This Cookie Policy explains what cookies and similar technologies are, how Forces & Families United CIC (“FFU”, “we”, “us”) uses them on our website, and how you can manage your preferences.

This policy should be read alongside our Privacy & Data Protection Policy.

1) What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files that websites place on your device (computer, phone, tablet). Cookies help a site function, remember preferences, and (with your permission) measure usage or support marketing.

“Cookies” in this policy also includes similar technologies that store or access information on your device (for example local storage, pixels, SDKs, and some forms of device identifiers). EU guidance treats these under the same “store/access” rules in many cases.

2) Why we use cookies

We use cookies for four main purposes (these match our Complianz consent categories):

1. Functional (Strictly Necessary) – required for the website to work properly

2. Preferences – remember your choices and settings (optional)

3. Statistics (Analytics) – understand how people use our site so we can improve it (optional)

4. Marketing – used to show or measure marketing content and/or support social media integrations (optional)

Under EU ePrivacy rules, non-essential cookies require your consent before they are placed on your device.

3) How consent works on our website (Complianz)

We use Complianz to manage cookies and consent. This means:

• When you first visit, you’ll see a cookie banner with choices such as Accept, Deny, and View Preferences.

• Non-essential cookies (Preferences / Statistics / Marketing) are not placed until you choose to enable them.

• You can change your consent at any time using the “Manage consent” link (or the floating icon, if enabled).

Valid consent must be freely given, informed, specific, and as easy to withdraw as it is to give. Our banner and settings are designed to meet that standard.

4) Cookie categories we use

A) Functional (Strictly Necessary) cookies

These cookies are required for core site functionality and security, such as:

• remembering your cookie consent status

• enabling essential site features (e.g., security, load balancing, basic navigation)

• preventing fraud and abuse

Legal basis: These are used because they are strictly necessary to provide the service you request (the functioning website). Consent is not required for strictly necessary cookies under ePrivacy.

B) Preferences cookies (optional)

These cookies remember your preferences (for example language, region, display preferences).
Legal basis: Consent (you can enable/disable these in Preferences).

C) Statistics / Analytics cookies (optional)

These cookies help us understand how visitors use our website (for example which pages are visited most, where people drop off, and whether pages load properly). We use this information to improve content and usability.

Legal basis: Consent. We do not set analytics cookies unless you opt in.

Note: Some regulators allow certain privacy-preserving analytics under strict conditions; however, FFU’s default approach is to treat analytics as optional and consent-based for EU visitors.

D) Marketing cookies (optional)

These cookies may be used to:

• measure the effectiveness of campaigns

• enable embedded third-party content that can track users (e.g., some social media embeds, video platforms, maps)

• support advertising or retargeting (if used)

Legal basis: Consent.

5) Specific cookies/services used on this website

FFU currently uses the following third-party services that may place cookies or use similar technologies. These services are blocked by default and only activated after you give consent via our cookie banner or preferences panel.

5.1 Facebook (Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd)

Category: Marketing (optional – consent required)

We use Facebook services to:

• share information about our work and campaigns

• measure engagement with our content

• support awareness and outreach activities

Facebook may use cookies, pixels, or similar technologies to:

• understand how users interact with our website

• measure the effectiveness of content or campaigns

• link website visits to Facebook profiles (where users are logged in)

These cookies are only placed if you opt in to Marketing cookies.

Provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd
Data location: May be processed outside the UK/EU under appropriate safeguards
Legal basis: Consent (Article 6(1)(a) UK GDPR & EU GDPR)

Facebook cookies remain blocked until consent is given through Complianz.

5.2 Google Maps (Google Ireland Ltd)

Category: Marketing (optional – consent required)

We use Google Maps on our Contact Us page to help visitors find our location and understand travel routes.

Google Maps embeds may:

• store cookies or similar identifiers

• collect IP address and usage data

• connect your visit to Google services if you are logged into a Google account

For this reason, Google Maps is treated as a non-essential service.

The map will not load unless you have enabled Marketing cookies via the cookie banner or preferences panel.

Provider: Google Ireland Ltd
Data location: May be processed outside the UK/EU under appropriate safeguards
Legal basis: Consent (Article 6(1)(a) UK GDPR & EU GDPR)

5.3 Cookie list transparency

An up-to-date list of cookies used on this website — including:

• cookie name

• provider

• purpose

• expiry period

• category

is made available through our cookie management system (Complianz) and is automatically updated when website services change.

6) How to manage, change, or withdraw consent

You can manage your choices at any time by:

• clicking “Manage consent” (or the floating consent icon), and switching categories on/off

• adjusting your browser settings to delete or block cookies

Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before it was withdrawn.

7) Records of consent

Complianz can keep a record of consent choices (for compliance and audit). These records can include the consent selections, date/time, and banner version, depending on configuration.

8) Third-party content (embedded media)

Pages can sometimes include content from third parties (e.g., videos, maps, social posts). These services may set cookies or use similar tracking technologies.

Where possible, we use consent-based blocking so third-party embeds only load after you allow the relevant category (often Marketing or Statistics, depending on the service).

EU guidance recognises that new tracking methods beyond “classic cookies” also fall under store/access rules in many cases.

9) Cookie walls

FFU does not use “cookie walls” that force you to accept non-essential cookies to access the website. Consent must be freely given.

10) Changes to this Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy to reflect changes in our website, services, or legal requirements. The latest version will always be published on this page.

11) Contact us

If you have questions about our use of cookies or your data protection rights, contact:

Forces & Families United CIC
Email: info@forcesandfamiliesunited.org.uk