A local refugee and asylum charity will open its doors to mark the 50th anniversary of John Lennon’s marriage to Cynthia Powell.

Behind the famous yellow door of Refugee Action’s offices at 64 Mount Pleasant is the former register office where Lennon married his first wife on 23rd August, 1962. The ceremony took place in the presence of Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Brian Epstein, Cynthia’s brother, Tony, and his wife, Marjorie.

To mark the occasion, Refugee Action has teamed up with The Beatles Fab Four Taxi Tour to offer music lovers a unique chance to view the room where the marriage took place half-a-century-ago.

Refugee Action’s Area Manager, Julie Kashirahamwe, said: ‘We are delighted to partner with The Beatles Fab Four Taxi Tour to give Beatles fans exclusive access to our offices, which was the place where John and Cynthia tied the knot. It’s a great opportunity for Beatles fans to see the room where the wedding took place and to learn more about Refugee Action’s pioneering charity work across Merseyside’.

The historical tours take in other landmark sights such as Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane, as well as the homes, schools and regular haunts of Liverpool’s Fab Four.

Julie added: ‘We will be displaying some of Cynthia’s illustrations to bring the historical moment to life. It’s another fascinating element to the Fab Four story and how their music went to take the world by storm.’

As part of Refugee Action’s Fab Four Open Day, participating taxi tour guides attended an awareness-raising session to gain an insight into the issues affecting asylum seekers and refugees in the Northwest. They also heard about Refugee Action’s pioneering social action work in the community including its young people’s project, Get Connected, and advice services for vulnerable people.

Phil Gerrard, a tour guide on the Beatles Fab Four Taxi Tour, said: ‘It’s great to see Refugee Action’s office included in our Fab Four Tour for one day only, especially as it gives us a chance to tell the full story behind the place where John and Cynthia were first married. It will be a rare glimpse for fans to take a look inside this famous landmark building’.

The Refugee Action Fab Four Open Day takes place just days before the Matthew Street Music Festival, one of the largest annual free music festivals in Europe, with musicians from around the world including Canada, France, Brazil, Mexico and Scotland performing more than 60 hours of live music between Sunday 26th and Monday 27th August, 2012.

ENDS

For more information, please contact Refugee Action’s Press and PR Officer, Antony Watson, on 0207 952 1530 or email antonyw@refugee-action.org.uk

• Refugee Action is an independent, national charity working to enable refugees to build new lives. We provide practical advice and assistance for newly arrived asylum seekers and long-term commitment to their settlement through community development work, and received 30,000 visits from asylum seekers last year. As one of the country’s leading agencies in the field, Refugee Action has 30 year’ experience in pioneering innovative work in partnership with refugees. For more information, please visit:www.refugee-action.org.uk
• The Beatles Fab Four Taxi Tour offers a range of two to five hour tours each day. For more information or to make a booking, please contact http://www.beatlesfabfourtaxitour.com/