Leigh984, The creative portfolio of Leigh Spencer

The First Narborough & Enderby Scarecrow Festival took place in the Leicestershire villages of Narborough & Enderby between Saturday 11th July and Sunday 19th July 2020. Despite the city of Leicester being in Lockdown the villages are outside the Lockdown boundary so the event was able to go ahead (with social distancing measures in place for those enjoying the creations) with a theme of At The Movies. My film features a selection of the scarecrow creations but there are plenty more to see a visit is highly recommended to the event which runs for a full week.

   During lockdown for the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic of 2020 #ClapForKeyworkers (a regular show of appreciation in the form of clapping) took place across the country at 8pm on a Thursday. Many people banged pots, pans or played instruments and more to show their appreciation too. In the village of Newbold Verdon Organ Grinder and Magic Lantern Society member John Finney played his traditional Stuber Organ outside his house. With some lockdown measures lifted I filmed him (with two meter social distancing in place). LCFC fans will recognise the music as the Post Horn Gallop.

I took a walk with my camera in some ancient woodland in Lei cestershire, above the sound of the nearby busy main road my attention was drawn to the sound of some woodpecker chicks and a perfectly formed small hole in a forked tree beside me, watching the hole for a brief period I noticed some of the chicks looking out and calling for their parents for food. It wasn't long before I was treated to the sight of the parent woodpecker returning with worms and more for the growing chicks.

To mark VE Day 75 I recorded my grandma Gwen Spencer (85) recounting her memories of Leicester and it`s people on a historic day for the country and the world. Please turn on Subtitles to read along with the audio. transcript below  Hello, I`m here with Gwen Spencer who`s going to tell us her memories of VE Day in Leicester. Hello I`m Gwen, I lived at home in Braunstone, Just off the Hallam Crescent, We heard the news at home, I was 11 and my sister Pauline was 12, Mum and Dad said "Come on we'll go to the Clock Tower, We went on the tram, we joined the circle around the clock tower, holding onto the shoulders of the people in front. There was a mixture of people, many in uniform, Many in their best clothes. We caught the tram back to the terminus, known as the Braunstone and walked down the road with lights on in the house windows, Noise, Cheering, We listened to Churchill again on the radio. A few days later we had a Street Party with food the Mum`s made. Dad playe...

Light Up Leicester saw the streets of Leicester come to life with a collection of interactive illuminated artworks, a digital take on traditional light festivals, each of the large-scale installations interacted with people through sound or sensors, reacting to light, temperature or humidity levels, or responding to data via an internet connection. Three new pieces where specially commissioned for the festival and where shown in Leicester for the first time. The installations created a stunning night-time spectacle in Leicester city centre. Each of the pieces encouraged interaction by the public transforming the night-time ambience in Leicester city centre during the four days of the festival. Light Up Leicester is presented by Leicester City Council, BID Leicester and ArtReach. It has been made possible by the support of Arts Council England.