Colchester is Britain's oldest recorded town and it lies within the county of Essex. Colchester has a population of over 104,000 people and is one of the UK's fastest growing towns. Colchester is around 60 miles east of London and is a popular place to live for those wishing to work in the capital.
Colchester is an important military base in the UK with the Colchester Garrison currently home to the 16th Air Assault Brigade. Colchester is also the location of the Army's only military corrective training centres; a detention centre for servicemen and women which is on the outskirts of Colchester.
The University of Essex is located east of Colchester, and is home to a student population of over 11,000 students. Colchester maintains good transport links with the rest of the UK and is less than 30 miles away from the nearest airport, Stansted airport.
There are many job opportunities within the town of Colchester and the public sectors accounts for a large number of jobs in the town. Colchester Borough Council is one of Colchester's key employers, along with the Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust. The IT and retail sectors also continue to produce lots of vacancies in Colchester, as well as a variety of other industries.
There are plenty of things to do within Colchester, including visiting Colchester's own zoo which receives over 700,000 visits per year. Colchester is also home to several museums including the Castle Museum, found within Colchester Castle; a complete example of a Norman Castle in the area. Colchester has its own theatre and a thriving retail centre, as well as many restaurants, cafes and bars.