Cookies legislation compliance

On 26 May 2011, the amended Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations came into force, covering electronic marketing such as emails, faxes and text messages and changes to the rules for cookies on websites.

The law now requires website owners to get consent in order to store or access information (including cookies) on users’ computers – unless the cookie is strictly necessary to provide a service requested by the user.

Drupal, the open source Content Management System software that powers our website, uses cookies for the following:

• a user session cookie (Name: "SESS" + random character sequence) is set when you first visit the website, this is essential for parts of the site to operate. We are currently unable to prevent this cookie being set as this will require modification to the software code. However, we will shortly be modifying the system settings so that this cookie is deleted on closing the browser window. This cookie is also used to provide the following services in direct response to specific user requests:
  • if you select products to be added to the shopping cart as part of the online shopping process the cookie will be used to help record the contents of your basket;
• a cookie (Name "has_js") to indicate if your browser has javascript active which allows web pages to be served appropriately depending on your browser settings, this cookie is deleted on closing the browser window;
• a cookie is set (Name "Drupal_UID") if you login using your user name and password to access certain areas of the website, in order to record that you are logged in.

None of the cookies set contain personally identifiable information.

As required by the Information Commissioner's Office we are looking at the options available to obtain users informed consent within 12 months from the implementation of the legaislation.

Read more about the new electronic privacy regulations at the ICO website.

Learn more about cookies.

Please also refer to our privacy policy as part of our terms.

The card payment services and fundraising services we use (including WorldPay, easyfundraising and easysearch) are operated by third parties on separate web domains. Please refer to their websites for information about the cookies that they set.