Leigh984, The creative portfolio of Leigh Spencer

With a theme of around the world, Desford Residents, Businesses and Community Groups came together to decorate Christmas trees for the annual St Martin`s Church Christmas Tree festival in 2024. With trees featuring decorations detailing Christmas greetings from around the world, knitted flags of the world, we even got to say Allo Allo to a French themed tree !. After enjoying a cup of tea and a slice o` Cake, I take in trees depicting the tulips and windmills of Amsterdam, plus a very unique use for pasta on a Italian themed tree. As I venture back out into the winter air the church entrance is glowing with the warmth of lights and decorations created by the amazing volunteers and Desford Heritage group who make this fantastically festive festival possible.

During the festive period in Newbold Verdon the Baptist Church held a Christmas tree festival with trees decorated by various community groups people and local businesses in the village, The theme of the festival was we three kings and each tree interpreted the theme in a different way. Entering the church we see the trees lining either side of the room before getting a closer look at the individual trees.

The annual Christmas Tree Festival in Desford celebrated it`s 20th Anniversary in 2022. As previous years the Church of St. Martin`s was full of trees decorated by Desford groups and individuals this year on a theme of films, with a eclectic mix from across cinematic history, there where trees based on films as diverse as Toy Story to James Bond, White Christmas, Paddington bear and much more, a special tree was decorated in tribute to HM The Queen marking both her Platinum Jubilee and passing in 2022. How many films can you spot as my film takes you on a tour of the festival and can you spot a tree decorated with portraits of a certain Lost King ?

Local Businesses, Community Groups and Villagers come together at St Martins Church Desford for the annual Christmas tree festival this years theme being Carols and Christmas Songs. Visitors where rocking around the christmas tree and the creativity flowing as various carols and songs formed the brief for each design, a tree covered in pom pom sheep represented shepherds watching their flocks by night through to more modern hits on a music themed tree.

  I visited the Barwell where once again the streets of the village had been Yarnbombed by the Knutty Knitters. The Yarnbomb`s theme was the 800 years anniversary of the St Mary`s Parish church. Vicar Revd Philip Watson was immortalized in woolen form alongside long serving lollipop (crossing patrol) lady Carole, her spectacular pink hair captured perfectly by the knitters. Also featured where various recognisable historical figures from HRH Queen Elizabeth and Victoria through to King Richard III, Elvis and the Beatles. Churchill, Shakespeare and Florence Nightingale made for a most excellent collection of woolen depictions.