Information about our use of Cookies
A cookie is a small file, typically of letters and numbers, downloaded to a device when you access a website and are useful because they allow a website to recognise a user’s device. Cookies are then sent back to the originating website on each subsequent visit.
Our website uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of our website. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and also allows us to improve our website. Some are essential, while others you can opt out of or block. However, opting out or blocking some cookies may affect the functionality of the website.
There will also be other third party cookies that we have no control over, which record your visit to our website, the pages you have visited and the links you have followed. These include:
- Cookies placed by your selected browser application in conjunction with your access of this, and any other, website during your current browser session
- Cookies placed by a search engine that you are utilising during the same current browser session
- Cookies placed by a social media site that you are logged-in to during the same current browser session.
To find out more about the third party cookies placed on your device under those three criteria, you will need to consult the manufacturer’s privacy policies for the browser application you select, such as Explorer, Firefox, Safari or Chrome, the search engine application you utilise, such as Google or Bing, or your preferred social media site such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Google-Plus.
In addition, where external links are provided to other websites to provide additional information, those websites, if accessed, may use additional cookies. External links are always opened in a separate browser window or tab to enable the user to establish settings or view policies prior to deciding whether to continue using the external website.
How to control cookies
The simplest way to avoid the use of cookies is to open a ‘private browsing’ / ‘incognito’ session, which allows you to browse a website without storing local data. Alternatively you can control cookies which are set during your use of a website by changing your browser settings to do any of the following:
- Allow all cookies at all times
- Clear all cookies when you close a browser session
- Block third-party cookies at all times
- Block all cookies at all times
- Delete all cookies stored on your device
Some pages may not work if you completely disable cookies, but many third party cookies can be safely blocked. Specific instructions on how to manage cookies are included in the help section of your selected browser. You may also install add-ons and plug-ins to extend browser functionality, details of which will be available from your selected browser manufacturer.
Why and how we use cookies
There are broadly four reasons why a cookie might be stored on your device when visiting the website. Our website may, from time to time, use any of the following types of cookies:
Strictly-necessary cookies: These are cookies that are required for the operation of the website, including session cookies created by our webservers, security plugins, etc. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of the website, use a shopping cart or make use of e-billing services. The strictly-necessary cookies we use are:
Name | Data stored | Purpose | Expires |
---|---|---|---|
PHPSESSID | A random unique number or string of letters and numbers | A session cookie is required to follow your progress through the website. It is essential to ensure that any information you enter or routes you take are remembered by the website. Without this cookie, every page you visited would treat you as a completely new visitor. This cookie does not identify you personally and is not linked to any other information we store about you | The cookie is deleted when you close your web browser |
wordfence_verified | Unique identifier | Wordfence security cookie helps the website verify if the visitor is human or not so as to proceed accordingly | The cookie is deleted when you close your web browser |
wfvt_ | A random unique number or string of letters and numbers | Wordfence security cookie tracks user duration so that so that page views can be grouped together | The cookie is deleted when you close your web browser |
Analytical/performance cookies: These cookies collect data about your use of the website which is then anonymised and amalgamated with that of other visitors so we can better understand how people use our website. This helps us to improve the way our website works, for example, by ensuring that users are finding what they are looking for easily. The tool we use is Google Analytics, which utilises the following analytical/performance cookies:
Name | Data stored | Purpose | Expires |
---|---|---|---|
_ga _gali _gat _gid __utma __utmb __utmc __utmt __utmv __utmz |
A random unique number or string of letters and numbers | The data collected by Google Analytics is used to determine which domain to measure, distinguish unique users, throttle the request rate, determine the start and end of a session, remember the number and time of previous visits, remember traffic source information and remember the value of visitor-level custom variables. This information is combined with data from thousands of other users to create an overall picture of website use, and is never identified individually or personally and is not linked to any other information we store about you. Information about your use of our website, including your IP address, may be transmitted to Google and stored on servers in the United States. | Most expire between a day and up to two years after your last visit to the website. Others are deleted within 30 minutes of the moment you close your browser |
Functionality cookies: These remember your preferences and make the site easier for you to use.
Name | Data stored | Purpose | Expires |
---|---|---|---|
Local storage | Text strings | This is not a cookie but an area created on your device by some browsers to store information such as user preferences and/or consent on loading specific features. This consent is requested the first time the user loads a page which uses a relevant feature | Never, but content can be deleted using browser settings |
Targeting cookies: Cookies that are placed by third party services we make use of to enhance the information we present online, such as Maps and/or Videos. You can find more information about the individual Targeting cookies we use and the purposes for which we use them in the table below:
Name | Data stored | Purpose | Expires |
---|---|---|---|
PREF | Stores your options such as preferred zoom level if you change them from site presets | Google set this cookie on any page that includes a Google Map. We have no control over the cookies set by Google. | Expires 6 months after your last visit to a page containing a Google Map |
GPS IDE PREF YSC test_cookie VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE |
Unique identifiers, as well as login information that may relate to a Google account | Google set a number of cookies on any page that has a Youtube video embedded. We have no control over the cookies set by Google, which include pieces of information to measure the number and behaviour of Youtube users, plus information that links your visits to our website with your Google account if you are signed in to one | Most expire two years after last visit to a page containing a Youtube video, although some expire sooner |
vuid | unique identifier | Activated when an embedded Vimeo video is played to hold information about current viewing video settings | Two years after the last viewing of a video |