What are cookies?

A cookie is a small text file which is sent from the website to your computer. It contains information about you as a user on the website to personalise your experience. For example, to determine if you are a registered user and, if so, allow you access to registration protected areas of the site or the correct user profile.

Session cookies are only stored for the duration of your visit to the website and will be removed when the browser window is closed. For example, when you close your browser window the relevant authentication cookie is removed, and you will need to login again the next time you visit the website.

Permanent cookies are stored for a period of time and are used to identify you when you return to the site. For example, your username may be remembered on the login page.

Registration and Login

Actions such as Registration and Login will set cookies which allows the browser to know which access to allow the website visitor.

First Party Cookies

The following cookies are set by this website:

Cookie name

duration

intrusion level

purpose

Essential cookies - these cookies are essential for the website to work properly and, strange as it is, so that we can tell if you have agreed to accept cookies.

SESS*

session

low

A session cookie is set to tell if you are:

  • anonymous - visiting the site but not logged in
  • authenticated - logged in so that you will be able to view registration protected areas of the site and your user profile.
  • admin - various levels of admin eg full admin or user manager

has_js

session

low

The site will determine if the browser has JavaScript enabled and a cookie is set so that the correct version of particular functionality is served.

SERVERID

session

low

Our sites are hosted on a cluster of servers and a cookie is set so that the browser looks at one of the servers for the duration of the visit.

Other cookies

PERSISTENT_LOGIN*

permanent
20 years+

low

Remember me function keeps you logged in other than for non-secure areas. You will need to login again to view your user profile or see the admin area if you are an administrator of the website..

webform-

permanent
12 months

low

Used for webforms eg to tell if clients have submitted the webform to stop multiple submissions.

__utmb

session

low

These are Google Analytics cookies.

Google Analytics is used to look at the way people navigate through the site, which pages and links are popular etc to make sure that the site is effective in getting information to the site visitor. Google Analytics will not record any personal information such as your name or login details.

For more details, see Cookies and Google Analytics.

__utmc

session

low

__utma

permanent
24 months

low

__utmz

permanent
6 months

low

__utmv

session

low

__utmx

session

low

Admin cookies - used in the Administration area only

imce*

permanent
15 days

low

Cookie set for use in the admin area to remember if you want images/documents sorted by name, size, date etc and for resizing images.

 

Third party cookies

If this site has code from a Third Party site, the Third Party site may set Third Party cookies on your computer:

The intrusion level of Third-Party cookies vary and you should check their Privacy Policies for more details.