Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The University of Leicester has released drone footage of a giant birthday greeting to mark Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday.
Sir David turns 100 on Friday 8 May, and ahead of celebrations, the University’s ECS Gardens and Grounds Team have enlisted the services of a robot to write a message on the Fielding Johnson lawn.
The robot, nicknamed Marcus Grassford after the England football star, is normally used to mark out the University’s sports pitches. But for this very special occasion, Marcus was programmed to spell out Happy 100th Birthday Sir David Attenborough in white marker paint.
Adam Tester, Head of Gardens and Grounds at the University, said: “The team were proud to deliver something a little different to mark Sir David’s big day, combining creativity and attention to detail to produce something that would really stand out.
“We set Marcus Grassford to work and we had so many students and staff all stopping to see what he was up to. The end result looks fantastic, and it’s fitting the message is on the Fielding Johnson lawn, where Sir David played as a child, when growing up on campus.”
Sir David spent his formative years on campus from 1932 after his father Frederick Attenborough was appointed as the second Principal of University College, Leicester – which later become the University of Leicester.
The University of Leicester has released drone footage of a giant birthday greeting to mark Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday.
Sir David turns 100 on Friday 8 May, and ahead of celebrations, the University’s ECS Gardens and Grounds Team have enlisted the services of a robot to write a message on the Fielding Johnson lawn.
The robot, nicknamed Marcus Grassford after the England football star, is normally used to mark out the University’s sports pitches. But for this very special occasion, Marcus was programmed to spell out Happy 100th Birthday Sir David Attenborough in white marker paint.
Adam Tester, Head of Gardens and Grounds at the University, said: “The team were proud to deliver something a little different to mark Sir David’s big day, combining creativity and attention to detail to produce something that would really stand out.
“We set Marcus Grassford to work and we had so many students and staff all stopping to see what he was up to. The end result looks fantastic, and it’s fitting the message is on the Fielding Johnson lawn, where Sir David played as a child, when growing up on campus.”
Sir David spent his formative years on campus from 1932 after his father Frederick Attenborough was appointed as the second Principal of University College, Leicester – which later become the University of Leicester.
