Bill Leeson

{{short description|British filmmaker (born 1943)}}

{{More footnotes|date=September 2021}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Bill Leeson

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1943|10|13|df=y}}

| birth_name = William Edward Gregory-Leeson

| birth_place = Salford, Lancashire, England

| occupation = Filmmaker, humanitarian

}}

William Edward Gregory-Leeson{{cite web|url=http://www.company-director-check.co.uk/director/906118791|title=WILLIAM EDWARD GREGORY LEESON|author=company check ltd|work=Company Check}} (born 13 October 1943) is an English filmmaker who was one of the founders of the charity War Child, which particularly focuses on help for children in war situations.

In 1993 Leeson and Wilson met when Leeson was producing an arts documentary on Croatian national artist Ivan Rabuzin directed Laurance Boulting, exposing them to the unfolding stages of the war in former Yugoslavia. What they saw so deeply shocked them that they established War Child, which today is a network of independent non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating across the world to help children affected by war.

In early 1999, Leeson stepped down as CEO to prevent the organization being dragged into accusations of corruption. The UK charity commission later found no basis for these accusations, in response to which its board at that time was forced to step down. Leeson and others implicated chose not to pursue compensation that risked further financial or reputational damage to War Child. Today, Leeson and the current War Child management and board enjoy a good relationship, with Leeson invited to advise War Child as it goes from strength to strength.

Collaborating with others from War Child, Leeson later co-founded GardenAfrica (2002-2022), an organisation dedicated to supporting traditional knowledge for food and medicinal plant production - working with civil society organisations and community groups to reclaim knowledge and transform derelict land adjacent to schools, hospitals, and clinics for the collective production of nutrient-dense foods.