George Murray was a rough sleeper for about 15 years and £6,000 was raised to give him a send-off.
Market Square in Northampton was crowded for the service
Laura Verlander, who is part of the Tuesday Night Team group that supports rough sleepers, said: "We'd see him frequently, feed him or just stand and have a chat."So if he wasn't hungry he wouldn't take the food. He'd let somebody else have it.One of his fellow homeless friends, Barry, said: "I loved him to bits - he was a good bloke - at least today everyone's turned out for his funeral.
Stan Robertson, who helped to organise the service, said he hoped it would lead to a greater understanding of people who are homeless. "If we can all take from this, the concept that every single one of these guys and girls hold the same value and worth as George did, then I think we can see change, we can see a difference to how the guys on the streets feel about themselves, how they believe they can achieve more," he said.Maggie, a member of George's family, who did not wish to give her surname, said the tributes were "overwhelming".