Christmas at Tim Andrews’ place is a family affair.
Tim, the eldest of 3, loves nothing more than to plan and host a good dinner party, and Christmas with 25 immediate family members at his Gleneagle home is no exception.
“I learned from my mum. We grew up on a bit of property and always had a big pantry and would buy in bulk and bake. Mum’s a very good cook and learned from her grandmother and she taught us,” he said.
“Mums always said you can’t do anything with a cranky, tired or hungry person. We’re feeders. We feed people’s emotional and physical needs.”
When 14-year-old Tim started work at the Chinese restaurant in Jimboomba, his mum and (step) dad said he was allowed to touch 20 per cent of what he earned.
The other 80 per cent, he had to save.
“Mum says we weren’t born with silver spoons; we were born with shovels,” he said.
Tim worked there for 12 years, and during that time, by his first year of uni, he and his little sister bought a block of land. They did the landscaping and fencing themselves and got the house built.
That is where Tim, now 32, has made his home, where he loves to welcome people and unwind from his busy work life with hobbies like music, tending to his 62 orchids or building another small architectural wonder in his Lego collection.
Tim’s journey to politics and community involvement started young.
He was on the Beaudesert Shire Youth Council and volunteered for then Member for Beaudesert, Kev Lingard, from about 15.
He was on the Lead On Youth Advisory Board, started the Jimboomba Junior Chamber of Commerce and was awarded Beaudesert Shire Young Citizen of the Year, Quest Community Newspaper Young Citizen of the Year and the Order of Australia Association Student Citizenship Gold Medallion.
He joined the Cancer Council when both his parents were battling cancer (they’re in remission now) and did about eight Jimboomba Relay for Life events.
These days Tim, whose family has always been involved with the show movement, proudly coordinates the Beaudesert Show Ambassadors (formerly Miss Showgirl) competition.
Tim has worked for State MP Jon Krause since just after he was elected, 10 years this year.
He started as a volunteer while still working at the Chinese restaurant and studying Law, Politics, International Relations and Government at Griffith University before putting his studies on hold to accept a full-time job as electorate officer and diary manager.
Tim is a big believer in enjoying life and draws inspiration from his mum.
“After her divorce when I was only little, mum raised us kids, got a job, allowed us to be who we wanted to be and supported us even if we had weird hobbies,” he said.
“In my future I’ll hopefully be happily married with children eventually, living the lifestyle I had as a kid, continuing to enjoy life.”
