Sanday is an agricultural community. The scattered homesteads are indicative of the island’s Crofting heritage. These lands have been farmed for a very long time and evidence can be seen of farm mounds on sites inhabited since Viking times. A rich and fertile land, Sanday has been known as “the Granary of Orkney.”
Creel fishing supplements some of the island’s income. There is also some living to be had from general services and businesses on the island. The School is a significant employer, and a number of people are now able to earn from jobs supported by IT connections. There are even commercial businesses based in Sanday, selling via the Internet.
Our School performs, with excellent results. We have health provision through the Sanday Surgery, with our own GP and support from nursing staff. The island has an ambulance and a small fire tender, with volunteer firemen. The island may be remote, but is certainly not cut off from the trappings of Civilisation.
There is a shifting population; families come, and others go. There are normally a small number of properties for sale. Around half of the island’s population are old Sanday stock. Of the remainder, many are long-time Sanday residents – even if they were not born here. Others arrived perhaps a few years, or months ago. From their settled air, you may find it difficult to tell.
As with many rural communities, the average age of the Sanday population tends to be quite high, but we are not a dying community – far from it. There are births on the island, young families, and a surprisingly large school roll. The island has a Development Trust with a wide range of projects that invests in the future of our island, and which employs a Local Development Officer and an island Ranger.
