John Lennon’s sister confirmed as Honorary President of the new Strawberry Field Project

John Lennon’s sister, Julia Baird, has accepted an invitation by The Salvation Army to become Honorary President of The Strawberry Field project to bring the legend of Strawberry Field back to life once more.

Strawberry Field, the iconic site immortalised in Lennon’s song and the Beatles hit, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, is being redeveloped which will see the famous red gates open to the public for the first time in summer 2019.

To mark this special occasion, Julia has been interviewed in a series of short films exclusively available at www.strawberryfieldliverpool.com, where she fondly recalls memories of when John joined local kids to play in the shadow of the old Victorian House in the grounds of Strawberry Field.

Looking forward to joining the Strawberry Field team, Julia said,

“I’m privileged to be invited to join this unique project, it’s a brilliant idea. Just like The Beatles springing from the stage of the Cavern Club, it’s a wonderful idea that The Salvation Army is going to cultivate youngsters in the precious soil of Strawberry Field, for them to be nurtured to reach their full potential, where they will have the chance of work all around Liverpool.”

The revival of the site, treasured by John as he grew up on Menlove Avenue, will include a training and work placement hub for young people with learning disabilities; a new authentic exhibition on the place, the song and John Lennon’s early life around Strawberry Field; and the development of a haven for spiritual exploration around the peaceful and tranquil grounds.

Major Drew McCombe, Chairman of The Salvation Army’s Strawberry Field Board explained,

"This is a pivotal day in the life of our project. To have a connection with John in his early life and the opportunity to work alongside Julia to cast the vision of the new Strawberry Field is a rich blessing. We are absolutely delighted that Julia has come on-board to help us raise the profile of Strawberry Field to the wider public and Beatles fans across the world. When we met I was impressed by Julia’s genuine understanding of the young people we are aiming to work with and her energy to help us achieve this vision."