WEAR YOUR MOP TOP WITH PRIDE!
July 10th 2008: 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 atSpeke Airport after conquering the USA for the first time. Later thatevening, 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!
Today it has been announced that 10th July 2008 will be officially rechristened as the first ever BEATLES DAY, 24 hours when the people of Liverpool will show their love for the Fab Four and raise money for the ALDER HEY IMAGINE APPEAL AND LIVERPOOL UNITES.
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 ofcelebrations 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. He 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!!
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.”
We hope to create ‘Beatlemania’ again on ‘Beatles Day’ by getting the public involved in all the day’s madness and fun events.
These will include:
* ‘Imagine’ the Concert – an extravaganza at the Arena in which top UK stars perform best loved Beatles songs chosen by the public from voting lines on radio/TV.
* Beatle Wigs/Glasses/Inflatable Guitars - to be sold to local businesses and organizations as well as general public. Profits to go to the charities.
* Beatles Parade – Beatle band will play on back of a truck and parade around the city, visiting Beatles tourist hotspots such as Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, Beatles Story, Mathew Street and to finish outside Arena.
* Beatles Vote – vote to be run by National media so that the public can choose their 10 favourite Beatle songs which would then be played by the artists at the ‘Beatles Day’ concert.
* Beatles Mufti Day – we want schools/businesses to take part by letting their students/staff turn up for work on the day in casual clothes or preferably dressed as Beatles. They can make a donation to the charity for doing this.
* Beatles on the Roof – Beatles band to appear on city centre rooftop to recreate the famous publicity stunt.
* Beatles Fun Run – sponsored run from the Beatles Story Museum at the Albert Dock to the Cavern Club on Mathew Street.
* Beatles Quiz – to be run by the Liverpool Echo and to be included in all the merchandise packs to promote sales. Prize to be VIP tickets to the concert.
* Beatles Day Schools/Children’s Events – various events to engage kids i.e. mufti day as above, fun run around grounds, quiz, painting Beatles portrait etc. Winning portrait would be used in the publicity for next year’s event. We have contacted the LEA and the Children’s Section of the ECoC who are helping to promote this to schools in the region.
“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” said Chas Cole.
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 as a hairy handbag or something 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.
All proceeds from the event will go to John Lennon's 'Imagine' Children’s charity for Alder Hey hospital and our other chosen charity for this year, which is the Liverpool Unite charity (Rhys Jones Memorial Fund). Each year we will choose a local charity to share the proceeds with the Imagine appeal. IMAGINE how enough publicity would make ‘Beatles Day’ a huge success and make enough money to help worthy children’s causes.....Now IMAGINE how good that feels.....
