Les Twentyman drops in at the Lions Club

NOTED youth outreach worker and community activist Les Twentyman was the special guest at the recent meeting of the Ocean Grove Barwon Heads Lions Club.

Mr Twentyman, 73, has dedicated his life to helping young Australians find a positive future is one of Australia’s best-known youth workers and social justice advocates.

Ocean Grove Barwon Heads Lions Club member Sue Harling said Mr Twentyman had a connection with her branch of the service organisation.

“Les was raised in Braybrook and worked for the Sunshine Council as a youth worker. He actually worked with one of our members, Norm Buckley, who at the time was the Sunshine Council mayor.

“Our members were mesmerised by Les’ many stories, adventures and anecdotes.

“Les is a wealth of knowledge on the plight of homeless people, drug addiction, prison reform and social welfare and has worked tirelessly to speak out and assist in any way that he can.

“He has been consulted on emerging issues such as gang violence, weapons carriage, cyber bullying and truancy in our education system.

“Les is often called to volatile regional areas of Australia in a bid to bring about harmony and cooperation where gangs and youth violence is a problem. He has also accompanied the Governor General, state government ministers and leaders of industry to the ‘dark streets’ of Australia that they never knew existed.”

Mr Twentyman – a recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia, a Victorian of the Year, and an Australian of the Year finalist – has written several autobiographies, the most recent, The Mouth That Roared, detailing how he came back from a near-death experience.

According to the Les Twentyman Foundation website, a documentary about Mr Twentyman’s life will begin filming this year.