Our Cookies in a Nutshell

The only cookies we use on our website are Google Analytics (so that we can check that we are providing the best service for you), our Cookie Policy has its own cookie to allow it to work and for you to control your data, and if you access our website via a Google service, you are likely to find a cookie called NID on our site (but it’s put there by Google). This cookie keeps track of your preferences which it has collected from you browsing across other websites (such as how many search results you like to see on a page, or whether you like to surf in SafeMode).

What’s a Cookie?

• A “cookie” is a piece of information that is stored on your computer’s hard drive and which records how you move your way around a website so that, when you revisit that website, it can present tailored options based on the information stored about your last visit. Cookies can also be used to analyse traffic and for advertising and marketing purposes.
• Cookies are used by nearly all websites and do not harm your system.

If you want to check or change what types of cookies you accept, this can usually be altered within your browser settings. You can block cookies at any time by activating the setting on your browser that allows you to refuse the setting of all or some cookies. However, if you use your browser settings to block all cookies (including essential cookies) you may not be able to access all or parts of our site.

How Do We Use Cookies?

• We use cookies to track your use of our website. This enables us to understand how you use the site and track any patterns with regards how you are using our website. This helps us to develop and improve our website as well as products and / or services in response to what you might need or want.
• Cookies are either:

– Session cookies: these are only stored on your computer during your web session and are automatically deleted when you close your browser – they usually store an anonymous session ID allowing you to browse a website without having to log in to each page but they do not collect any personal data from your computer; or

– Persistent cookies: a persistent cookie is stored as a file on your computer and it remains there when you close your web browser. The cookie can be read by the website that created it when you visit that website again. [We use persistent cookies for Google Analytics].

• Cookies can also be categorised as follows:

– Strictly necessary cookies: These cookies are essential to enable you to use the website effectively, such as when buying a product and / or service, and therefore cannot be turned off. Without these cookies, the services available to you on our website cannot be provided. These cookies do not gather information about you that could be used for marketing or remembering where you have been on the internet. For example, our Cookie Policy cookie we see as a necessary cookie, and it does not gather any information about you.

– Performance cookies: These cookies enable us to monitor and improve the performance of our website. For example, they allow us to count visits, identify traffic sources and see which parts of the site are most popular [such as with our Google Analytics cookie]. Our Google Analytics cookie is initially set to ‘on’ in line with our legitimate business interests to monitor our business and improve our services.

– Functionality cookies: These cookies allow our website to remember choices you make and provide enhanced features. For instance, we may be able to provide you with news or updates relevant to the services you use. They may also be used to provide services you have requested such as viewing a video or commenting on a blog. The information these cookies collect is usually anonymised. Most Google users will have the cookie NID in their browser which remembers things such as your preferred language, location, and whether you like to have Google’s SafeSearch filter turned on. You can opt in to this functionality via our Cookie Policy cookie. Having this disabled should not affect our website’s functionality. Our Cookie Policy cookie is also functional, because it allows you to control what cookies are used when you visit our site.

Want to know more about how we use data from this website? Have a look at our Privacy Policy for full details (make yourself a cuppa first – it’s a lengthy beast!).