What is a cookie?

A cookie is a small text file that is downloaded on to your device (e.g. computer, mobile phone or tablet) when using a website. It allows the website to recognise your device and store some information about your preferences or past actions. They are widely used in order to provide visitors with a good experience when using the website, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site.

Cookies used on our website

We use the following cookies on our website:

 Strictly necessary cookies

These are essential cookies, which enable you to move around the website and use its features.

These include svSESSION, JSESSIONID and HS, which are all session cookies that are deleted when you close your browser.

Performance cookies

These cookies collect information about how visitors use the website; for instance, which pages visitors go to most often, and whether they get error messages from web pages. These cookies don’t collect information that identifies a visitor. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and, therefore, anonymous. It is only used to improve how the website works.

The tool we use most often is Google Analytics. The cookies we use include _ga, which expires 2 years after your last visit to the website and _gat, which expires 10 minutes after.

Functionality cookies

These cookies remember choices you make to improve your experience, for example; language, text size or cookie banner acceptance. They may also be used to provide services you have asked for, such as watching a video or commenting on a blog. The information these cookies collect may be anonymised and they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites.

These include PHPSESSID and AWSELB.

Third party cookies

Some of our website pages use third party services or software, such as maps, online videos or social networking features. Many of these services may set cookies on your device. See the table below for further details.

Google set a number of cookies on any page that includes a Google Map to measure the number and behaviour of Google Map users. Click here for an overview of privacy at Google

These are used by Google AdSense to make advertising more engaging for users and more valuable to publishers and advertisers. Some common applications of cookies are to select advertising based on what’s relevant to a user; to improve reporting on campaign performance; and to avoid showing ads the user has already seen. Click here for an overview of privacy at Google

Google Analytics

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses cookies (text files placed on your computer) to help the website operators analyse how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google’s behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites visit http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

How can i refuse cookies?

Most web browsers allow some control of most cookies through the browser settings. To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them, visit www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org.

You will be able to use our website even if your browser is set not to accept cookies. However, certain features and content may not be available to you and you will have to log in every time you visit our Admin page.

To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites, visit http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.