What is a cookie

Cookies are text files containing small amounts of information which are downloaded to your device when you visit a website. Cookies are then sent back to the originating website on each subsequent visit, or to another website that recognises that cookie. Cookies are useful because they allow a website to recognise a user’s device.

Cookies do lots of different jobs, like letting you navigate between pages efficiently, remembering your preferences, and generally improve the user experience. They can also help to ensure that adverts you see online are more relevant to you and your interests.

The cookies used on this website have been categorised based on the categories found in the ICC UK Cookie guide. A list of all the cookies used on this website by category is set out below.

Category 1: strictly necessary cookies

These cookies enable services you have specifically asked for.

These cookies are essential in order to enable you to move around the website and use its features, such as accessing secure areas of the website. Without these cookies services you have asked for, like shopping baskets or e-billing, cannot be provided.

Category 2: performance cookies

These cookies collect anonymous information on the pages visited.

These cookies collect information about how visitors use a website, for instance which pages visitors go to most often, and if 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 a website works.

By using our website, you agree that we can place these types of cookies on your device.

Category 3: functionality cookies

These cookies remember choices you make to improve your experience.

These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language or the region you are in) and provide enhanced, more personal features. For instance, a website may be able to provide you with local weather reports or traffic news by storing in a cookie the region in which you are currently located. These cookies can also be used to remember changes you have
made to text size, fonts and other parts of web pages that you can customise. 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.

By using our website, you agree that we can place these types of cookies on your device.

Category 4: targeting cookies or advertising cookies

These cookies collect information about your browsing habits in order to make advertising relevant to you and your interests.

They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of the advertising campaign. They are usually placed by advertising networks with the website operator’s permission. They remember that you have visited a website and this information is shared with other organisations such as advertisers. Quite often targeting or advertising cookies will be linked to site
functionality provided by the other organisation.

In order for us to place these cookies on your device/computer, you will have had to “opt-in”, otherwise these cookies will not have been placed on your device/computer.

How do I turn cookies off?

If you so wish, it is possible for you to set your browser so that it stops accepting cookies, or stops accepting cookies from certain websites.

All modern browser manufacturers have settings to allow you to do this.

The following links may help you understand how to do this within your browser. In addition, we recommend that you use your browsers “Help” files normally located in your browsers “Help” or “About” menu.