Beatles Day for The Alder Hey Imagine Appeal & Liverpool Unites

Imagine a time when people in every nation come together each year on 10th July to celebrate the amazing legacy of The Beatles and help local children everywhere!

10th July 1964

The Beatles are greeted by thousands of screaming fans as they land back at Speke Airport after conquering the USA for the first time. Later that evening, over 100,000 fans line the streets of Liverpool as John, Paul, George and Ringo attend a civic reception for the premiere of 'A Hard Day's Night'.

10th July 2008

The inaugural Beatles Day is celebrated in the city of Liverpool, birthplace of the world's greatest ever pop band.

• Were you one of those who lined the streets of Liverpool on July 10th 1964?
• Were you working at The Hard Day's Night premiere that evening?
• Were you at Liverpool Art College with Lennon?
• Did you meet your wife at The Cavern in '62?
• Was your Mum a nurse with Mary McCartney?
• Were you christened John, Paul, George or Ringo?

Whatever your story - July 10th is the day to tell it!

Over 20,000 specially-made Beatles-style mop-top wigs will be sold around Merseyside in the days leading up to 10th July, and following a day of celebrations all over the region. The spectacular climax will come in the shape of Imagine - the concert at the Summer Pops, hosted by Ricky Tomlinson. He will be joined by a host of artists young and old from around the country all performing their Beatles favourites at a packed Liverpool Arena!

Chas Cole, Summer Pops promoter and one of the people behind the Beatles Day idea, says:

"Everyone's got a Beatles story in this city, haven't they? The concert at the Echo Arena will be a great way to finish, but Beatles Day is really a chance for the ordinary people of Liverpool to share their memories and have some fun while raising money.

"This is a day where culture will truly belong to the people of Liverpool, when they can show what makes this city the European Capital of Culture; its heritage, humour, boundless enthusiasm under pressure and above all, its ability to not take itself too seriously. B-Day here we come!"

The plan for Beatles Day is quite simply for Liverpudlians to go about their daily business as normal on July 10th, the only difference being that they wear Mop Top wigs and share their Beatles stories with the rest of the city!

• The Liverpool ECHO will print the best of your stories!
• Radio Stations will play Beatles songs and hold phone-ins
• Shops and businesses all over the City will wear wigs, decorate their shop-fronts with Beatles memorabilia and play their songs all day
• Pubs will hold Beatles Day quizzes!
• School children will wear wigs and learn about the band's heritage
• Beatles tribute bands will play from rooftops
• TV presenters will read the news wearing their wigs!
• Shop assistants, bar staff, market stall sellers, doctors's surgeries - everyone can take part!!

News of their home town's special tribute has been positively received by The Paul McCartney camp, along with John Lennon's wife Yoko Ono.

Sir Paul McCartney and his support team, management all reacted positively to the news from Liverpool of a special day for the City to celebrate the amazing legacy of The Beatles and to help children at Alder Hey.

Phil Redmond at the Culture Company, said: "Liverpool and The Beatles are inseparable. Liverpool made the Beatles what they were and their immortal heritage has come to play a huge role in the way the city is viewed around the world today.

"I would love people to come to view Beatles Day as a landmark on the calendar in years to come."

How you can join in

Chas Cole said: "We are using Beatles wigs, glasses and inflatable guitars as a prop for this day, much as a red nose is used for Comic Relief (it's a bit about Liverpool not taking itself too seriously as well). The plan is to have the wigs, glasses etc. on sale in various outlets and to be bought by local businesses for their employees".

The public will be encouraged to do such things as:

• Dress up as a Beatle.
• Shave your head for charity and cover it up until it grows back with the Beatles wig.
• Play 'HIDE YOUR LOVE AWAY' - you could hide him/her in the cupboard.
• Cook a 'Beatle meal':
  • Starter - Onion Ringos
  • Mains - Sgt. Peppered Steak
  • Dessert - Strawberry Fool
• Keep Fit - you and 3 mates have a 'Band On the Run' from the Beatles Story at Albert Dock to the Cavern on Mathew Street.
• 'ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE' - propose to your girlfriend/boyfriend dressed as the Beatle of your choice.
• Form a band with some mates and become incredibly rich.
• Call Simon Cowell and tell him you've got the 'B' factor.
• Use the wig to take really embarrassing photos of your mates you can upload on Facebook.
• Spring Clean your house using your wig as a duster.
• When you've finished with your wig - recycle it! Use it has a hairy handbag or someone to keep your eggs warm... you are the egg man!

We want Beatles Day to become an annual event to raise money for Alder Hey, in much the same way that Red Nose Day is an annual event. The Beatles are as synonymous with Liverpool around the world as Liverpool is with the Beatles. Beatles Day will be a celebration of that symbiotic relationship.

About the charities

All proceeds from the event will go equally to John Lennon's 'Imagine' Children's charity for Alder Hey hospital and another chosen charity for this year, which is the Liverpool Unite charity (Rhys Jones Memorial Fund). Each year a local charity will be chosen to share the proceeds with the Imagine appeal

'IMAGINE' is the name of Alder Hey's charity - a fundraising initiative that helps to continue pioneering work, caring for the health of over 200,000 children and young people per year. Improving the lives of children worldwide!

Liverpool Unites is the Liverpool ECHO's anti-gun campaign launched following the murder of Rhys Jones last August. Set up as a registered charity, the campaign is currently rasing £100,000 for the Rhys Jones Memorial Fund which is fund-raising for a £2m community centre in Knowsley, in memory of Rhys.

The charities will use the money raised from Beatles Day to build a Community Centre and improve facilities in Croxteth.

Donations can be made online at www.justgiving.com/beatlesday.

© 2008 British Beatles Fan Club