Source: English Bridge Union

Sandra Landy was born 19/06/38 at Croydon Surrey

One sister June who lives on Shoreham Beach in Sussex. We see each other quite often now, but I thought she was the most dreadful sister anybody could have when she was small as she was mother's pet!

Husband Peter. Married in 1967 and met at the bridge club in Hove. Peter died in 2005 and I still miss him very much.

Two Children - Joanna born 09/11/68 married to Alistair Martindale. One child Alexander born 25/12/99
Richard born 25/10/70 partner Emily Two children Olivia born 24/4/01 and Pippa born 20/7/03

For more than 50 years I lived in Hove in Sussex, but in 1997 I moved to Watermead, a modern village just outside Aylesbury.

I went to Hove County Grammar School for Girls which used to have girls from all over Sussex, but its now called Hove Park School and only for locals.
I read Maths at Oxford University and was the first female to play for the University team.

I then went to Cambridge to take University Post Graduate Diploma in Numerical Analysis and Automatic Computing. Here I met Peter Swinnerton Dyer, who is the only bridge player I really listened to. I played in the Varsity match again, this time for Cambridge.

Took up teaching at what became Brighton University . Finished in charge of our Information Systems Division, having taught just about every computing topic along the way, including some I knew nothing about!

Took early retirement to move to the EBU and develop Bridge for All. Enjoyed meeting loads of teachers and providing them with worthwhile materials. Now I am retired I still do lots of teaching and writing. I give seminars all round the country and that lets me catch up with many old friends.
My parents played at County level, and I learned by watching them. We used to have some good players visit the house like Freddie North. He hated playing rubber with friends for 3d per 100 as he only wanted good cards when playing in the £1 game.
Took up playing age 17 when my mother died and father didn't have a partner. Liked bridge because I didn't have to run round in silly shorts in the freezing weather and I hated being the last one chosen for the team. I was naturally good at bridge and have never had a lesson in my life, except from irate partners.

There was a splendid hand from the last European I played ( Malta 1999) against Austria , where I knew the K was in dummy so I led the J from AQJxx. Dummy had K but declarer played low. We now beat an absolutely cold game.

I like rambling. Since moving to Bucks I joined the Winslow Ramblers and have enjoyed exploring the wonderful countryside around here. Recently I led my first ramble with 37 people following me through a lot of muddy fields, but I didn't lose them, thank goodness.

I like reading fiction. Nothing too serious but I hate 'funny' books, they never make me laugh.
Now I have retired I have become a Parish Councillor in my village and I produce the village newsletter. In 2004, we won the NALC Council Newsletter of the Year award and I was presented with the trophy at their annual conference in Cardiff . It was just as exciting as winning the world championship and I was followed by more than 40 Welshmen singing Men of Harlech - Wow!

I tried teaching MiniBridge to ten year olds for a couple of years, assisted by several of my ex-bridge students. Practicing what I preach was hard work.

I run a Wildlife Watch group for 6-11 year olds on Watermead, which is great fun. We do things like pond-dipping Mini-bug hunts, visits to wildlife centres, plaster casts of leaves and bark rubbing and I wish I had joined one of these when I was young.

Nine things you really should know about Sandra...

Who would you like to be stranded on a desert island with and why?

Someone I could talk to for hours and who was practical enough to do the hunting and cooking bit, but I’m not telling you his name.

If you could come back as an animal what would it be?

A donkey. I was always called Eyore when I was young and now a peaceful life put out to grass in the country is quite appealing.

What would be your ideal job?

I thought University teaching when I started out was an ideal job, interesting people, variety, and a rapidly developing subject area. We designed the first undergraduate teaching degree in Computing and that was an enormous challenge. However as I got older the admin, meetings, report writing and whingeing staff made it less of an exciting challenge and I was glad to leave it.

If money was no object, tell us about your dream holiday?

Get on a canal boat and sail slowly down the whole length of France

Who do you most admire and why?

Margaret Thatcher, she had such a clear vision of where she was going and she got on with the job.

What book are you currently reading?

Winston Graham, Poldark series. I enjoyed these books years ago and decided to reread them straight through (all nine volumes)

What CD is in your car?

None I only have a tape player and my tapes are mostly country music

What is your ideal night out (or in)?

A good meal with good conversation and my friends, as long as I don't have to cook or wash up.

Tell us something about you very few people would know?

I have different colour eyes