Cookies Policy 🍪

1. What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer, smartphone, or other device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites function properly or more efficiently, as well as to provide information to website owners. Cookies allow a website to recognize your device and remember certain information about your visits, such as your preferred language or other settings.

Cookies serve many different purposes. Some are necessary for the website to work correctly, while others help us understand how visitors interact with the site so we can improve it. Cookies do not typically contain personal information that directly identifies you, but the information we store about you may be linked to the information stored in and obtained from cookies.

Cookies can be set by the website you are visiting (known as "first-party cookies") or by other websites that serve content on the page you are viewing (known as "third-party cookies"). Cookies can remain on your device for varying lengths of time. "Session cookies" exist only while your browser is open and are deleted automatically once you close your browser. "Persistent cookies" survive after your browser is closed and can be used by the website to recognize your device when you reopen your browser and browse the internet again.

2. Who Is the Data Controller

The data controller responsible for cookies on this website is:

3. Types of Cookies We Use

We categorize the cookies used on this website into the following groups. Below you will find a clear description of each category and its purpose.

Essential (Strictly Necessary) Cookies

These cookies are required for the basic functionality of the website. They enable core features such as page navigation, secure access, and consent management. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and they cannot be disabled in our systems.

Analytics Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors use the website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. The data gathered includes the number of visitors, the pages they come from, and the pages they visit. We use this information to improve the website experience and content quality. Analytics cookies are only placed if you give your consent.

Cookies We Do Not Use

We want to be transparent about the types of cookies we do not employ on this website. The following categories of cookies are not used:

4. Legal Basis for Using Cookies

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), we rely on the following legal bases for placing cookies:

• Strictly necessary cookies: These are exempt from consent requirements under PECR as they are essential for the provision of the service you have requested (e.g., remembering your cookie preferences, maintaining your session).
• Analytics cookies: These are placed only after you provide your explicit consent through our cookie consent banner. You can withdraw your consent at any time by adjusting your cookie preferences (see Section 6 below).

5. Cookie Consent Banner

When you first visit our website, a cookie consent banner appears at the bottom-right corner of your screen. This banner provides you with three options:

Your preference is stored in your browser's local storage so that the banner does not reappear on subsequent visits. If you clear your browser data, the banner will appear again on your next visit, and you will be asked to make your choice once more.

6. How to Manage and Delete Cookies

You have full control over the cookies placed on your device. There are several ways you can manage and delete cookies:

6.1 Through Our Cookie Banner

When the cookie consent banner appears, you can choose to accept or decline non-essential cookies. If you previously accepted cookies and wish to change your preference, you can clear your browser's local storage for this website, which will cause the cookie banner to appear again on your next visit.

6.2 Through Your Browser Settings

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can typically find these controls in the "Settings," "Preferences," or "Privacy" section of your browser. The following links provide guidance for the most common browsers:

• Google Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies and other site data
• Mozilla Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
• Apple Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
• Microsoft Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies

Please be aware that disabling or blocking certain cookies may affect the functionality of the website. Essential cookies cannot be disabled without impacting your ability to use core features of the site.

6.3 Google Analytics Opt-Out

If you wish to prevent Google Analytics from collecting data about your visits, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on, which is available for most major browsers. This add-on instructs the Google Analytics JavaScript running on websites not to send visit information to Google Analytics.

7. Third-Party Cookies

The only third-party cookies used on this website are Google Analytics cookies, which help us analyze website traffic patterns. Google processes this data under its own privacy policy. We have configured Google Analytics to anonymize IP addresses and have disabled data sharing with Google for advertising purposes.

We do not allow any other third-party organizations to place cookies on your device through our website. We do not participate in cookie-based advertising exchanges, and we do not share cookie data with advertisers or data brokers.

8. Data Collected Through Cookies

The data collected through cookies on our website may include:

• Your cookie consent preferences
• Anonymized IP address (with Google Analytics IP anonymization enabled)
• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Referring website (how you arrived at our site)
• Device type (desktop, tablet, or mobile)
• Screen resolution

This data is collected in aggregate form and does not personally identify you. It is used solely to understand how visitors interact with the website so we can improve content, navigation, and overall user experience.

9. Data Retention for Cookie Data

Cookie data is retained for the following periods:

• Cookie consent preference: Stored for 13 months from the date of your last choice, after which the banner will appear again.
• Session cookies: Automatically deleted when you close your browser.
• Google Analytics cookies: _ga and _ga_* cookies expire after 13 months. _gid cookies expire after 24 hours. Aggregated analytics data is retained for 14 months, after which it is automatically deleted.

10. Your Rights

Under the UK GDPR, you have rights regarding the personal data that may be collected through cookies. These include:

• Right to access: You can request details about what data has been collected through cookies.
• Right to erasure: You can request deletion of any personal data collected through cookies.
• Right to withdraw consent: You can withdraw your cookie consent at any time by clearing your browser data and declining cookies when the banner reappears.
• Right to complain: If you believe your data has been mishandled, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the United Kingdom.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in Section 12 below.

11. Changes to This Cookies Policy

We may update this Cookies Policy from time to time to reflect changes in technology, legislation, or our operational practices. When we make changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. If the changes are significant, we may also display a notice on the website or reset the cookie consent banner so that you can review and update your preferences.

We recommend reviewing this page periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies. Continued use of the website after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Cookies Policy, wish to exercise your rights regarding cookie data, or need further clarification on how we use cookies, please reach out to us:

13. Related Policies

This Cookies Policy should be read in conjunction with our other legal documents, which together govern your use of this website: