Privacy policy - cookie usage
What are cookies?
We use a number of different cookies on our site. A “cookie” is a small text file which is stored via your web browser on your computer in order to facilitate the use of a website. Cookies collect information about how visitors use our site, which is then used to help improve the site. The information collected includes the number of site visitors, where visitors come to the site from and the pages they visit.
You may provide your consent for cookies to be stored on your device by clicking “Accept” on the cookie notice banner which appears on the bottom of the page when you first access the site. The notice banner also allows you to reject all non-essential cookies or manage your cookie preferences by category. You can withdraw your consent at any time by accessing the cookie settings.
You may provide your consent for cookies to be stored on your device by clicking “OK” on the cookie notice banner which appears on the bottom of the page when you first access the site. The notice banner also allows you to manage your cookie preferences.
If you do not wish to accept cookies, you can also adjust the settings on your web-browser so that storage of cookies is automatically denied or you are notified every time a website seeks to store a cookie; however, refusing cookies may mean some sections of the site will not work properly. Previously stored cookies can also be deleted via your web browser. Visit the web browser’s help pages for more information or the ICO cookies webpage for detailed guidance on cookies.
What categories of cookies do we use?
We use the following categories of cookies on our site:
Strictly necessary cookie
| Cookie name | Purpose | Duration of cookie |
| __cf_bm | Part of Cloudflare’s Bot Management service to protect the site from malicious traffic and ensure security | 30 minutes |
Performance cookies (third party – Google Analytics)
| Cookie name | Purpose | Duration of cookie | Third party provider |
| _ga | Used to identify unique users for Google Analytics tracking | 2 years | Google LLC |
| _gid | Used to identify the user for Google Analytics tracking | 24 hours | Google LLC |
| _gat | Used to throttle the request rate for Google Analytics | 1 minute | Google LLC |
Third-party cookies and data sharing
Google Analytics. We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC (“Google”), to collect information about visitor behaviour on our website. Google Analytics uses cookies to store information about what pages you visit, how long you are on the site, how you got here and what you click on.
Important information about Google Analytics:
Google Analytics cookies are third-party cookies that send data to Google’s servers
This Analytics data is not tied to personally identifiable information and we do not collect or store your personal information (e.g. your name or address)
Google Analytics cookies will only be placed on your device after you have provided your consent via our cookie banner
We have implemented Google Consent Mode v2 to ensure tracking only occurs with your permission
Google may transfer data internationally; you can find out more about Google’s position on privacy at http://www.google.co.uk/intl/en/analytics/privacyoverview.html
Data retention and your rights
Data retention: Analytics data collected via Google Analytics is retained for 14 months from the date of collection, after which it is automatically deleted.
Your rights: You have the right to:
- Withdraw your consent to performance cookies at any time via our cookie settings
- Access information about what data has been collected
- Request deletion of cookie data
- Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your rights have been violated
- To exercise these rights or for any questions about our use of cookies, please refer to our Privacy Policy for details and contact information.