Finn Andrews –
“I was born 2 October 2002 in Wollongong. I’ll be 23 this year. We moved up here to LIsmore when I was five. I went to school St Josephs.
In 2012 we moved to Bangkok and we lived there for seven years where I did home schooling. We came back to Australia for six months because my Grandma was sick but sadly she passed away. We moved back here in 2020 before Coronavirus after my Dad died from cancer.
We moved to Frank St. in Lismore where we lived for two years and then the 2022 flood came. Our whole house went completely under so we were at our friends house up the road which was two storeys. We ended up getting rescued standing in flood water up to our waist with other friends and two dogs. It was very bad. We moved to Booerie Creek for six months and rebuilt our house. We were only back for a year then we got a buyback. Now we live in Girards Hill and i love it here.
I go to REDinc on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Tuesdays I do a program at the Art Studio where everyone paints and draws. I love it. I’ve been drawing since I was a little baby. I lost all my early art though in the floods. I also do a program called Mindful Moments which is pilates, boxing and yoga. Every Thursday I have a sleepover with my support worker named Chris. He’s a surf instructor and he’s awesome. We walk out on the wall in Ballina and see the dolphins and whales. It’s so beautiful. Every two weeks we go ten pin bowling. On Fridays I work out at Byron Wildlife Sanctuary. I help look after the bunnies, guinea pigs, kangaroos and emus. I love that too.
I actually love Bandicoots. I had a meeting with ABC Kids last year and they asked me to draw the bandicoot digging and bones underground for a series. They really loved my drawings which is good. I did all the drawings and they do the animation. It’s episode 25 on Fizzy and Suds called Diggers which is a kids educational show you can watch on iview as well. I won $500.
Five years ago I won first prize which was also $500 in a Nimbin Art Comp called Wild. I did a drawing called Fire Raiser based on the bushfires we had in 2019. I also did a radio interview two weeks ago and a story in the Echo. I’m good at art but I suck at music. My Dad was really good at guitar and singing and my younger brother Tom is a really good singer.
I live with my Mum and Tom here in Girards Hill and I love it! I feel happy and safe.”