Leigh984, The creative portfolio of Leigh Spencer

  Down by the riverside, there’s all sorts going on at Leicester’s riverside festival , in the heart of the city, a weekend bursting with music, food, arts, family fun, and vibrant waterside activity. Starting at Bede Park , where a Ferris wheel turns, giving riders a fun overview of the festival site, and along the mile-long straight. A right turn along the western boulevard past some balloons sees a busy street lined with traders and filled with visitors enjoying the atmosphere. We pass dancers heading to one of multiple performance stages and stalls offering GIANT SAUSAGES . Action on the water next as the ever-popular Dragon Boats line up to race under the bridges to the beat of a drum. In Castle Gardens , we meet performers from the House of Circus running a circus skills workshop for people of all ages. Nearby, a beautiful dress covered in flowers celebrates a bloom theme. Back to the riverside, and we see Paddle Plus offering the chance to 'have a go' in various wa...

Originally named by a Mr David Edwards (a City Engineer) as a way to wish good luck to Leicester City in a 1969 FA Cup game at the historic stadium, The Wembley Road forms part of a sporting themed naming scheme for the then newly built Braunstone Frith Industrial Estate. Leicester City lost the final in 1969 but 50+ years later in 2021 a historic win for the team gave an opportunity to dedicate the sign to the FA Cup win it was intended to mark. In 2022 the sign was unveiled by club ambassador Alan Birchenall and Mr David Edwards.

A look at the newly unveiled (at time of publication) Khun Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Memorial Statue. Seen pre-match at the King Power Stadium as Leicester City hosted PSV Eindhoven in the Europa Conference League, this was many fans first look at the memorial to a great and generous man. The bronze statue stands with thumbs up and is situated outside the stadium on a blue plinth, forming a lasting reminder of Khun Vichai`s legacy at both the football club and the wider city of Leicester. Known as "The Boss" and "The Possible Man" Khun Vichai and Srivaddhanaprabha family created, and continue to create, in Vichai`s memory, a culture of togetherness and support between players, fans, owners and the community that is the envy of many teams around the world.

In February 2022 fans of Leicester City Football Club where invited to the Clubs Megastore to see the FA Cup and Community Shield trophies, up close and have their photos taken with them. I visited the Leicester City Foxes Megastore at the King Power stadium to see the FA Cup and Community Shield, at an event for fans organised by the club. My film begins with scenes fans will know from match days featuring various views of the stadium, before heading into the Megastore to see the trophies themselves. The well known FA Cup team photo featuring Kasper Schmeichel holding the trophy aloft at Wembley provides the background to the two pieces of silverware.

  To mark the historic win of The FA Cup by Leicester City in 2021, Leicester City Council and Graffwerk came together with street artist Smug to create an artwork on the side of The F Bar on Walnut Street close to both the former and current home of the club (Filbert Street and the King Power Stadium). Featuring several foxes fighting for the cup it visually represents the well known phrase associated with the club of "foxes never quit".

In 2021 Leicester City Football Club reached the FA Cup Final for the first time since 1969 (the first cup final in my lifetime !) around the city and county people decorated shops, houses and more in celebration. In Syston a knitter known simply as SKB has gained a reputation for marking various events through the year by creating "toppers" for the postbox beside the post office on the high street. The historic nature of LCFC`s cup final has been marked by SKB with the appearance of a knitted interpretation of the clubs mascot Filbert Fox atop the post box.

A look at the festive atmosphere outside the King Power Stadium ahead of the Leicester City v Norwich City Premier league match played on the 14th December 2019. My film features the Enderby Band playing Christmas favorites and santa's reindeer outside the ground at a game that also saw free mince pies and santa hats being handed out to fans attending the last game before christmas.

The St Martins Church in Desford Leicestershire was transformed over the weekend of 29th November to 2nd December into a winter wonderland of decorated christmas trees created by village residents and groups on a theme of Your Favorite Story. Among the 37 trees where Mr Men, Dick Whittington and a tree with a Leicester City theme, topped with a miniature Premier League trophy and featuring King Claudio, An invite to Jamie Vardy`s Party and Gary Linekers famous red underwear many fans will remember from his BBC Match Of The Day appearance after their 5000/1 title winning season. The festival also featured a christmas market alongside traditional services.

On the 28th November the Duke And Duchess of Cambridge visited the King Power Stadium home of Leicester City Football Club to pay respects to the clubs late chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha who died alongside two members of his staff, the pilot and a passenger in a helicopter crash after a Premier League game. The Royal couple arrived in the city by train before arriving at the stadium where they laid a tribute and HRH Prince William made a speech to invited guests. The couple then proceed to the University Of Leicester where they met representatives of Leicester and Leicestershire charities close to Khun Vichai`s heart. My film shows the royal couple arrive at the crash site as they go to pay their respects before being lead into the stadium to make a speech, we later see them departing the area headed for the university.

The annual Castle Classic race in Leicester is the finale of the national elite road series and features top level riders taking in a 80km race around a 4km course that is famed for being fast and technical. The course lists Leicester Castle, The Mile Straight and King Power Stadium home of Premier League Champions Leicester City among its route landmarks. The stadium also hosted Race HQ, The Race Village and this years Start/Finish line. A number of top UK teams where on show including Team Wiggins, Raleigh, NFTO and JLT Condor who's roster included local favorite George Atkins. My short film aims to capture the atmosphere and speed of the race and also features an minor accident mid race I can report (for those concerned) that none of the riders involved where seriously injured and the majority completed the race with Chris Lawless taking the winners Jersey. Images follow

On 29th April 2016 as Leicester City Football Club where poised to win the English Premier League the City Of Leicester showed its support by illuminating many city landmarks with blue light. Named #BackingTheBlues day the event was a joint campaign launched by BBC Radio Leicester and the Leicester Mercury and supported by businesses across the city. My short film features a few highlights of the evening including a projection of LCFC players Riyad Mahrez & Jamie Vardy and the city's cathedral all bathed in blue light.

My film features cycling action from the first ever Leicester Castle Classic Professional Bike Race. The 20 lap race took place on 18th August 2013 around a route that took in some well known landmarks of the city of Leicester, From the start/finish line at Bede Park on Western Boulevard the route took the riders into old Leicester though the tight cobblestoned medieval gateways and lanes the area is known for, The route then looped back onto Western Boulevard before making a sharp left crossing the river soar and continuing down to the King Power football stadium home of Leicester City FC before retuning to Bede Park. The race was preceded by a 'Shoppers and Choppers' race and a 'Corporate challenge' both open to the general public. Photos follow below

Ok I admit it I support Leicester City football club !, when they built the walkers stadium I had the chance to have a brick engraved with my name built into the foundation wall this is that brick !.

Every year hundreds of people dress up as santa and run around Victoria Park in Leicester for charity this video is from this year`s (2009) event. The event begins at 9am with a warm up to a selection of Christmas music (provided by Heart FM) and the race itself begins at 11am.