What are cookies?
A cookie is a small file, which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. They are widely used in order to make websites work, or work better, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site. A cookie often contains a unique number, which can be used to recognise a user of your computer returning to a website that it visited previously. Some cookies are essential in order for parts of the website to work correctly.
How do we use cookies?
We use cookies on the website for our own internal purposes, to track how users navigate through the website. This information helps us to evaluate and improve the website experience and our online services.
We will use information from cookies in order to:
– Compile statistics on how our website is being used, which can in turn help us to improve our website and online services.
– Facilitate users’ ability to navigate through the website.
– Ascertain whether the website is operating effectively
– Personalise and improve the service we offer you by understanding your preferences.
Types of cookies
There are two broad types of cookies – ‘first’ party cookies and ‘third party’ cookies:
– First party cookies are cookies that are served directly by the website operator, these will remember instances such as your preferences as you browse the site.
– Third party cookies are served by a service provider, such as website analytics software.
Your rights
You have the right to choose whether you want to accept these cookies. You can choose to do this by amending or setting the controls on your browser to reflect your cookie preferences.
However, as previously mentioned, some cookies may be required to use the website in full.
Changing your cookie preferences
The ‘Help’ menu in the toolbar of most web browsers will tell you how to change your browser’s cookie settings, including how to disable altogether or allow the browser to notify you when a new cookie is made.
Additional information
If you want further information regarding cookies please refer to About Cookies