What are Cookies?
A cookie is a file containing an identifier (a string of letters and numbers) that is sent by a web server to a web browser and is stored by the browser. The identifier is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server.
Cookies may be either “persistent” cookies or “session” cookies: a persistent cookie will be stored by a web browser and will remain valid until its set expiry date, unless deleted by the user before the expiry date; a session cookie, on the other hand, will expire at the end of the user session, when the web browser is closed.
Cookies do not typically contain any information that personally identifies a user, but personal information that we store about you may be linked to the information stored in and obtained from cookies.
We will ask you to consent to our use of cookies in accordance with the terms of this policy when you first visit our website.
In addition, our service providers use cookies and those cookies may be stored on your computer when you visit our website.
We use Google Analytics to analyse the use of our website. Google Analytics gathers information about website use by means of cookies. The information gathered relating to our website is used to create reports about the use of our website. Google’s privacy policy is available at: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/.
We use Facebook Pixels to analyse use of our website after social media engagement. You can view the privacy policy of this service provider at https://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation.
Most browsers allow you to refuse to accept cookies and to delete cookies. The methods for doing so vary from browser to browser, and from version to version. You can however obtain up-to-date information about blocking and deleting cookies via these links:
(a) https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?hl=en (Chrome);
(b)Â https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enable-and-disable-cookies-website-preferences (Firefox);
(c)Â http://www.opera.com/help/tutorials/security/cookies/ (Opera);
(d) https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/17442/windows-internet-explorer-delete-manage-cookies (Internet Explorer);
(e) https://support.apple.com/kb/PH21411 (Safari); and
(f) https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10-microsoft-edge-and-privacy (Edge).
Blocking all cookies will have a negative impact upon the usability of many websites.
What cookies do we use?
We use cookies for the following purposes:
(a) authentication – we use cookies to identify you when you visit our website and as you navigate our website
(b) personalisation – we use cookies to store information about your preferences and to personalise the website for you
(c) analysis – we use cookies to help us to analyse the use and performance of our website and services
(d) cookie consent – we use cookies to store your preferences in relation to the use of cookies more generally