Beta Review
Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is for the beta review period. It explains the thinking behind the site and may change as trusted servants review the project.
What is this site?
This is a closed beta / pilot website built to support CA Gloucester Tuesday and to explore whether a simple digital hub could help newcomers, members, and trusted servants. It includes meeting information, recovery resources, service/history notes, feedback, privacy information, and a national meeting finder.
Is this an official CA website?
No. This is not an official CA UK, CASW, or CA World Service website. It is a local beta/pilot project created for review. Meeting cards link back to official CA meeting details where available, and users are reminded to check the official CA page before travelling.
Is this meant to replace the main CA website?
No. It is not intended to replace the main CA website, CA UK, CASW, or any official CA meeting list. The aim is to streamline access to useful resources, meeting links, support information, and local/group information in one simple place. Official CA websites and official meeting pages remain the source of truth.
Who is paying for it?
At the moment, Shaun is covering the development and any running costs as part of service. There are no ads, subscriptions, or costs to group members.
What happens if Shaun stops paying or maintaining it?
The aim is to avoid the project being dependent on one person long-term. The site code is stored in Shaun's private GitHub account so it can be backed up and, if appropriate, shared or transferred later. If the group or district wanted to continue it, ownership, hosting, and maintenance could be transferred or rebuilt from the shared code. If it is not wanted, it can simply be paused or switched off.
Can other CA groups use it?
Potentially, yes. The structure could be adapted for other groups, areas, or districts, but only after proper review and with local group conscience. Each group would need to check its own meeting information, privacy wording, safeguarding wording, and local service requirements.
Could this be adapted for district or area use?
Yes. The site has been designed in a modular way, so features such as the meeting finder, events calendar, resources page, service history, privacy-first approach, and local group resources could be adapted for district or area use. Wider use would need proper review, trusted servant oversight, and clear responsibility for maintenance.
Is the project on GitHub?
Yes. The project is currently stored on Shaun's private GitHub account. This means it is backed up and can be shared with appropriate people if review or transfer is needed. It is not currently public/open source.
What does "forking" mean?
Forking means someone copies a GitHub project into their own GitHub account so they can adapt it separately without changing the original version. This could be useful in future if another group or service body wanted a similar site with their own local content, meetings, privacy wording, and group conscience decisions.
Is it open source?
Not currently. It is private on GitHub at the moment. It could potentially be made open source later if an appropriate licence is added and the project is checked first. Before any public sharing, the project would need to be reviewed to make sure no private keys, passwords, passcodes, member information, restricted content, copyrighted material, or sensitive configuration is included.
What licence would be used if it was shared?
A simple permissive licence such as MIT may be suitable for the code, but this should be confirmed before wider sharing. Any CA literature, logos, meeting data, or third-party content would still need to be handled according to the relevant permissions and guidelines. The licence would apply to the code, not necessarily to all content.
Does the site track visitors?
No analytics or tracking scripts are currently used. The public site does not use advertising, analytics, or non-essential tracking cookies. The privacy policy explains the limited browser storage used for functional features.
Does the meeting finder store my location?
No precise GPS location is stored. If someone clicks "Use my current location", the browser provides location temporarily so the page can sort nearby meetings. It is not saved to localStorage, not sent to a server, and is discarded when the user refreshes or leaves the page. Typed town/postcode searches may be saved locally on the user's own device.
Why is there no cookie banner?
A cookie banner is not currently shown because the public site does not use analytics, advertising, or non-essential tracking cookies. The site does use limited browser storage for functional features, and this is explained in the privacy policy.
Is feedback anonymous?
Feedback can be submitted without giving a name, but it is not described as fully anonymous. The feedback form is handled by Web3Forms, and delivered emails may include technical metadata such as IP address. Users are asked not to include personal or sensitive information.
What happens if someone is in crisis?
The site is not a crisis service and does not replace human help. Crisis and support pages direct people towards emergency services, Samaritans, CA helpline information, NHS support, and human contact.
Can the group switch it off?
Yes. If the group conscience, trusted servants, or reviewers feel the site is not appropriate, it can be paused, changed, or switched off. The project is intended to serve the fellowship, not become something the fellowship has to work around.
What is still being reviewed?
The current review focuses on privacy, meeting accuracy, safety wording, CA tradition/guideline alignment, accessibility, and whether the site is genuinely helpful without creating risk or confusion.