A 94-year-old Leicester man has created murals for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and donated them to the local community.
Ray Newcome has donated a mural he created to the Leicester College children’s nursery facility, which he presented earlier this week.
The pensioner, who lives near the Freeman’s Park campus, has also created murals for the waiting rooms at his local GP surgery as well as the Leicester Royal Infirmary.
One was also given to the Eyres Monsell community centre, where it will be on display over the Jubilee weekend, before being housed permanently at the Pork Pie library.
Ray received a letter from the Queen thanking him for his creative efforts.
“I’m a very creative person and am always working on something”, he revealed.
“I think having something colourful to look at can help people, and give them something to think about”.
Ray, who calls himself an ‘Aylestonian’, has lived in the area since he was born in 1928. He likes to keep busy, and has written his memoirs, ‘Life on the Saf’, about growing up in an area on the Saffron Lane estate.
Ray’s parents moved from the slum area to the new estate just before he was born.
Ray was determined to make a successful life and he went on to own the Leicester Tile Centre.
Even in retirement he continues to work hard and keep busy and has plans for more murals in the future.
