, reject, or change your cookie preferences at any time using the cookie banner or the "Cookie Settings" control, or remove cookies through your browser settings.
| Cookie | Provider | Purpose | Category | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cookieyes-consent | CookieYes | Stores your cookie choices | Necessary | 1 year |
| __cf_bm | Cloudflare | Distinguishes human visitors from automated traffic | Necessary | 1 hour |
| _ga | Google Analytics | Distinguishes website visitors | Analytics | 2 years |
| _ga_* | Google Analytics | Maintains session information | Analytics | 2 years |
| _clck | Microsoft Clarity | Stores a Clarity user identifier | Analytics | 1 year |
| _clsk | Microsoft Clarity | Links page views into a single session recording | Analytics | 1 day |
| NID | Set by Google only if you choose to load the embedded Google map; used by Google for advertising preferences | Advertisement | 6 months |
This table reflects a cookie scan of our website carried out on 4 October 2026, together with each provider's documented defaults. That scan found no analytics or advertising cookies, because the scanner did not give consent — those cookies are only set after you accept them, and if you decline, they are not placed.
Each MalinaPatrol station carries a QR code. Anyone can scan it to view public information about that station and report a problem. A small number of authorised refillers can additionally record a refill visit.
We do not store access codes in plain text. They are protected using a one-way password-hashing process (bcrypt), and repeated failed attempts are rate-limited. Failed-access records use a pseudonymous value derived from the IP address; we do not retain the plain IP address in those records.
Failed-access records are kept for 30 days and used only to limit repeated guessing.
Refill records are used to maintain the network, to plan restocking, and to produce summary information about how the network is used. Summary figures published on this website — such as total bags supplied — contain no personal information.
If you are an authorised refiller and wish to stop, contact us and your access will be removed. See "Your rights" below for how to request access to, correction of, or deletion of your information.
Our website contains links to our own pages on Instagram and Facebook. These are ordinary links, not embedded feeds, buttons or tracking pixels: nothing is loaded from those platforms while you are on our site, and they receive no information about you unless you choose to follow a link.
If you do follow one, you leave our website and the platform's own privacy policy applies from that point. We have no access to, and receive no reports about, what you do there. Any information you share with us through a social media message or comment is held by that platform under its terms, not ours.
Our website can display an embedded Google My Map. The map is not loaded until you choose to load it. If you do, Google may receive information including your IP address, browser information and map interaction data, in accordance with Google's own Privacy Policy. Every station is also listed as text with its address, so you can find a station without loading the map.
Some of the providers we use process data outside the United Kingdom. Where a restricted international transfer takes place, we rely on an applicable UK adequacy regulation or on appropriate contractual safeguards. Further information about the safeguards used by any particular provider is available on request.
| Provider | What it handles | Where processed |
|---|---|---|
| Supabase | Station data and the refill log | United Kingdom (London) — no transfer |
| Netlify | Website hosting and security logs | United States |
| Formspree | Contact and report form submissions | United States |
| Google (Analytics, Maps) | Website statistics and the embedded map | United States and other countries |
| Microsoft Clarity | Website usage analysis | United States |
| Cloudinary | Images shown on the website | United States |
| CookieYes | Cookie consent management | European Union |
| Buy Me a Coffee | Voluntary contributions | United States |
The refill database is hosted in the United Kingdom. Contact enquiries and station reports, which may include a name and email address, are processed by Formspree and may be processed outside the United Kingdom. Where a restricted international transfer takes place, we rely on an applicable UK adequacy regulation or appropriate contractual safeguards. Further information about the safeguards used by any provider is available on request.
We keep personal information only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected. Our current retention periods are:
Information is reviewed periodically and deleted when it is no longer required.
MalinaPatrol does not use personal information for personalised advertising and does not sell personal information. Third-party services we use may process technical information as described in this policy and in their own privacy notices.
Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights over your personal information, where applicable:
You have the right to object to our use of your personal information where we rely on legitimate interests. We will stop processing it unless we have compelling legitimate grounds to continue or need it for legal claims.
Because we intentionally collect very little personal information, most requests are straightforward to handle. If you believe we have not handled your information correctly, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
We want MalinaPatrol to be usable by as many people as possible, including those using a screen reader, keyboard navigation, or browser zoom.
What we have done
Known limitations
We aim to meet the WCAG 2.1 AA standard but have not yet had the site formally audited, so we cannot claim full conformance.
If something is hard to use
If you have trouble using any part of this website, or need information from it in a different format, email hello@malinapatrol.co.uk and tell us what you were trying to do. We will respond within 10 working days and will send you the information another way if we cannot fix the page quickly.
MalinaPatrol does not use personal information to make solely automated decisions about individuals, and does not carry out profiling.
We may update this Privacy & Cookie Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Significant changes may also be announced on our website.