WHAT I’M CALLED: Gary Hibbins, however most people call me Gazz.
AGE: I have just turned 27 years young... proper gutted, hate getting old.
WHAT I DO: I have been a youth and community worker for the past eight years. I love it. I get to work with some really amazing and inspiring young people. Much of my work is based in Abingdon and the surrounding villages. My main aim is to inspire young people to make positive life choices, as well as enabling them to become good positive community leaders.
WHERE I LIVE: I was born and bred a Drayton lad but made the move to the big smoke (Abingdon) two years ago.
WHO I LOVE: My mum, dad, brother and sister. I also love a couple of key people who have helped me along the way.
HAPPIEST YEAR: Hard question... I think every year has been a happy year. The past eight have been great as I have really found the job of my dreams.
DARKEST MOMENT: Has to be the day my mum died three years ago. At the time you think life’s over, really lucky that I have had great support from family and friends. I strive every day to make her proud.
PROUDEST BOAST: Probably being selected to go to run a youth project in Peru – I spent four months out there in slums. Only 12 people got selected out of 3,330 candidates.
LESSONS LEARNED: Follow your dream. If you believe in something, go for it – “you can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore”.
WORST WEAKNESS: I am terrible with money. I find saving impossible – if I’ve got a pound I’ve got to spend it.
DULLEST JOB: Working for my dad as a cleaner. I remember cleaning a toilet and thinking is this what my life has come to? He sacked me several weeks later for not pulling my weight.
GREATEST SHAME: Not sure if this is my greatest shame but it’s a funny story: When I was about 13 on holiday in Weymouth a gorgeous 18-year-old girl approached me. We started chatting, of course I lied about my age – we had a dance and went in a quiet corner, she whispered in my ear “shall we go for a walk?”. I just thought she wanted some fresh air, we did about 20 laps of the campsite, she kept laying hints but I just didn’t get it. She got fed up and dumped me. I saw her later leaving the arcade with an older lad “going for a walk”. I realised a couple of years later what “let’s go for a walk” meant.
LIFE-LONG HERO: My dad. If I can be half the dad he has been to me, I will be a happy man.
OLDEST FRIEND: Fred, he’s 86... no, it has got to be my mate Ian. We were like brothers, I have known him all my life. We used to share everything.
WIDEST SMILE: When I see young people fulfilling their potential. There is not a better feeling in the world.
FAVOURITE DREAM: Really??? Let’s just say it involves half the cast of Baywatch.
BIGGEST REGRET: Not listening to people who were trying to help me when I was growing up. I thought I knew everything. Always listen to good advice.
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