The former children’s home immortalised by John Lennon in The Beatles hit ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ has undergone a major redevelopment and opened its iconic red gates to the public for the very first time.
Strawberry Field was gifted to the Salvation Army in the 1930s, and for nearly 70 years, it gave Liverpool’s most vulnerable children a refuge and a safe and spiritual home.
It was on these grounds that a young John Lennon used to play and escape the post-War streets of Woolton – a time that inspired his work within The Beatles as an adult.
With the support of £115,000 of Benefact Trust funding, The Salvation Army is continuing the site’s legacy and has transformed the disused children’s home into a new training hub for people with learning disabilities, to have the best chance in life.
Paul Playford, Grants Officer for Benefact Trust, said:
“We are so proud to have supported The Salvation Army with this inspiring project. We believe the Strawberry Field renovation will have a significant impact on transforming the lives of young people in the area where this additional support is so desperately needed.”
The hub provides a base to learn employment skills, gain work experience and opportunities to volunteer through the Steps at Strawberry Field programme, opening doors for people with learning disabilities to take steps towards meaningful work.
Spiritual wellbeing remains at the heart of the site and the new development also offers activities and events focused around prayer and meditation, and wellbeing for mind, body and spirit.
To top it off, the centre pays homage to the late John Lennon through its interactive visitor exhibition, delving into his childhood, and the writing and recording of ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. Visitors can also walk in the same shoes John did, with a stroll in the gardens, offering a space for personal reflection away from the busyness of daily life.
The attraction has recently reopened to the public following Covid-19 restrictions. Find out more about this unique space.
