SANDY

SANDY Bedfordshire is a market town situated 9 miles east of Bedford and 22 miles west of Cambridge some 48
miles north of London on the A1(m)

HISTORY The history of Sandy can be traced back through centuries to the earlier British tribe, Cassii. The Romans later established two Camps and a military station. In early English Times the area formed part of the Kingdom of Mercia. Only when the Great Northern Railway built its station did the old name Sandye become adopted as Sandy. The town is a rapidly expanding centre with 700 new houses being built on the northern outskirts attracted by Sandy's excellent communication, educational, shopping and recreational facilities.

POPULATION Just over 9,000

COMMUNICATIONS The A1 forms the eastern edge of the town. British Rails electrified service to Kings Cross (42
minutes); Peterborough (25 minutes). Good local coach & bus services.

COUNCILS
Bedfordshire County Council, County Hall, Bedford. Tel 01234 36322
Mid Bedfordshire District Council, London Road, Biggleswade, Beds Tel 01767 313137
Sandy Town Council, Cambridge Road, Sandy, Beds Tel 01767 681491

SCHOOLS
Bedfordshire County Council Education Authority County Hall, Bedford
Lower School (5-9) Laburnum Lower, Robert Peel Lower, St Swithuns VC Lower
Middle Schools (9-13) Sandye Place
Upper School (13 plus) Sandy Upper School & Community College
There are four private fee paying schools of the Harpur Trust in Bedford. One boys schools Bedford School, The Bedford Modern School is co-ed and two girls school Bedford High School & Dame Alice Harpur

SPORT
A very wide and varied range of sporting activities are available in, or close to the Town. Football, Boxing, Badminton, Bowls, Cricket, Clay Pigeon Shooting, Hockey, Netball, Petanque, Squash, Swimming (Biggleswade has a new indoor swimming pool), Sailing, Tennis.

CLUBS
As in many a small Town the Social Clubs and Organisations are well supported. These in Sandy include : Bell Ringing, British Legion, Camera, Conservative, Darby & Joan, Dog Training, Flower, Hand Bells, Historical, Horticultural, Model Aircraft, Jaycees, Ladies Circle, Model Railway, National Housewives Register, Popular Singers, Probus, M.A.F.A., Rotary, Roundabout Club, Round Table, RNLI, RSPB, Transport Society, Silver Band, Theatre Group, Twinning Association, WRVS.

YOUTH GROUPS
Army Cadet Force, Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Cub Scouts, Beavers, Dancing Classes, Guides, Holiday Play Scheme, Holiday Sport Scheme, Play Groups, Youth Club and Youth Cafe.

PLACES OF INTEREST
Within a few miles of Sandy there are a number of interesting places to visit. THE LODGE, SANDY is the headquarters of the RSPB with more than 100 acres of garden, woodlands and heath which are managed for birds. Open to the public with a nature trail.

SHUTTLEWORTH COLLECTION, OLD WARDEN. Regular flying displays of early aircraft including a 1909 Bleriot, a 1912 Blackburn and World War One Aircraft. Also on display are a collection of early cars, bicycles, motor cycles and fire engines.

SWISS GARDEN, OLD WARDEN. Set in eight acres with shrubberies and ponds, groves and arbours
with a wide variety of trees and plants.

EMPLOYMENT
There is a wide variety of professional, clerical and light manufacturing within the town. Sunderland Road Industrial Estate is growing rapidly. There are many well known companies in and around Sandy. Albion Design & Frabrication, Charles Barr Furniture, Dutton Engineering, Kier Constructions, Keyline Builders Merchants, Potton Hotels, RSPB, Sidney Banks, Siga (Electronics), Watkiss Automation.

Within a short drive are to be found :- IBM, British Aerospace, Magnet Joinery, Kodak, Windshield, Glaxo, Granada TV Rentals, Unilever Research, Metco Precision Metalwork Ltd to name but a small selection.