“I am delighted to support The Salvation Army in their efforts to build a new training centre for young people with mild to moderate learning disabilities at Strawberry Field. Their plans to provide these young people with vocational training to enable them to find meaningful work in Merseyside is at the heart of the modern Salvation Army's work.

My husband, Beatles producer George Martin, always considered Strawberry Fields Forever as one of his finest recordings of the band; the lyrics reflecting the happy times John Lennon and his friends had whilst playing in the grounds of the children's home as a child.

The plans to open Strawberry Field to the public for the first time - so people can see a unique exhibition about the home, how and why the song was written by John, and allow visitors to explore the grounds as John did as a child - is very exciting.

I hope you will join me in financially supporting this exciting project as The Salvation Army creates a ‘Beacon of Hope’ at Strawberry Field.”

At Strawberry Field we were sad to hear of the passing of Lady Martin. Our Mission Director and Mission Development Officer represented Strawberry Field at her funeral service. The original Strawberry Field gates were decorated with roses as a mark of respect for Lady Martin and her love of nature and gardening as we invited our team, trainees and visitors to take a moment to pause by the gates today to remember this extraordinary lady.

As a patron, Judy Martin took a personal interest in the ongoing work of Strawberry Field. She was generous with her time, and her warmth was infectious when she visited. We will miss her.