Yoko’s Alder Hey Visit Marks a ‘Homecoming’

By ADRIAN BUTLER

YOKO Ono toured Liverpool yesterday and declared: “This is my home.”

Wearing John Lennon’s Quarry Bank school tie, she visited Alder Hey Children’s Hospital then launched the city’s first regular flight to New York.

The 74-year-old artist said: “I just feel that Liverpool is one of my homes. Whenever I come here I feel at home.”

Ms Ono met nurses at the children’s hospital, while launching the John Lennon Child Health Foundation which will fund research into children’s health.

She toured the hospital’s K1 daycare ward and chatted to patients including Amelia McQueen, nine, from Fazakerley and Charlene Butterworth, 11, from Southport.

Ms Ono is excited about coming back and seeing the new Alder Hey when it is built: “Of course I want to come back to see the work that the charity is doing.

“Alder Hey does some incredible research.”

The night before, Ms Ono had been at a charity ball at Knowsley Hall, joining Atomic Kitten Liz McLarnon, Kenny Dalglish, David Morrissey Ricky Tomlinson and other guests. She donated pounds 50,000 herself, helping Alder Hey fundraisers raise more than pounds 500,000.

Later she cut the ribbon on Flyglobespan’s first flight from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to JFK after making a speech.

A spokesman for Liverpool John Lennon Airport said: “We were delighted to welcome Yoko back to the airport.”

(c) 2007 Liverpool Echo. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.