A cookie is a simple text file that is stored on your computer or mobile device by a web site, and that web site can then retrieve the contents of that cookie. Most web sites use cookies to remember information about you and your preferences, either for the duration of your visit or for repeat visits. If we didn’t use cookies, our web site would think you are a new visitor every time you move to a new page on the site. For example, if you were to enter your login details and then move to another page, our site wouldn’t be able to remember that you’d previously signed in. Cookies may be set by the web site you are visiting (‘first party cookies’) or by other web sites which provide content on the page you are viewing (‘third party cookies’).
We use the following cookies:
You can find more information about the individual cookies we use and the purposes for which we use them in the table below:
| Cookie Type | Name | Purpose | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Necessary | complianceCookieHAB | The cookie is set to record the user consent for the cookies. | 1 year |
| Necessary | PHPSESSID | The PHPSESSID cookie enables the website to store serialised state data. It is used to establish a user session and to pass state data via a temporary cookie, which is commonly referred to as a session cookie. | Session (expires when you close your browser) |
| Functional | NID | This is a preference cookie set by Google. This cookie contains an ID that is used by Google to set your preferences. It is required by the site to enable Google's reCAPTCHA service which is used to protect various parts of the site from attack by bots. | 6 months |
| Performance | _ga/_gat/_gid | These cookies are set by Google to collect information about how visitors use the website. We use the information to compile reports and to help us improve the website. The cookies collect information in a way that does not directly identify anyone, including the number of visitors to the website and blog, where visitors have come to the website from and the pages they visited. | 1 minute |
| Advertising | __Secure-3PSID | For targeting purposes to build a profile of the website visitor's interests in order to show relevant & personalised Google advertising | 2 years |
| Advertising | Secure-3PAPISID | For targeting purposes to build a profile of the website visitor's interests in order to show relevant & personalised Google advertising | 2 years |
| Advertising | __Secure-3PSIDCC | For targeting purposes to build a profile of the website visitor's interests in order to show relevant & personalised Google advertising | 1 year |
Third party cookies are cookies that are used by another site or service, for example our video content.
Please note Vimeo sets third-party cookies which are deemed essential for the player to operate. A DNT (do not track) parameter has been implemented so that no third-party analytics or advertising cookies are used by Vimeo.
However, we cannot control the cookies that are used by vimeo when a user is logged into the service. This sits with the user’s acceptance of Vimeo’s cookie and privacy policies. If you are a registered Vimeo member, you can also manage the cookies you use in the Vimeo settings. For further information please see Vimeo’s cookie policy: https://vimeo.com/cookie_policy.
You block cookies by activating the setting on your browser that allows you to refuse the setting of all or some cookies. However, if you use your browser settings to block all cookies (including essential cookies) you may not be able to access all or parts of our site.