It’s amazing what we can find when we pause and look a little closer….ok, it’s not such a secret page anymore as nobody could find it so I’ve made it easier to find….anyway, welcome to my sort of secret page. This page is for anyone interested in a little more of the Andy story. That said, we all have stories and while they are part of our making it’s always good to remember they can left alone too. They are really a serious of events that we add a narrative too. If it’s a good narrative we cling to it and if it’s a bad one we use it to beat ourselves up everyday day. And that gets us nowhere! What matters is right now and how you meet that now. Right here as you read this.
So, this ‘sort of’ secret webpage is a bit of a mess… for good reason. Most of the time we present such a clean and edited version of ourselves online but this doesn’t represent our life really does it? No, life is messy and so was my journey to this point and it will be a messy ride as I go onwards. When we embrace our messy lives, even surrender to them, life can be lived a little lighter and our window to be happy grows, as does our heart. So, welcome to my mess : )
In the spirit of mess and just in case you ever think it’s too late to change your path in life, here is a list of pretty much all the jobs I’ve had over the years with a scrap book of some of the highlights. I thought I’d put in the really early ones too 🙂 And yes, I do have some stories to tell from all these jobs. Too many stories. I honestly don’t know what employers made of my CV for a long time.
I hope this pages give your some inspiration and a smile.
Work Experience
2017 – ……. – Spiritual teacher of sorts
2015 – 2017 – Schools team manager at Unlocking Potential
2013 – 2015 – Schools team manager at Kids Company
2011 – 2013 – Shop manager at Foffa Bikes.
2009 – 2011 – Fundraising officer at TimeBank
2010 – …….. – Launched Andy Hobson Meditation
2009 – 2010 – Volunteer at Kids Company
2008 – 2009 – Fundraising officer at The Royal Horticultural Society (contract)
2007 – 2009 – Fundraising assistant at the NSPCC
2007 – 2008 – Fundraising assistant at Youth Music (temp)2007 – 2008 – Data entry clerk at Voluntary Services Overseas (temp)
2007 – 2008 – Gardener at The Wimbledon Gardener
2007 – 2008 – Data entry clerk at HR pension firm
2006 – 2007 – Administrator at TNT courier (temp)
2006 – 2007 – Call centre administrator at Mothercare (temp)
2003 – 2006 – Artist at Parlophone records. The Departure 2002 – 2003 – Returns and forklift administrator at ENT UK (Contract)
2002 – 2003 – Meter reader at Thames Water2002- 2003 – Internet Cafe Cashier
2002 – 2003 – Bar person at O’Neils bar
2001 – 2002 – Evening administrator at Drumtech (6 months)
2000 – 2001 – Carpenter Assistant
2000 – 2001 – Glass collector
1998 – 1999 – RNIB Telephone Fundraiser
1998 – 1999 – Shell Garage cashier
1996 – 1998 – Cashier and frozen food replenishment person at Coop
1994 – 1996 – Paperboy
1993 – 1994 – Football pitch marker
The Departure and other bands
Aptly named as we did eventually depart. We all strive for recognition and success but the funny thing is, looking back some of the best gigs I ever played we in my bedroom as an 11 year old discovering what is possible with a couple sticks, some resonant tubs and my favourite music. It’s a beautiful thing to share our talents and passions with the world but it has to start and end with us. Here’s a few notable gigs all the same and I am forever grateful to have this experience.
We played Glastonbury, V Festival. Reading Festival, T in the Park, Wembley Stadium, Somersonic in Japan and Cardiff Arena. Highlights were touring with The Killers and support slots with Duran Duran, The Manic Street Preachers, Feeder and Gang of Four. We were lucky enough to record our album at Peter Gabriel’s Realworld Studio. We even had breakfast with him once. I also met a hero of mine, Daniel Lanois and had a wonderful geeky chat about how he recorded the drums for U2s Achtung Baby album. Last but not least, we met Slash in a hotel in Tokyo. We talked about music and he was a lovely guy 🙂 Here’s one of our music Videos shot in To
yko. I loved the Japanese culture, their elegance and way of life is like nothing on this planet. Somehow our video didn’t capture that at all and just to mention that I had no say in this very creepy and inappropriate video!
Session Work
Here’s one Live Session and a band I played live for called Knocking Ghost , previously Starshapes.
Drum covers Once. Tread Water. Hold your breath
Schools work
I have very fond memories of my time managing a school therapy service. It was a big change in my career and I was so very lucky to have been given this opportunity. It was a very unique role. Sadly the first charity I did this work through closed down. One day we had 600 staff working in schools and centres and the next we all lost our jobs. I was very lucky that my school kept me on until another charity took over this service.
During my time with Kids Company and Unlocking Potential I managed and support a team of 14 volunteers and staff, supporting vulnerable children and families. The team included placement therapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and general volunteers. The service included
one to one child therapy; group therapy; adult counselling; music, art, dance clubs and workshops; school day trips; mentoring; family key working; parent support; learning support and therapeutic groups. I work closely with other child support agencies including Children’s Social Services, CAMHS, Brighter Futures, The Family Recovery Project and Contact a Family. Within this service I offer weekly one to one creative mentoring sessions for children that involve art, music, gardening and mindfulness. I supported children affected
by poverty, terminal family illness, drug addiction, terrorism, death, neglect, domestic violence and foster care issues. It was an exhausting, all or nothing role, but so very rewarding. It was a work out for my body and soul that informs all the work I now do with children in teaching meditation.
I’m still part of a pioneering wellbeing in education group in London. In 2015 our group were invited to facilitate participants at a conference at Cambridge University on universal responsibility hosted by the Dalai Lama and Lord Rowan Williams. Topics included resources, health, education, technology, environment and peace. The group has since been invited back to continue discussions.
Photos to tell the rest of the story….I’ll let you create the narrative for these 🙂
Over one Million Plays!