What’s a cookie?
A “cookie” is a piece of information that is stored on your computer’s hard drive or a mobile device 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 virtually all websites they are harmless your computer/ devices and can be either First-Party or Third-Party. The difference between them is simply down to the domain that created the cookies in the first place. A first party cookie refers to a cookie created by the domain that a web user is visiting.
The two main types of cookies are known as ‘Session cookies’ and ‘Persistent cookies’
Session cookies: are stored on the visitor’s device during the web session. They are automatically deleted when the browser is closed. Generally, they store an anonymous session ID allowing the visitor to browse a website without having to log into each page. No personal data is collected from the visitor’s device; or
Persistent cookies: are stored on the visitor’s computer/ device and remains there when the browser is closed. The cookie can be read by the website that created it when the visitor visits that website again
These types of cookies fall into four categories
– Strictly necessary cookies: These cookies are essential to enable visitors to use the website effectively and therefore cannot be turned off. These cookies do not gather information about visitors that could be used for marketing or remembering where visitors have been on the internet.
-Performance cookies: enable website owners to monitor and improve the performance of their website. For example, count visiting visits, noting traffic sources and the parts of the site are most popular.
– Functionality cookies: allow a website to remember choices visitors make. They might be used when visitors leave a comment on a blog post or enable video viewing.
– Targeting cookies. record when a visitor visits to a website, the pages that have been visited and the links followed. Website owners can use that information to make a website and any advertising displayed on it more relevant to visitor interests.
How cookies used on this website
There are nine First-Party Cookies on our website set by software used by us.
No personal data is collected what-so-ever by any of them
_utma _utmc _utmz – persistent performance cookies set by Google Analytics which we use to track visitor, use of this website. This helps us to understand how the site is by tracking any patterns with regards our content viewed. This helps us to understand the content that our visitors are most interest in. That can help us develop and improve our website as in response to what visitors might need or want.
CatAccCookie – persistent functionality cookie set by the UK Cookie Consent plugin to record that a visitor accepted the fact that the site uses cookies. The first time a visitor comes to our website they are presented with a notification to designate the use of cookies. Once the visitor clicks the “OK” button the notification disappears. A “catAccCookies” cookie is set in your computer to prevent the notification from coming up again. The cookie is set to expire in 30 days.
Additionally, there are five functionality session cookies set by, WordPress, the software used to build our website.
It should be noted that some third-party sites may also use cookies, over which we have no control. These cookies are generally analytical, performance or targeting cookies and visitors not personally identified in of data collection
Find out more about cookies and how to manage them
To opt out of Google Analytics tracking
June 2019