“After a thorough period of research and development we discovered high levels of unemployment for young people with learning disabilities. Of one million people with learning difficulties in the UK, 93% are unemployed and 31% have no contact with family or friends.

“We see this as a social injustice and designed Strawberry Field to help address this. We believe the project has the potential to make a tangible difference to the lives of young people with learning disabilities and their families by equipping them with the skills to find meaningful employment.”

Jules Sherwood, Development Manager for The Salvation Army, said: “We believe Strawberry Field is the final piece of the Beatles jigsaw in Liverpool and once open will offer a magical experience to visitors who will be able to follow in the footsteps of the young John Lennon.

“The very latest technologies will be adopted to create an exhibition where visitors will enter a space where 'nothing is real' as they experience the wondrous, intertwined histories of the house, John Lennon and the writing and recording of the iconic song. The gardens will be filled with messages of peace and love which we hope will inspire visitors as Lennon himself was inspired. If every Beatles fan donated just £1 to our campaign this will help make it forever Strawberry Field.”

 

The next phase of the project is to raise the money required to turn this from a vision into a reality. To find out how you can donate, purchase merchandise and support the project, please visit their website here, or come along to see the original Strawberry Field gates now on display at The Beatles Story, Liverpool.