Privacy Policy

Last updated: 6 June 2025

Introduction

The Lawn Journal ("we," "our," or "us") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at thelawnjournal.ghost.io (the "Site") or interact with our services.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide Directly

Email addresses when you subscribe to our newsletter or blog updates
Name and contact details when you contact us through our contact forms
Comments and feedback when you interact with our blog posts or social media
Survey responses when you participate in our lawn care surveys or questionnaires

Information Collected Automatically

Usage data including pages visited, time spent on site, and navigation patterns
Device information such as browser type, operating system, and device identifiers
Location data (general geographic location based on IP address)
Cookies and tracking technologies (see our Cookie Policy section below)

Third-Party Information

Social media data when you interact with our social media accounts or share our content
Analytics data from services like Google Analytics to understand site performance

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Deliver our weekly lawn care newsletter and blog updates
Respond to your enquiries and provide customer support
Improve our website content and user experience
Analyse site usage and optimise our services
Send you relevant lawn care tips and seasonal advice
Comply with legal obligations and protect our rights

We process your personal information based on:

Consent - when you subscribe to our newsletter or provide information voluntarily
Legitimate interests - to operate our website, improve our services, and provide relevant content
Contract performance - when providing services you've requested
Legal compliance - when required by law

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

Service Providers

Email service providers (e.g., Mailchimp, ConvertKit) to deliver our newsletter
Website hosting (Ghost.io) to operate our website
Analytics providers (Google Analytics) to understand site usage
Social media platforms when you interact with our social content

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or to:

Comply with legal processes or government requests
Protect our rights, property, or safety
Prevent fraud or security threats
Enforce our terms of service

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

Provide our services and fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy
Comply with legal obligations
Resolve disputes and enforce agreements

Generally:

Newsletter subscriptions - until you unsubscribe
Contact enquiries - for up to 2 years
Website analytics - anonymized data for up to 26 months
Legal compliance - as required by applicable law

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Access - request a copy of your personal data
Rectification - correct inaccurate or incomplete information
Erasure - request deletion of your personal data
Restriction - limit how we process your information
Portability - receive your data in a structured format
Objection - object to processing based on legitimate interests
Withdraw consent - for processing based on consent

To exercise these rights, contact us at thelawndiary@gmail.com.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us provide and improve our services.

Types of Cookies We Use

Essential cookies - necessary for website functionality
Performance cookies - help us understand how you use our site
Functionality cookies - remember your preferences
Marketing cookies - deliver relevant advertisements

Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect site functionality.

Third-Party Services

Our website integrates with third-party services that have their own privacy policies:

Ghost.io (website hosting)
Google Analytics (website analytics)
Social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, etc.)
Email service providers

We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no internet transmission is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the UK/EU. When we do this, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with UK GDPR requirements.

Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you become aware that a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:

Posting the updated policy on our website
Sending an email to newsletter subscribers
Updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

Email: thelawndiary@gmail.com Website: thelawnjournal.ghost.io

For data protection enquiries specifically, you can also contact the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

This Privacy Policy is effective as of 6 June 2025 and applies to all information collected by The Lawn Journal.