Delegates at the 2006 Community and Youth Workers’ Union (CYWU) national conference stood in silent respect and sadness at the death of our dear friend and lifelong active member, Jeremy Brent. We also celebrated his life and appreciated his magnificent contribution to youth work practice and theory and to trade unionism.

Nationally, CYWU is greatly indebted to his consistent, reliable, good-natured and influential contribution. Of course, our Bristol members have lost a wonderful friend and comrade, and like us all, will always remember him with affection. Bristol Youth Service has lost one of its most talented and respected workers.

Jeremy was a very complete person and a professional; he recognised that thought without action leads nowhere and action without thought is useless. Consequently, he combined his great commitment to young people with a commitment to other youth workers. By helping to get youth workers organised to defend themselves and improve their position and improve society's view of them, Jeremy recognised that individual youth workers would be stronger. He consequently gave freely and generously of his time to be an active trade unionist in the Bristol Branch of CYWU. He was always there, wisely, quietly and modestly giving support and encouragement to collective work.

No person or youth centre is an island; we all exist in a wider landscape, and Jeremy was always aware that unless we considered the wider picture, our little worlds would be less colourful and less protected. He believed that we cannot really achieve fairness for young people and a better deal for them, unless, as professional workers, we can achieve justice and respect for ourselves. That is why his trade unionism was an integral part of his youth work.

It was the same with his youth work practice. He always put daily occurrences into context. From the minutely observed events of life for young people in Southmead to the closely considered interventions of himself and colleague youth workers, Jeremy reflected deeply and shared his thoughts for the benefit of others in some eloquent and moving articles that we will, as a union and a profession, republish. Because his work was grounded in real life and practice, Jeremy was able to say more effectively and powerfully in a few pages what many more theoretical writers take chapters to say.