Our Commitment to Sustainability

Sustainability and responsible tourism have been an ongoing project within Strawberry Field since we opened the gates in 2019. Responsible tourism is demonstrated through the Steps at Strawberry Field programmes, which help those with learning disabilities and other barriers to employment to learn new skills and gain work experience. All profits made from the exhibition, café and shop sales go towards funding these programmes.

‘Steps at Strawberry Field’ is made up of individually tailored programmes, providing employment skills, work experience, and opportunities to volunteer. Trainees and volunteers from the programmes are offered placements at Strawberry Field to encourage their development and career opportunities, before in some cases, going on to two further placements elsewhere.

Strawberry Field operates Recycles Merseyside, which provides cycle maintenance and volunteering opportunities to young people with learning disabilities. The scheme gives its young participants on-the-job training by refurbishing old bicycles which are donated by the public which are then resold. This unique operation encourages increased sustainability and benefits the most vulnerable people living in the area.

Strawberry Field aims to ensure that the site is accessible to everyone. Through research and focus groups, the team have upgraded elements of the visitor experience to ensure that everyone is able to access our full offer. Inclusivity is at the forefront of the vision and the upgraded features are now in place, making visiting even easier for wheelchair users and those with visual, hearing and other disabilities.

As a team, we are constantly working to improve our sustainable practices at Strawberry Field. We have our own Green Team who meet monthly to discuss new ideas and how we can influence change within the various areas of Strawberry Field, from Grounds for Ground – utilising coffee grounds in customers' gardens, to how we can support our local community throughout the year – providing presents for those who may be alone at Christmas. You can learn more about our green initiatives here.

We have been invited to join the Liverpool Visitor Economy Taskforce, which brings together like-minded individuals to drive change in the city. 

As part of our continued commitment, we have been working alongside students from Liverpool John Moores University to develop our Sustainability Policy, which is a working document. 

During the initial set up of the retail areas great importance was placed on the need for local supply. The Salvation Army run rigorous checks on all suppliers to ensure that workers are treated fairly throughout the supply chain. We are proud of our local supply network and have continued to work closely with our original suppliers plus bringing in new companies along the way. 

Our kitchen works though local suppliers with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. The raised beds in the enclosed garden have allowed us to grow vegetables and herbs for use in the food that we produce. 80% of our kitchen team are graduates of the Steps to Work programme and have flourished under the guidance of our Head Chef Ian Corkhill.

The Imagine More café works with Cheshire coffee, Desserts by Dre, and Cakes by Sophie – all local – all delicious!

The Salvation Army takes its environmental responsibilities very seriously and this is demonstrated throughout the building. Strawberry Field is constructed using sustainably sourced materials including natural larch cladding and curtain wall mullions.  Robustly detailed and long-life materials are a design feature such as internal brick walls within the lower level of the building. The placing of the building was key to its design ensuring maximum daylight exposure and natural ventilation.

There are specific design features throughout Strawberry Field such as LED sensor lighting, hand detecting wash basins, a thermal wheel which can recover up to 90% of wasted heat energy and under floor heating. There are also large opening panels on the perimeter of the building which allow fresh air ventilation. 

Landscape proposals were developed with the help of an ecological survey.  Existing trees have been retained and protected where possible with woodland management and appropriate tree planting to retain the character of the garden.  Areas of the garden have been retained and reinforced through the planting of shade tolerant groundcover planting to form a healthy woodland floor.  Bird and bat boxes are installed throughout the garden to encourage habitat creation.

The 1,360 square meter visitor and training centre is a prize-winning building, having been awarded the Selwyn Goldsmith award for universal design in the 2021 Civic Trust Awards, the oldest built environment recognition scheme in Europe. The requirement in this competition is that;

“places work for all people, no matter your age, ethnicity, gender or ability; environments or buildings are responsive, flexible, welcoming, easy to use and occupy; allowing all to use with dignity and equality”.

The building’s clean, clear lines rest comfortably among the gardens. Solar panels on the roof reduce reliance on grid electricity. The building has easily complied with the BRREAM code (Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment). And in an age of pandemic, the air flow and ventilation is a prime asset. Under-floor heating with sophisticated thermostats minimises energy use.

See the complete Strawberry Field Environmental Performance paper written by Hoskins Architects.

Strawberry Field architects building eco performance document. 

Sustainability was at the forefront of the building design and incudes features such as:

1. Rectangular building plan minimising building envelope and heat loss.
2. Design maximising natural daylight and views and minimising impact on existing site.
3. Natural ventilation and cross ventilation.
4. Low temperature under floor heating minimising energy use.
5. Roof top solar panels providing onsite energy.
6. Use of sustainable materials.
7. Mature landscape preserved.
8. Enhanced planting to encourage biodiversity.
9. Sustainable Urban Drainage.

The building construction project used responsible procurement, whereby every effort is made to use local contractors and craftsmen, was central to the project. Nine out of ten construction workers on the project lived within 15 miles (24 kms) of the site, and shared bicycles also encouraged responsible travel. Eighty per cent of the contractors used were based in the north-west, seven from Liverpool itself. Apart from minimising travel emissions, the project also provided a number of trainee opportunities, including a six-month work placement.