Mersey Reporter - #Merseybites #News

THE Save Rimrose Valley group, which campaigns against National Highways' controversial Port of Liverpool Access Road, took its fight to Liverpool's City Centre, on the evening of:- Saturday, 20 April 2024, as huge images and messages were projected onto buildings across the City.

Locations included:- St John's Beacon, George's Dock building on The Strand, and Byrom Point. Messages urged people from across Liverpool to support the cause and were accompanied by audio of members of the public talking about their love of Rimrose Valley and their desire to protect the park.

The campaign took its inspiration from the work of activist group Led by Donkeys https://www.ledbydonkeys.org/ which has blazed a trail in these 'guerilla' projections on landmarks such as Westminster Palace in London and other high-profile locations across the UK.

The stunt was dedicated to one of the campaign's former members, Hazel Davies, who passed away towards the end of 2022. It was partly funded through money raised in her memory by friends and musicians from Waterloo based Secret Ukulele Band and other ukulele bands at a tribute concert back in 2023.

Stuart Bennett of Save Rimrose Valley said:- "This piece of activism has been a long time in the planning, so it's great to finally be able to talk about it. Wider Liverpool may not have heard of Rimrose Valley, but if Sefton Park was earmarked to be bulldozed for a road, there would be public outcry. Why should we be treated differently? Conditions were perfect and to see our campaign up in lights was an amazing feeling. The feedback online has been incredible with hundreds of people liking and sharing our posts. Hazel was a passionate member of our team, a straight talker and didn't mind a bit of controversy. We hope that 'shining a light' on this destructive road proposal and the Port of Liverpool's active role in this, is a fitting tribute. We want to pass on our thanks to the team at Focal Studios, in Birkenhead, for making it happen."

Griff from the Secret Ukulele Band added:- "The bands that played were delighted with how the money we raised was used to highlight the importance of saving Rimrose Valley, and especially moved that it was personalised to the memory of our friend, Hazel, who fought so hard for this. We could have filled a whole weekend festival as she was loved by so many people in the Ukulele family of Merseyside."