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APES CIC Rescue, rehabilitation, rehoming and public support across the APES network.

Release records

Change Log Hub

Track every major release for this website, including updates, fixes, compliance changes, and user-facing improvements.

Current version v2.8.6 Patch stable Public-facing
Expand all releases View current release
v2.8.6 2026-06-04
Version v2.8.6 Stable Changed Fix Accessibility

Summary

Removed the horizontal scrollbar from shared desktop mega menus by replacing viewport-based panel sizing with desktop-safe width constraints that do not overflow when the page has a vertical scrollbar.

Detailed changes

  • Updated the shared mega-menu panel sizing rules so desktop navigation no longer relies on 100vw calculations that can include the browser scrollbar width and trigger horizontal overflow.
  • Kept the current mobile overlay, accordion submenu behaviour, desktop open-state logic and shared header markup unchanged because the regression was isolated to desktop CSS width constraints.
  • Synchronised the shared release metadata, README and version files to v2.8.6, and prepared the PHP source of truth for static snapshot regeneration once PHP is available again in a compatible environment.
  • Preserved APES Newsroom routing, footer-required links, canonical URLs, sitemap entries, robots rules and branded error pages without route, label or metadata changes.
  • Opened and linked the related GitHub issue for this fix as issue #3.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: shared header navigation, shared CSS, Change Log Hub, root and public release records, README and branded error pages once regenerated from source
  • Files changed: shared CSS, shared site data release records, VERSION files, root CHANGELOG, public CHANGELOG and README
  • User groups affected: supporters, donors, volunteers, staff, partners and general public visitors using desktop or laptop navigation
  • Public impact: desktop visitors should no longer see a horizontal scrollbar when opening mega menus, while mobile and tablet navigation keeps the current overlay behaviour
  • Internal impact: desktop mega-menu sizing now avoids viewport scrollbar-width drift, reducing the risk of future overflow regressions in the shared header

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.8.5
  • New version: v2.8.6
  • Version type: patch stable
  • Reason for version bump: shared public-facing desktop navigation overflow fix without any route, SEO or metadata restructuring

Validation

  • Checks run: shared CSS overflow review, release-metadata consistency review, sitemap and robots verification-only review, footer-link source review and issue-link verification
  • Manual checks completed: desktop mega-menu width rule audit for 1280px, 1366px, 1440px and 1920px layouts by source inspection, mobile selector regression review for sub-981px rules, footer required-link review, APES Newsroom routing review and branded 403/404/500 source-page review
  • Known limitations: the local PHP runtime is still unavailable in this implementation environment, so the standard static export, full rendered browser QA and generated HTML snapshot resynchronisation still need to run in a PHP-enabled environment before deployment
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared CSS width rules, version files and release records, then rerun the standard PHP export when PHP is available if the desktop mega-menu overflow fix needs to be reversed
v2.8.3 2026-06-04
Version v2.8.3 Stable Changed Removed Fix Accessibility

Summary

Removed the site-wide Hellobar embed from the shared APES page shell so APES-owned popups can run without the third-party Hello Bar script loading across the public website and branded error pages.

Detailed changes

  • Removed the shared Hello Bar script include from the PHP document renderer while leaving the APES development popup, booking popup-window behaviour and Donorbox popup flows in place.
  • Synchronised the shared release metadata, README, version files, Change Log Hub source and generated website snapshots to v2.8.3 so the release record now reflects the Hellobar removal.
  • Manually synchronised the exported HTML snapshots in /public/ because no local PHP runtime was available for the standard static export script in this shell.
  • Preserved APES Newsroom routing, footer-required links, canonical URLs, sitemap entries, robots rules and branded error pages without route, label or metadata changes.
  • Opened and linked the related GitHub issue for this fix as issue #3.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: shared PHP rendering, all generated public and error-page HTML snapshots, Change Log Hub, root and public release records, README and footer version display
  • Files changed: shared PHP renderer, shared site data release records, VERSION files, root CHANGELOG, public CHANGELOG, README, Change Log Hub snapshot and regenerated or manually synchronised static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, donors, volunteers, staff, partners and general public visitors encountering site-wide overlays, donation prompts or branded fallback pages
  • Public impact: visitors no longer load the third-party Hello Bar script site-wide, reducing interference risk with APES-managed popup behaviour while leaving APES and Donorbox popup journeys available
  • Internal impact: popup ownership is now cleaner in the shared shell, making future APES-managed popup work easier to control without a parallel Hello Bar dependency

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.8.2
  • New version: v2.8.3
  • Version type: patch stable
  • Reason for version bump: shared public-facing third-party popup-script removal without any route, SEO or metadata restructuring

Validation

  • Checks run: shared renderer review, generated HTML sync review, Hellobar reference search, popup wiring review and release-metadata consistency review
  • Manual checks completed: Hellobar removal review on representative public and branded error-page output, development-popup source review, booking-popup script review, Donorbox popup embed review, footer required-link review, APES Newsroom routing review, sitemap/canonical/robots verification-only review and branded 403/404/500 source-page review
  • Known limitations: the local PHP runtime was unavailable in this implementation pass, so the standard PHP static export script and full rendered browser QA still need to run in a PHP-enabled environment before deployment
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared renderer, version files and release records, then rerun the standard PHP export to reintroduce the prior shell output if the Hellobar removal needs to be reversed
v2.8.1 2026-06-04
Version v2.8.1 Stable Changed Fix Accessibility

Summary

Reworked the shared APES mobile navigation into a dedicated overlay panel so direct links and accordion groups now respond reliably on touch devices without sticky donate or chat controls blocking taps.

Detailed changes

  • Rebuilt the shared mobile navigation shell around the existing header markup by adding a dedicated mobile panel, close control, backdrop hook and clearer open-state accessibility labels while preserving all existing desktop link targets and mega-menu content.
  • Reworked the shared mobile navigation CSS below 980px so the menu opens as a fixed overlay panel with independent scrolling, full-width touch targets, accordion-friendly <details> groups and a body scroll-lock state.
  • Refined the shared navigation script so mobile open-state, desktop mega-menu positioning and close behaviour are handled separately, allowing direct links and submenu links to navigate on first tap while still supporting Escape, overlay close and page-transition resets.
  • Kept APES Newsroom routing, footer-required links, canonical URLs, sitemap entries and branded error pages unchanged, then regenerated the static HTML snapshots and synchronised the canonical version plus release records to v2.8.1.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: shared header navigation, shared CSS, shared JS, Change Log Hub, root and public release records, README, branded error pages and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • Files changed: shared PHP header, shared CSS, shared JS, shared site data release records, VERSION files, root CHANGELOG, public CHANGELOG, README and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, donors, volunteers, staff, partners and general public visitors using mobile or tablet navigation
  • Public impact: mobile visitors can now open the menu, expand grouped sections, follow direct links and submenu links on first tap, and use the overlay without donate or chat widgets stealing interaction
  • Internal impact: the shared navigation state model is now cleaner across mobile and desktop breakpoints, reducing the chance of future tap-target and overlay regressions

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.8.0
  • New version: v2.8.1
  • Version type: patch stable
  • Reason for version bump: shared public-facing navigation reliability, accessibility and overlay-behaviour fixes without any route or SEO structure change

Validation

  • Checks run: local PHP syntax checks, shared CSS and JS review, static HTML export and generated HTML inspection
  • Manual checks completed: mobile navigation markup/state review, footer required-link review, APES Newsroom routing review, sitemap and canonical verification-only review, and branded 403/404/500 page review after regeneration
  • Known limitations: live device/browser interaction with third-party Donorbox and Chatwoot widgets still requires a post-deploy touch test outside this repo-only implementation pass
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared header, CSS, JS, version files and release records, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if the mobile navigation rollout needs to be reversed
v2.8.0 2026-06-04
Version v2.8.0 Stable Added Changed Fix Compliance Accessibility

Summary

Completed the APES launch SEO and production-cutover pass by tightening shared metadata and JSON-LD, redirecting legacy main-site news URLs into APES Newsroom, and hardening robots, sitemap and error-page handling for Cloudron LAMP.

Detailed changes

  • Added shared robots-meta support plus Organization, WebSite and breadcrumb JSON-LD through the PHP renderer while keeping https://www.apes.org.uk as the only canonical host in shared metadata output.
  • Reworked the /news/ page into a pure APES Newsroom handoff, removed local news-post and tag pages from the shared page model, and mapped each legacy /news/post/... and /news/tag/... route to an exact one-hop APES Newsroom successor URL in Apache.
  • Disabled the production development notice, blocked public access to technical /includes/, /outputs/ and /scripts/ paths, and added branded 403.html and 500.html companions alongside the updated 404.html experience.
  • Regenerated the static HTML snapshots, refreshed robots.txt and sitemap.xml, synchronised the canonical version to v2.8.0, and updated the APES release, inventory, content-audit and redirect records for launch.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: shared PHP rendering, /news/, /search/, error pages, Apache routing, robots.txt, sitemap.xml, Change Log Hub, root and public release records, and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • Files changed: shared PHP rendering, shared site data, .htaccess, robots.txt, sitemap.xml, VERSION files, README, changelog records, documentation records and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, donors, volunteers, staff, partners and general public visitors
  • Public impact: visitors now get cleaner canonical metadata, proper APES Newsroom routing for legacy news URLs, production-ready search indexing, and branded error handling with clearer recovery routes
  • Internal impact: launch SEO rules, redirect mappings, sitemap truth and error-page handling now live in the shared source of truth and Cloudron-facing Apache configuration

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.7.0
  • New version: v2.8.0
  • Version type: minor stable
  • Reason for version bump: site-wide SEO, routing, error-handling and production-launch behaviour changes without a breaking public-domain move

Validation

  • Checks run: local PHP syntax checks, static HTML export, sitemap regeneration, generated HTML inspection and redirect/error-route review
  • Manual checks completed: canonical metadata review, APES Newsroom redirect review, footer required-link review, search indexability review, robots/sitemap review, error-page review and changelog/version synchronisation review
  • Known limitations: live Cloudron staging verification, Apache status-code confirmation in the deployed app and Google Search Console submission still require post-deploy checks outside this repo-only implementation pass
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared PHP, site data, Apache config, robots/sitemap files, version files and release records, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if the launch SEO cutover needs to be reversed
v2.7.0 2026-06-04
Version v2.7.0 Stable Added Changed Fix Compliance

Summary

Added a site-wide development notice popup and persistent header message, then rebalanced the shared APES footer so every footer-card link now renders as a clearer tile-style action.

Detailed changes

  • Added a persistent development notice band near the top of the shared header and a first-open popup that explains some links and features are still in development while directing visitors to live chat for fast help.
  • Wired the notice actions into the existing Chatwoot widget with a safe contact-page fallback, session-based dismissal, keyboard-accessible dialog behaviour and focus return on close.
  • Redistributed the four APES footer cards into more balanced groups and made every footer-card link render as a visible tile without removing the required donation, Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, Change Log Hub or intranet routes.
  • Preserved APES Newsroom routing, APES CIC identity and footer compliance rules, then synchronised the canonical version plus release records to v2.7.0 before regenerating the static HTML snapshots.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: shared header, shared footer, shared site data, shared CSS, shared JS, Change Log Hub, footer version display, root and public release records, and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • Files changed: shared PHP rendering, shared site data, shared CSS, shared JS, VERSION, public VERSION, root CHANGELOG, public CHANGELOG, README and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, donors, volunteers, staff, partners and general public visitors
  • Public impact: visitors now see a clear development notice, get a direct route into live chat, and can use a more balanced, button-led footer across the public site
  • Internal impact: the shared shell now holds the development-notice copy and behaviour in one place, and the footer grouping is easier to maintain without route-level edits

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.6.4
  • New version: v2.7.0
  • Version type: minor stable
  • Reason for version bump: site-wide public messaging and shared-shell footer behaviour additions without a breaking route restructure

Validation

  • Checks run: local PHP syntax checks, shared CSS and JS review, static HTML export and generated HTML inspection
  • Manual checks completed: header notice review, popup/session behaviour review, footer required link and intranet attribute review, footer version alignment review, APES Newsroom route review and changelog/version synchronisation review
  • Known limitations: deployed FTP validation and live browser confirmation still require a post-push check outside this repo-only implementation pass
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared PHP, site data, CSS, JS, version files and release records, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if the notice or footer rollout needs to be reversed
v2.6.4 2026-06-03
Version v2.6.4 Stable Changed Fix

Summary

Centred the shared APES sidebar logo card more explicitly through the shared stylesheet so the feature logo sits consistently within its support panel across the public website.

Detailed changes

  • Updated the shared .brand-feature-panel styling so the sidebar card, <picture> wrapper and logo image all centre explicitly without changing the shared sidebar markup.
  • Kept the existing responsive logo sizing and card spacing while preventing route-level drift for the logo card across all pages that inherit the shared sidebar.
  • Preserved the APES column-card footer, required donation, Privacy Policy, Terms of Service and Change Log Hub links, left APES Newsroom routing unchanged, and synchronised the canonical version plus release records to v2.6.4.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: shared sidebar logo card, shared CSS, Change Log Hub, footer version display, root and public release records, and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • Files changed: shared CSS, shared release data, VERSION, public VERSION, root CHANGELOG, public CHANGELOG, README and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, donors, volunteers, staff, partners and general public visitors
  • Public impact: visitors now see the APES feature logo centred more cleanly within the shared sidebar card across the public site
  • Internal impact: the shared sidebar logo card now has clearer centring rules in the main stylesheet, reducing the chance of route-specific visual drift

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.6.3
  • New version: v2.6.4
  • Version type: patch stable
  • Reason for version bump: low-risk public-facing layout fix to the shared sidebar logo presentation without a breaking restructure or route change

Validation

  • Checks run: shared CSS review, shared PHP data review, static HTML export and generated HTML inspection
  • Manual checks completed: homepage, inner-page, Change Log Hub and 404 sidebar logo review; footer required link review; APES Newsroom route review; and changelog/version alignment review
  • Known limitations: deployed FTP validation and live browser confirmation still require a post-push check outside this repo-only implementation pass
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared CSS, version files and release records, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if the logo-card alignment change needs to be reversed
v2.6.3 2026-06-03
Version v2.6.3 Stable Added Changed

Summary

Added the requested site-wide messaging, donation and support embeds through the shared shell, while keeping the APES footer layout, required footer links and release records aligned to a new stable patch version.

Detailed changes

  • Added OneSignal, Hello Bar and Mastodon rel="me" verification links through the shared document shell so the integrations load centrally across the public website.
  • Added a site-wide Donorbox sticky popup widget through the shared body shell, keeping the existing Donate page content and support routes unchanged.
  • Consolidated the footer-side third-party integrations into one Facebook SDK loader with app ID 670420541399530 and one Chatwoot loader for the APES workspace, avoiding the duplicated legacy Facebook snippets from the supplied markup.
  • Preserved the APES column-card footer, required donation, Privacy Policy, Terms of Service and Change Log Hub links, left APES Newsroom routing unchanged, and synchronised the canonical version plus release records to v2.6.3.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: shared document head, shared body shell, shared footer, Change Log Hub, footer version display, root and public release records, and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • Files changed: shared PHP rendering, shared footer output, VERSION, public VERSION, root CHANGELOG, public CHANGELOG, README and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, donors, volunteers, staff, partners and general public visitors
  • Public impact: visitors now receive the requested site-wide notification, donation, social-verification and support-widget integrations without a visible footer redesign or route change
  • Internal impact: shared shell integrations are now centralised in one maintained source of truth, reducing duplication and keeping future release management simpler

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.6.2
  • New version: v2.6.3
  • Version type: patch stable
  • Reason for version bump: small site-wide public integration additions and shared-shell maintenance improvements without a breaking restructure or URL change

Validation

  • Checks run: shared PHP renderer review, local PHP syntax checks, static HTML export and generated HTML inspection
  • Manual checks completed: shared head/body/footer embed review, footer required link review, intranet link attribute review, APES Newsroom route review and changelog/version alignment review
  • Known limitations: external widget runtime behaviour, live browser confirmation and deployed FTP validation still require a post-push check outside this repo-only implementation pass
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared renderer, shared footer output, version files and changelog entries, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if the integration rollout needs to be reversed
v2.6.2 2026-06-03
Version v2.6.2 Stable Added Changed

Summary

Refreshed the Donate page with stronger area-of-greatest-need messaging, added a Donorbox popup donation button and donor wall, and synchronised the shared release records to the new stable patch version.

Detailed changes

  • Rewrote the Donate page body copy to explain how flexible donations support rescue, rehabilitation, housing, daily welfare costs, education and public support across APES.
  • Added the requested Donorbox popup button installer and secure donation button for the approved area-of-greatest-need route, while keeping a standard link fallback if JavaScript or popups are unavailable.
  • Added the requested Donorbox donor wall embed inside an APES-styled supporter section so the page shows visible community backing without changing the wider site architecture.
  • Added shared styling for the Donorbox donation section and embed, preserved the required footer links and version display, kept APES Newsroom routing unchanged, and synchronised the canonical version plus changelog records to v2.6.2.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: Donate page, shared CSS, Change Log Hub, footer version display, root and public release records, and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • Files changed: shared site data, shared CSS, VERSION, public VERSION, root CHANGELOG, public CHANGELOG, README and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, donors, volunteers, staff, partners and general public visitors
  • Public impact: visitors now get clearer donation messaging, a popup donation flow and visible donor-wall engagement on the main Donate page
  • Internal impact: the APES donation journey now has a clearer shared content source and release record for future fundraising updates

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.6.1
  • New version: v2.6.2
  • Version type: patch stable
  • Reason for version bump: public-facing donation content and embed improvements without a breaking restructure or route change

Validation

  • Checks run: shared PHP and CSS inspection, local PHP syntax checks, static HTML export and generated HTML inspection
  • Manual checks completed: Donate page copy review, Donorbox popup button presence review, donor wall embed review, footer required link review, APES Newsroom route review and changelog/version alignment review
  • Known limitations: popup, external embed behaviour and deployed FTP validation still require a live browser and post-push deployment check outside this repo-only implementation pass
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous donate copy, shared CSS, version files and changelog entries, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if the release needs to be reversed
v2.6.1 2026-06-03
Version v2.6.1 Stable Changed Fix Accessibility

Summary

Added three popup-enabled booking routes to the Bookings page and regrouped the shared footer so key public, legal and staff routes are easier to scan without changing the wider site architecture.

Detailed changes

  • Added a dedicated three-option booking chooser to the Bookings page for APES Bookings, Shelter and Rescue Bookings, and Pet Care Clinic Bookings, each pointing to the requested workspace appointment form.
  • Added shared popup-window launch behaviour in the site JavaScript so the booking routes open in a centred external window when allowed, while preserving a normal new-tab fallback when popups are blocked or JavaScript is unavailable.
  • Extended the shared footer data model so footer items can render as standard links, highlighted route tiles or non-link subheadings, then regrouped the footer into clearer About, services, support and policy/update/staff sections.
  • Preserved the required donation, Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, Change Log Hub, APES Newsroom and intranet links, kept APES Newsroom routing unchanged, and synchronised the canonical version plus changelog records to v2.6.1.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: Bookings, shared footer, Change Log Hub, footer version display, root and public release records, and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • Files changed: shared PHP rendering, shared CSS, shared JS, shared site data, VERSION, public VERSION, root CHANGELOG, public CHANGELOG, README and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: service users, supporters, volunteers, staff, partners and general public visitors
  • Public impact: visitors can now choose the correct external booking form directly from the Bookings page and scan the shared footer more quickly for core service, legal and intranet routes
  • Internal impact: footer presentation intent and popup booking behaviour are now managed centrally so future route and release updates stay aligned

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.6.0
  • New version: v2.6.1
  • Version type: patch stable
  • Reason for version bump: small public-facing booking and footer usability improvements without a breaking restructure or URL change

Validation

  • Checks run: local PHP syntax checks, shared CSS/JS/PHP inspection, static HTML export and generated HTML inspection
  • Manual checks completed: Bookings chooser label and URL review, popup-launch fallback review, desktop and mobile footer grouping review, footer required link review, APES Newsroom route review and changelog/version alignment review
  • Known limitations: popup and responsive verification in this environment is based on source and generated-output inspection rather than a full deployed browser pass against Cloudron hosting
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared footer data, JS, CSS, bookings content, version files and changelog entries, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if the release needs to be reversed
v2.6.0 2026-06-03
Version v2.6.0 Stable Changed Accessibility Compliance

Summary

Added a shared APES image system across key public routes, bringing supportive photography and illustration into the homepage, route-finder, fundraising, bookings, educational and relocation journeys while keeping release, footer and Newsroom rules aligned.

Detailed changes

  • Added six deployable APES image assets plus WebP variants inside the public asset tree and wired them through shared PHP rendering with explicit dimensions, responsive picture markup and lazy loading for non-hero placements.
  • Extended the shared renderer and stylesheet so homepage hero media, route-finder illustrations and reusable feature-media sections can be enabled per page without changing public routes, footer links or form behaviour.
  • Placed the new visuals on the homepage, Services hub, Bookings, Educational visits, About APES, Fundraising priorities and Help Us Move routes using conservative descriptive copy that supports the public journeys without implying named animals or live case evidence.
  • Preserved APES Newsroom routing, the APES column-card footer, required donation, Privacy Policy, Terms of Service and Change Log Hub links, and synchronised the canonical version plus changelog records to v2.6.0.
  • Checked for a related GitHub issue and found no explicit linked issue in the current repo context, so issue-update templates were not posted during this implementation pass.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: homepage hero and route finder, Services hub, Bookings, Educational visits, About APES, Fundraising priorities, Help Us Move, Change Log Hub, footer version display and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • Files changed: shared PHP rendering, shared CSS, shared site data, VERSION, public VERSION, root CHANGELOG, public CHANGELOG and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, adopters, service users, volunteers, partners, educators and general public visitors
  • Public impact: visitors now see warmer, route-relevant visuals across key public journeys with responsive image delivery and no route or footer-link changes
  • Internal impact: reusable image metadata and shared media rendering now support future APES visual placements from a central source of truth

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.5.0
  • New version: v2.6.0
  • Version type: minor stable
  • Reason for version bump: new public-facing visual content and shared rendering capabilities added across multiple core routes without a breaking restructure

Validation

  • Checks run: local PHP syntax checks, shared CSS/PHP inspection, WebP asset generation, static HTML export and generated HTML inspection
  • Manual checks completed: homepage hero and compact route-finder layout review, Services hub route-finder and care-image review, Bookings and Educational visits image stacking review, Fundraising and Help Us Move image placement review, footer required link review, APES Newsroom route review and changelog/version alignment review
  • Known limitations: validation in this environment focused on generated output and local inspection rather than a full live-browser comparison on every published route
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared renderer, shared CSS, image references, version files and changelog entries, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if the image rollout needs to be reversed
v2.5.0 2026-06-03
Version v2.5.0 Stable Changed Accessibility Compliance

Summary

Promoted the shared hero into a full-width site header panel, moved the previous hero-side support cards into the lower sidebar across all rendered public routes, and synchronised the release metadata to the new minor stable version.

Detailed changes

  • Updated the shared PHP page renderer so the hero panel now spans the full content width while the logo, contact and connected-service cards render in the lower page sidebar above page-specific related links.
  • Reworked the shared stylesheet so the new full-width hero and lower two-column body/sidebar layout behave consistently across the homepage, inner content routes, Change Log Hub and 404 page without changing route copy or CTA destinations.
  • Preserved APES Newsroom routing, footer structure, required donation, Privacy Policy, Terms of Service and Change Log Hub links, and intranet link rules while applying the shared layout shift.
  • Bumped the canonical version and synchronised the website Change Log Hub, root changelog, public changelog mirror and exported static HTML snapshots to v2.5.0.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: homepage hero, all shared inner-page hero/sidebar layouts, Change Log Hub, 404 page, footer version display and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • Files changed: shared PHP rendering, shared CSS, shared site data, VERSION, public VERSION, root CHANGELOG, public CHANGELOG and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, adopters, service users, volunteers, partners and general public visitors
  • Public impact: visitors now see a full-width hero followed by a clearer lower content/sidebar layout that keeps support cards available without crowding the page header.
  • Internal impact: the shared renderer now owns a single full-width hero pattern across all exported public routes and the release metadata is aligned at v2.5.0.

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.4.6
  • New version: v2.5.0
  • Version type: minor stable
  • Reason for version bump: site-wide public layout change across the shared rendering system without route or content-model changes.

Validation

  • Checks run: shared PHP renderer review, shared CSS review, local PHP syntax checks, static HTML export and generated HTML inspection
  • Manual checks completed: homepage, representative top-level route, nested route, Change Log Hub and 404 layout review; footer required link review; intranet link attribute review; APES Newsroom route review; changelog/version alignment review
  • Known limitations: final browser QA is limited to local rendered/output inspection in this environment rather than a full live-browser pass across every route
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared renderer, CSS and release metadata, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if the new layout needs to be reverted
v2.4.6 2026-06-03
Version v2.4.6 Stable Changed Fix Compliance Accessibility

Summary

Tightened the shared hero layout so the primary content panel no longer leaves an oversized gap below the call-to-action buttons, and synchronised the release metadata back to the canonical site version.

Detailed changes

  • Updated the shared hero grid so the hero panel aligns to its content instead of stretching to match the taller hero aside, which removes the empty space beneath the hero buttons on the homepage and all shared inner-page hero variants.
  • Applied the change in the shared stylesheet only, leaving route content, hero copy, buttons, footer structure and APES Newsroom destinations untouched.
  • Re-synchronised the canonical version, website Change Log Hub and root changelog after correcting the existing mismatch between the repository VERSION file and the rendered site release metadata.
  • Regenerated the exported static HTML snapshots and synchronised the canonical version, website Change Log Hub and root changelog.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: homepage shared hero, inner-page shared hero pattern, Change Log Hub, footer version display and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • Files changed: shared CSS, shared site data, VERSION, root CHANGELOG and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, adopters, service users, volunteers, partners and general public visitors
  • Public impact: visitors now see a tighter hero layout with less empty space beneath hero actions, while footer version text and release records now consistently show v2.4.6
  • Internal impact: shared hero sizing now behaves consistently across rendered routes and the repository release metadata matches the generated site output again

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.4.5
  • New version: v2.4.6
  • Version type: patch stable
  • Reason for version bump: small public-facing layout fix across the shared hero component with no route or content restructure

Validation

  • Checks run: shared CSS inspection, local PHP syntax checks, static HTML export and generated HTML inspection
  • Manual checks completed: homepage and representative inner-page hero spacing review, footer required link review, footer version alignment review, APES Newsroom route review and changelog synchronisation review
  • Known limitations: final browser QA depends on local rendered output spot checks rather than opening every exported route individually
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared CSS and release metadata, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if needed
v2.4.0 2026-06-03
Version v2.4.0 Stable Added Changed Compliance

Summary

Added a new Services hub with a shared route finder, replaced placeholder public social links with verified APES channels, strengthened mission and welfare-policy content, and aligned opening-hours, visit and footer guidance across the site.

Detailed changes

  • Created a new public /services/ hub and shared route-finder component, then reused the same route data on the homepage compact finder and the expanded Services page search and filter interface.
  • Updated shared navigation, footer content and breadcrumb routing so the Services hub, mission routes, visit guidance, opening times and welfare policies are easier to find.
  • Replaced placeholder header social links with verified apesorguk Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Threads and Bluesky profiles, while keeping community-only channels on the Socials page.
  • Expanded the mission, ethical rehabilitation, visit, opening-times, volunteer, boarding, educational, therapy, fundraising, sponsor and welfare-policy routes using current repo truth plus review notes where external verification is still needed.
  • Kept APES Newsroom as the central public news destination, preserved required footer links and APES CIC identity, and synchronised the canonical version, Change Log Hub and root changelog before re-exporting static HTML snapshots.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: homepage, Services hub, bookings, mission routes, visit/opening-times routes, welfare policy routes, socials, footer, header, Change Log Hub and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • Files changed: shared PHP rendering, shared site data, shared CSS, shared JS, VERSION, root CHANGELOG and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, adopters, service users, volunteers, partners and general public visitors
  • Public impact: visitors now have clearer route selection, verified public social channels, stronger welfare-policy visibility and more consistent visit/contact guidance
  • Internal impact: shared route-finder and social-profile data now drive multiple public components from one source of truth

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.3.3
  • New version: v2.4.0
  • Version type: minor stable
  • Reason for version bump: new public routing features, broader content expansion and shared navigation/footer improvements without breaking route removals

Validation

  • Checks run: local PHP syntax checks, static HTML export, shared JS/CSS inspection and generated HTML inspection
  • Manual checks completed: homepage route finder, Services hub search/filter output, welfare-policy visibility, footer required links, verified social placement and changelog/version alignment review
  • Known limitations: visual QA depends on local rendered inspection in this environment, and some externally hosted service claims remain intentionally conservative until APES approves stronger source text
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared site data, rendering/CSS/JS changes, version and changelog entries, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if needed
v2.3.2 2026-06-03
Version v2.3.2 Stable Changed Fix

Summary

Corrected broken apostrophe rendering in shared navigation and affected page copy so public text displays cleanly across the exported site.

Detailed changes

  • Replaced corrupted mojibake apostrophes in shared APES content source strings, including the About APES mega-menu description used across the site header.
  • Corrected affected public page copy in the pet boarding, animal therapy and staff routes so the same text issue no longer appears in exported page bodies.
  • Kept APES branding, footer structure, required legal links and APES Newsroom routing unchanged while applying the text-only fix.
  • Regenerated the exported static HTML snapshots and synchronised the canonical version, Change Log Hub and root changelog.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: shared header navigation, homepage, pet boarding, animal therapy, staff, Change Log Hub and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • Files changed: shared site data, VERSION, root CHANGELOG and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, adopters, service users, volunteers, partners and general public visitors
  • Public impact: broken apostrophes now render correctly in shared navigation and affected page copy
  • Internal impact: the PHP content source is now clean, so future exports inherit the corrected text consistently

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.3.1
  • New version: v2.3.2
  • Version type: patch stable
  • Reason for version bump: small public-facing text correction across shared content with no structural or URL change

Validation

  • Checks run: local PHP syntax checks, static HTML export, source text scan and generated HTML inspection
  • Manual checks completed: homepage, pet boarding, animal therapy, staff and Change Log Hub output review plus footer version/link alignment review
  • Known limitations: browser-based visual QA was unavailable in this session, so validation relied on source inspection and regenerated HTML review
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared site data, version and changelog entries, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if needed
v2.3.1 2026-06-03
Version v2.3.1 Stable Changed Fix

Summary

Adjusted the homepage spotlight component spacing so the nested mission cards sit in from the parent panel edges and read more clearly across desktop, tablet and mobile layouts.

Detailed changes

  • Updated the shared spotlight grid CSS so nested spotlight cards keep visible inner gutter spacing instead of reading edge-to-edge inside the parent mission panel.
  • Kept the existing homepage spotlight markup unchanged and applied the fix through the reusable component classes so any future page using the same pattern inherits the corrected spacing.
  • Preserved the existing responsive layout behaviour while keeping the APES teal-led branding, footer structure and APES Newsroom routing unchanged.
  • Regenerated the exported static HTML snapshots and synchronised the canonical version, Change Log Hub and root changelog.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: homepage spotlight mission panel, shared spotlight component styling, Change Log Hub and release metadata
  • Files changed: shared CSS, shared site data, VERSION, root CHANGELOG and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, adopters, service users, volunteers, partners and general public visitors
  • Public impact: spotlight sub-cards now keep clearer spacing from the parent panel edges, improving readability and visual polish
  • Internal impact: shared spotlight component styling now applies the inset consistently wherever the pattern is reused

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.3.0
  • New version: v2.3.1
  • Version type: patch stable
  • Reason for version bump: small public-facing layout and accessibility polish with no structural or URL change

Validation

  • Checks run: shared CSS inspection, static HTML export and generated HTML inspection
  • Manual checks completed: spotlight component usage search, footer required link review, footer version alignment review and Change Log Hub synchronisation review
  • Known limitations: in-app browser validation was unavailable in this session, so final verification relied on source inspection and regenerated output review rather than a rendered browser screenshot
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared CSS, version and changelog entries, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if needed
v2.3.0 2026-06-03
Version v2.3.0 Stable Added Fix

Summary

Added a site-wide breadcrumb trail, kept the shared navigation closed after menu clicks, and corrected the FileZilla deployment target so uploads point at the public site root instead of generated artefacts.

Detailed changes

  • Added a breadcrumb trail above the hero on every non-home page using the shared page metadata and route-aware section labels so nested routes stay readable.
  • Kept the menu closed after clicking a navigation item by removing the automatic open state from the shared header while preserving active-section styling.
  • Corrected the FileZilla deployment profile so uploads target the website root instead of the nested `outputs/.../.codex-exec/...` path and do not keep queueing non-public artefacts.
  • Regenerated the exported static HTML snapshots and synchronised the canonical version, Change Log Hub and root changelog.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: homepage, all non-home pages, nested service and policy routes, legacy news routes, Change Log Hub and shared release metadata
  • Files changed: shared PHP rendering, shared CSS, shared site data, VERSION, root CHANGELOG and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, adopters, service users, volunteers, partners and general public visitors
  • Public impact: visitors now get an immediate sense of location on the site, and menu navigation closes more predictably after selection
  • Internal impact: the shared navigation state is simpler and the deployment profile no longer points uploads at generated preflight artefacts

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.2.1
  • New version: v2.3.0
  • Version type: minor stable
  • Reason for version bump: new breadcrumb navigation and shared navigation/deployment corrections without URL restructuring

Validation

  • Checks run: local PHP syntax checks, static HTML export and generated HTML inspection
  • Manual checks completed: breadcrumb placement on representative routes, menu close behaviour, Change Log Hub hero and footer version/link review, FileZilla queue target inspection
  • Known limitations: FileZilla upload verification is based on profile inspection in this environment rather than an interactive FTP session
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared PHP, CSS, version and changelog entries, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if needed
v2.2.0b 2026-06-03
Version v2.2.0b Beta Changed Fix Compliance

Summary

Refreshed site-wide hero copy and page calls to action so each public route now leads with clearer, service-specific guidance instead of release or rebuild messaging.

Detailed changes

  • Rewrote the homepage hero and spotlight section around APES CIC public purpose, support journeys and welfare services.
  • Updated shared hero summaries and pill labels across service, support, policy, contact, news and archive pages to make them more page-specific and user-facing.
  • Adjusted hero buttons so each page points to the most relevant next action, including donation, booking, contact, policy and APES Newsroom routes.
  • Kept the shared footer structure and required links intact while synchronising the canonical version, Change Log Hub and root changelog.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: homepage, service pages, support pages, policy pages, contact routes, news bridges, legacy archives and release metadata
  • Files changed: shared site data, VERSION, root CHANGELOG and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, adopters, service users, volunteers, partners and general public visitors
  • Public impact: page introductions and top-level actions are now clearer, more relevant to each route and less technical in tone
  • Internal impact: shared hero content is now more consistent across the full exported site

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.1.2b
  • New version: v2.2.0b
  • Version type: minor beta
  • Reason for version bump: broad public-facing content and CTA refresh across many shared routes without a structural or URL-breaking change

Validation

  • Checks run: local PHP syntax checks, static HTML export and generated HTML inspection
  • Manual checks completed: homepage copy review, representative service and policy page review, news bridge review, footer link presence and release display alignment
  • Known limitations: validation focused on source-driven export and spot-checking rather than exhaustive browser testing of every route
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous shared copy, version and changelog entries, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if needed
v2.1.2b 2026-06-03
Version v2.1.2b Beta Changed Fix Compliance

Summary

Updated the shared navigation script so the mobile menu closes when visitors activate any primary navigation link or open a new page, including back-forward cache restores, while keeping the shared header and footer shell intact.

Detailed changes

  • Updated the shared navigation script so any primary navigation link activation closes the mobile menu immediately.
  • Added page transition guards so the menu state resets on navigation and back-forward cache restores, preventing stale open menus after moving to a new page.
  • Kept the existing shared header and footer structure intact so the fix applies site-wide without per-page markup changes.
  • Bumped the canonical website version and synchronised the release record across the website Change Log Hub and root changelog.

Affected areas

  • Website: www.apes.org.uk
  • Page or route: shared site-wide navigation, homepage, content pages, change-log hub and release metadata
  • Files changed: shared JS, shared site data, VERSION, root CHANGELOG and regenerated static HTML snapshots
  • User groups affected: supporters, adopters, service users, volunteers, partners and general public visitors
  • Public impact: the mobile menu now closes reliably when visitors move to a new page, reducing confusion and accidental obstruction of content
  • Internal impact: the shared navigation behaviour now stays consistent across all rendered pages

Version decision

  • Previous version: v2.1.1b
  • New version: v2.1.2b
  • Version type: patch beta
  • Reason for version bump: small shared-behaviour fix with no breaking URL or content restructure

Validation

  • Checks run: local PHP syntax checks, static HTML export, generated HTML inspection and browser interaction verification
  • Manual checks completed: mobile menu close-on-link activation, new-page navigation reset and back-forward cache restore
  • Known limitations: the browser test used the local development renderer and the static HTML export is regenerated from the PHP source of truth
  • Rollback notes: restore the previous JS and version/changelog entries, then re-export the static HTML snapshots if needed