Who’s Who in 2022, Community: Len McCandless

A selfless volunteer who lends a listening ear and provides a hot drink to people doing it tough on the streets has been recognised for his hard work and dedication to the community by receiving an award at the 2022 Moreton Bay Region Australia Day awards.

Len McCandless was announced as one of the winners in the new Mayor’s Community Spirit Award category, which recognised extraordinary contributions to the Moreton Bay community.

The award was open to those who lived within or outside the region, and those who weren’t Australian citizens – which was a first for the program.

Speaking about the award recipients in January, Mayor Peter Flannery said all the 2022 award winners were deserving of their honours and reflected the diversity and sense of pride that made the region such a special place.

“Australia Day is a time to come together and celebrate how lucky we are to live in our region, and the country we call home,” Mayor Flannery said at the time.

“Part of this is sharing our own stories, and each of this year’s award recipients have great stories to tell - all of them showing commitment to helping others, reaching out to those in need, and giving back to their community.

“It’s people like our award winners that epitomise the Aussie spirit of reaching out to others no matter the circumstances, and not giving up when times get tough.”

About Len McCandless

Having experienced being homeless in his formative teenage years, Len McCandless is a selfless and dedicated volunteer who now supports others who find themselves in the same situation.

The Lawnton man credits the support of Rosies – Friends on the Street with turning his life around, and now he’s dedicated to returning the favour.

Len started volunteering with Rosies in 2017 while unemployed as a way to give back to the community and get some experience on his resume.

During his time with Rosies, Len gained skills and confidence and eventually became a team leader and then a Branch Co-ordinator.

In addition to volunteering his own time to help Rosies, Len also works with a number of other services where he connects with at-risk youth, as well as speaking to a wide range of organisations to put the spotlight on what those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness are going through.

He also works as a disability support worker at Skylark House.