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...

Join me for some riparian entertainment at The Riverside Festival which returned to Leicester`s Mile straight and surrounding areas for its 25th year in 2024. New for 24 was Dragon Boat racing with teams from NHS UHL, Arriva, Market Bosworth and Highfield Rangers among those competing and raising money for Prost-Aid. To the rhythmic beat of the drum the rowers sped their narrow dragon fronted boats between The Newark Bridge and Bridge 111A which acted as the finish line, who won ?, stay after the credits to find out !. After the races we head to the Bede Park area where there are water sports to try and boat trips along the river. Heading onto the Riverside De Montfort University campus we find a giant watering can celebrating 25 years of the festival (created by Kate Carton Events). Coming through !, Sambando perform for crowds outside the red bricks of the Queens Building before a unexpected interruption by the 'New for 24' land train offering trips around the festival. Follo...

The Riverside Festival returned to Leicesters mile straight over the weekend of 3rd and 4th June 2023. Featuring riparian entertainment of many forms, from demonstrations of water rescue from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue service, to boat rides and live performances, my film takes a look at various parts of the festival which takes in the Castle Gardens mile straight and Bede Park. We begin with activities on the water before moving to bede park with its hammock relaxation zones rock climbing and other activities, the fun then moves to Castle Gardens where Enter Edem invite us to the Ugly Bugs Wingding and we get a preview of what to expect at Leicester Textile Festival later in the year.

Now in its 22nd year the Leicester Riverside Festival took place over the weekend of 1st-2nd June, featuring narrow boats traveling along the river, water sports, street food and a wide program of music acts the festival is fun for the whole family. My film features a look around the festival and features the Bill Bailey band on their 'Jazz Boat' an act so synonymous with the festival it would seem strange not to hear their sound in the air during the festival. The rain on the Sunday that I visited did nothing to stop visitors enjoying a day by the riverside.    

The Leicester Riverside Festival takes place annually along the mile straight of the River Soar featuring music,arts,crafts and activities both on and off the water, for the whole family it`s a great day out for everyone. With a toot of the whistle from the Abbey Pumping Stations traction engine, my film shows some of the many highlights from Sunday at the festival. Look for Bill Bailey`s band playing toe tapping jazz as they travel along the river, the beautiful sound of the sing for water choir and tales of the canals of old England with the Bonnet And Belt theater company among other attractions. There is even an appearance from a strange yellow character not dissimilar to a Muppet riding his tricycle into castle gardens.

In 2017 the Riverside Festival celebrates its 20th year as one of the city`s biggest free festivals. My film aims to capture the atmosphere of the festival which takes place along the Mile Straight, Bede Park, Western Boulevard and Castle Gardens. The festival features live music, world food, boat trips and more. The River Soar was once one of Britain's most profitable commercial navigation routes and today plays host to a multitude of wildlife, water sports clubs and Premier League Champions (2016) Leicester City FC which can all be found along its banks.

The Severn Bore is a tidal bore seen on the tidal reaches of the River Severn in England. The bore is popular with surfers who come from far and wide to ride this rare river wave, It forms upstream of Sharpness, and can be seen as far as Maisemore and on particularly high tides has been known to reach Upper Lode Lock below Tewkesbury. My film (Surfing the Severn Bore) features the evening bore of Wednesday 21st August 2013 and shows the bore approaching and passing before continuing its journey upriver carrying many surfers as it goes. The largest recorded bore was on 15 October 1966, which reached a height of 9.2 feet (2.8 m).

The Leicester Riverside Festival takes place annually along the Mile Straight and in the Bede Park and Castle Gardens areas of Leicester. My short film aims to capture the atmosphere of the event in 2013. Featuring local singing groups, artists, craftspersons and Narrowboat rides amoungst its wide variety of attractions the event is a fantastic family friendly event in the heart of the city with something for everyone.

The Shard, is a 95-storey skyscraper in London. Its construction began in March 2009 and was opened to the public on 1 February 2013. Standing 309.6 metres (1,016 ft) high visitors are sped by high speed lift to the 68th floor where they can then continue up to the 72nd by staircase to experience the fantastic views over the capital. My short film features the view from the shard and a number of well known London landmarks from Buckingham Palace & The Eye to Tower Bridge and beyond, how many can you spot ?.

A spectators eye view of the Men's Olympic cycling road race as Bradley Wiggins and Team GB lead the Peloton up Strawbell slope, The slope is part of the National Trusts Zig Zag road at Box Hill in Surrey. My short film shows only a small section of the whole course which started and finished on the mall in the centre of London, The cyclists completing 9 laps of the Box Hill course as part of the bigger race. Keep a look out for Richard Long's art work 'The Road River' painted onto the road beneath the cyclists.

Filmed at various points along the banks of the River Thames in London, this short film explores peoples patterns of movement and their interactions with the structures around them Featuring a number of well known landmarks such as the Millennium Bridge, St Pauls Cathedral and Tower Bridge (complete with Olympic rings), The piece attempts to capture a portrait of the area during one day (30.06.2012) as the capital prepares to host the Olympic games in 2012. Keep a look out for art works Hymn by Damien Hurst and Kurt Perschke's Red Ball Project.

On 3rd June 2012 hundreds of boats formed a flotilla to escort HRH Queen Elizabeth II on a pageant along the River Thames as part of her Jubilee Celebrations. The flotilla was headed by the man powered Gloriana followed (later on) by the Royal Family aboard the new Royal Barge Spirit Of Chartwell. In all more than 1,000 vessels took part in the event and my video filmed from the banks of the river shows just a few of them as they pass alongside the houses of parliament and beneath Westminster bridge.

The Severn Bore is a tidal bore seen on the tidal reaches of the River Severn in the UK many people come to see the rare sight of a wave travelling upstream against the flow of the river and its is a magnet for surfers and water sports enthusiasts who challenge themselves to ride the potentially 2 metre (7 ft) high wave as it goes by. This is my video of the bore that took place on 20th February 2011