The Salvation Army’s iconic Strawberry Field attraction in Liverpool publicly thanked benefactor and music icon, Cliff Cooper, in a dedication ceremony to officially mark its opening attended by Commissioners Anthony and Gill Cotterill, Territorial Leaders of The Salvation Army on Saturday 2nd September.
Strawberry Field’s eye-catching bandstand is a striking new addition to the south Liverpool visitor attraction, shaped as a giant bass drum inspired by The Beatles’ iconic album cover, ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’, and referencing The Salvation Army and its marching bands. The bandstand’s floor is covered by a circular mosaic inspired by the ‘Imagine’ mosaic in Central Park’s Strawberry Fields in New York, with its interior walls decorated by a large mural by renowned pop artist, James Wilkinson, depicting the legacy and importance of The Salvation Army’s work, John Lennon and the legendary song, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever.’
The Strawberry Field Bandstand was built thanks to the generosity of Cliff Cooper, CEO and founder of Orange Amps, who is an honorary patron of Strawberry Field. As is common with a dedication ceremony, the event saw Strawberry Field recognise Cliff’s importance to the visitor attraction. Cliff founded Orange Amps in 1968, and its range of bright orange guitar amps marked a revolution in guitar amplifier design and sound technology, endorsed by music legends such as Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin and Iron Maiden.
At the dedication on September 2, Cliff was joined by Commissioners Anthony and Gill Cotterill, Territorial Leaders of The Salvation Army, and the Liverpool Walton Salvation Army Band for a special celebration. The Liverpool Walton band have a long history of playing at Strawberry Field and used to perform at The Salvation Army children’s home garden parties in the days when John Lennon visited the grounds.
