Today it was announced that Essex Police receive around 31,000 reports of domestic abuse in Essex every year. It takes around 25% of the entire police force to handle these reports. Domestic violence is a serious problem all over the world. However, in a wealthy and civilised country there really should be much stronger measures in place to ensure that problems are detected early on and solutions found to prevent more cases like this.

Essex has so much to offer day visitors, tourists and holiday makers. Essex has excellent beaches, well stocked fishing lakes and rivers, some of the finest golf courses, many sports clubs and may museums, attractions and other entertainments.

In Kelvedon Hatch, near Brentwood, there is a giant pothole. It measures over a feet in length and almost as wide. It is a danger to road users and may well be causing serious mechanical faults that could manifest later – that is to say, it could potentially lead to some very dangerous situations on the road.

Chelmsford makes such good sandwiches that MP’s at the House of Commons like to eat them! Raynor Foods, who are based on the Widford Industrial Estate in Chelmsford, have won a contract to supply the House of Commons with sandwiches.

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art. Essex has several Taekwondo schools spread around so everyone in the county should have the opportunity to learn and train in taekwondo.

The London 2012 Games was a roaring success for British boxing. If you are keen to put on a pair of gloves and hop in the ring for some sparring then you are in luck, because Essex has many excellent boxing gyms.

If you have been inspired by Essex’s Saskia Clark, or Britain;s most successful Olympian, Ben Ainslee, then now is the right time to take to the water. As well as Essex sailing clubs we have included a few on the borders too as these may be more conveniently located for you.

If you are keen to be the next Mark Hunter, Zac Purchase, Katherine Grainger or Anna Watkins then you need to start training at a rowing club. While rowing in the gym will start to get you fit and develop the required muscles for rowing, only with proper rowing training can you expect to win on the water. There are surprising few best rowing clubs around Essex so we have included some clubs close to Essex too.

Saskia Clark, born in Colchester but now living Mersea Island, has secured a silver medal and is now battling to win gold.

Saskia is starting the 470 Class race in second place alongside her partner Hannah Mills.

Ben Maher, who trains at  Elsenham stud in Essex, has won an Olympic Gold Medal as part of Team GB’s equestrian jumping team. He was in the team with Scott Brash, Peter Charles …

The London 2012 Games have already been the most successful games for Team GB to date. Great Britain continues to dominate in cycling. If you are keen to start training to be the next Olympic champion, or are looking for a club to take your child, then read on. For the future Bradley Wiggins’, Chris Hoy’s and Victoria Pendleton’s there are several cycling clubs in Essex

Whether you are looking for somewhere to park your caravan or tourer, or a traditional camp site, Essex has it. If you wish to camp by the beach, stay in a remote site hidden away in woodlands, be close to towns or stay in the agricultural heartland of rural Essex, there is something for you.

The native oysters from Mersea Island in Essex are in serious decline. Although there are still some larger oysters environmentalists are failing to find any smaller ones which is a sign that the the ecosystem is in decline.

To try to reverse the decline the oyster beds on Mersea Island have been closed to further fishing.

While all eyes were on Louis Smith during the pummel horse final at the London 2012 Games, a newer face to gymnastics took the bronze medal. Max scored 15.600 with his pummel horse routine, just a fraction behind team mate Louis Smith, who scored 16.066.