1.       About cookies

1.1    A cookie is a file containing an identifier (a string of letters and numbers) that is sent by a web server to a web browser and is stored by the browser. The identifier is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server.

1.2    Cookies may be either "persistent" cookies or "session" cookies: a persistent cookie will be stored by a web browser and will remain valid until its set expiry date, unless deleted by the user before the expiry date; a session cookie, on the other hand, will expire at the end of the user session, when the web browser is closed.

1.3    Cookies may not contain any information that personally identifies a user, but personal data that we store about you may be linked to the information stored in and obtained from cookies.

2.    Cookies that we use

2.1  We use cookies for the following purposes:

(a)    authentication and status - we use cookies to identify you when you visit our website and as you navigate our website, and to help us determine if you are logged into our website;

(b)    personalisation - we use cookies to store information about your preferences and to personalise our website for you;

(d)    security - we use cookies as an element of the security measures used to protect user accounts, including preventing fraudulent use of login credentials, and to protect our website and services generally; and

(f)    analysis - we use cookies to help us to analyse the use and performance of our website and services;

3.    Cookies used by our service providers

3.1  Our service providers use cookies and those cookies may be stored on your computer when you visit our website.

3.2  We use Google Analytics. Google Analytics gathers information about the use of our website by means of cookies. The information gathered is used to create reports about the use of our website. You can find out more about Google's use of information by visiting https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/ and you can review Google's privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy.

4.    Managing cookies

4.1  Most browsers allow you to refuse to accept cookies and to delete cookies. The methods for doing so vary from browser to browser, and from version to version. You can however obtain up-to-date information about blocking and deleting cookies via these links:

(a)    https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/15647 (Chrome);

(b)    https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enable-and-disable-cookies-website-preferences (Firefox);

(c)    https://help.opera.com/en/latest/security-and-privacy/ (Opera);

(d)    https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/17442/windows-internet-explorer-delete-manage-cookies (Internet Explorer);

(e)    https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/safari/manage-cookies-and-website-data-sfri3471/mac (Safari); and

(f)    https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-2-microsoft-edge-and-privacy (Edge).

4.2  Blocking all cookies will have a negative impact upon the usability of many websites.

4.3  If you block cookies, you will not be able to use all the features on our website.

5.       More information

5.1    For more detailed information about cookies please visit www.allaboutcookies.org which provides guidance on how to control cookies.

6.       Changes to this notice

6.1    We may revise this cookies notice from time to time. Any changes we may make to our cookies notice in the future will be posted on this page.