Leigh984, The creative portfolio of Leigh Spencer

Between Friday 13th and Sunday 15th March, the half-a-billion-year history of Charnwood Forest was brought to life in a free exhibition and projection show. Inside the 500-year-old ruins of Bradgate House in Bradgate Park , over 3,000 models of the Geopark ’s incredible fossils were created by local people at workshops ​at Fosse Park and Highcross shopping centres   A selection of never-before-seen animations offered a glimpse into the Charnwood Forest over 560 million years ago. The evening began with the house illuminated in blue and red, welcoming us through the gates. An introduction by Jim Butler from YouTube channel ​⁠ led us to explore the sculptures and ruins, creating a dramatic backdrop reminiscent of an episode of The Traitors . Later, the buildings sprang to life with projected animations narrating the park’s history and fossils. A particularly haunting moment featured Lady Jane Grey ’s unmistakable image projected onto the ruins of her former home. The sp...

  In the second of my films from the ​⁠ Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations : we joined the parade through the streets of Leicester . Starting in Jubilee Square , the costumes are handed out. The ever-popular panda costumes go early, and the dragons are lined up ready to process along the high street. The cheeky lion leads the parade onto the high street, accompanied by the Chinese God of Wealth and a crowd of people. The lion stops at various Leicester businesses along the way to wish them a Happy and Prosperous New Year and causes some mischief along the way too. Passing the newly updated entrance to the ​⁠ shopping centre, the lion takes an imaginary pee on a parked police car. The rest of the parade, featuring dragons and other characters as well as zodiac signs , passes by on the way to the Clock Tower , where we see the new dragon for 2026 with lights and beautiful decorations. To town hall square now, where crowds have gathered to see a number of performers, including...

 In a weekend of events in Leicester to mark the Chinese Lunar New Year of the Fire Horse the @highcrossleicester shopping Center filled with the sights and sounds of Chinese Culture we begin in what looks like an ordinary Saturday in the centre with shoppers riding between floors on the escalators but then with the sound of traditional drums a Chinese Lion appears making its way through the shoppers and pas JD Sports. Neon Pink lights make for an interesting if surreal sight as the lion emerges from another store meeting children and adults with wide grins on their faces caught up in the excitement of the moment. Outside now into St Peter`s Square and followed by a crowd of people he emerges into the daylight interacting with the public and passing Wing.Stop and other well known shops etc. Back inside the lion is now at the performance area where he throws cabbage at the audience. A change of pace now as we see a series of traditional fan dances performed with graceful flo...

In the village of Newbold Verdon , two Gnomes meet on a postbox topper to declare their love.   The grey Gnome, sporting a pink beard, hands his beloved a red rose as Valentine’s Day fills the air with love.  This topper, crafted by the village resident known simply as The Newbold Knitseys , brings joy and love to the village and community. 

  I took a trip to the Taylor’s Bell Foundry in Loughborough , Leicestershire , for a tour of the biggest and last remaining bell foundry of its type in the country. John Taylor arrived in Loughborough in 1839 with a vision to shape the soundscape of communities worldwide with their bells. John Taylor & Co. is not just the country’s last remaining bell foundry, but also a living link between tradition and innovation in bellmaking today. I took a " Casting Tour " around the site to see how centuries of tradition and skills passed through generations come together to create the bells we know so well in our churches and towns. We begin looking at the red brick buildings of the factory with the clanging soundtrack of industry in the background. Into the newly opened museum next, and the bell is rung to start our visit. In the casting hall , the roaring furnace is being prepared for casting later in the day. Into the workshop, and the clappers that give the bells their...

I travelled to Mountsorrel in Leicestershire to see the start of the Measham Night Rally , an event which sees over 40 classic cars , drivers and navigators travelling around the countryside using the tried and tested map and compass method of old, no sat-navs here !. At the Stonehurst Farm and Motor Museum we start at the sign in and with the sound of engines revving and being prepped for the night ahead. Over to another farm building and a team of scrutineers check each vehicle for road worthiness and safety checking lights, steering and engine condition etc. Back in the farmyard there`s time to catch a bite to eat at the Farmers Den and consult the route maps before they are off into the dark of the night and surrounding countryside for the ultimate all righter, many tell me they wont be back till 5am on Sunday morning !.