Les Twentyman has been remembered as a true son of Melbourne’s west, a great Victorian and a tireless champion of the vulnerable. The social justice worker was fare welled today with a state funeral service attended by Premiers, footballers, rock stars and those who’s lives he touched.
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00:00 As Bell's told, the ultimate sign of respect. A farewell to Les Twentymann one last time.
00:07 Inside St Patrick's Cathedral, the service was told of a figure who loomed large over
00:19 Melbourne.
00:20 I think he was as much a part of this great city as our mighty MCG.
00:28 Les's life began in Braybrook in 1948 in Melbourne's west, the eldest of five, and that's where
00:34 his social conscience was born.
00:36 Fancy the poor boy from Braybrook having his life celebrated in this way. Les would be
00:43 ecstatic.
00:45 Big bro, I'll miss ya.
00:47 Sport was his first love, his football team Sandringham, Williamstown and his beloved
00:52 Western Bulldogs front and centre.
00:55 Les knew that sport provided a sense of belonging, that win or lose binds people together.
01:00 Before he delved head first into social work, for four decades Les dedicated his life to
01:06 helping vulnerable and disadvantaged young people in Melbourne's west.
01:11 Because Les was all in, always. Body and soul, guts and heart.
01:20 Implementing support programs through his Les Twentyman Foundation to address a range
01:25 of social issues.
01:27 You were our lifeblood and inspiration and importantly our voice on everything to do
01:33 with youth affairs.
01:35 His friend, comedian Jack Levi, remembering a life led with humility and humour.
01:40 In conversation Les would often say the words, let me tell you a story. A few years ago he
01:47 caused a bit of a sensation, told a story without one bit of name dropping.
01:54 His casket surrounded by the broad spectrum of people whose lives he helped improve.
02:00 I started as an older boy and went through a lot of bad problems in the early days, he
02:04 helped me all the way through that.
02:06 He saved my life in ways that he didn't know. My son has been out of trouble for a whole
02:11 year now.
02:12 He was a really nice guy, I don't think I've ever met anyone nicer.
02:17 A proud son of the west whose legacy lives on.
02:20 [BLANK_AUDIO]