Andrea is named among top innovators for social change

Creative entrepreneur Andrea Cockerton is among the names listed in this year’s 50 New Radicals revealed in Sunday’s Observer.

Andrea, who grew up in Bury St Edmunds and attended County Upper School, is the founder of three novel arts businesses.

She runs We Are Sound which uses extraordinary sound experiences for and by the general public.

She also runs The Dosoco Foundation which uses part of the profits from We Are Sound to support individuals and organisations using music or sound for good. To date it has given away around £18,000 to support choirs and music therapy.

It was while she drove down the A14 on her way home to Bury where her parents still live that a piece of music inspired the We Are Sound project and for the last eight years she has been bringing music to people which can change lives.

The former West Suffolk Young Musician of the Year was originally aiming to become a classical pianist having studied music at Trinity College, Cambridge, but found she had lost some of her inspiration but We Are Sound 'brought me back' she said.

A period working in business has enabled her to combine her love of music, charitable work and business acumen to win her the accolade of the listing published in last Sunday's Observer.

She said: "I was blown away when you see the names of the current top 50 and those in previous years. We Are Sound mixes up a range of music and sound and gives people the chance to be in a big gig and feel a shared sense of euphoria and achievement."

Andrea's new arts brand House of Cambridge stages an immersive event - United - at the Imperial War Museum on September 29 which includes as film premiere of Magpie directed by Paul Cook from Suffolk.

New Radicals is a search by Nesta, the innovation foundation, and the Observer to find top people, projects and organisations which offer innovation for social change and help improves lives.