The Florence Institute (The Florrie) in Toxteth was built in 1889 and is now celebrating 10 years since reopening after years of dereliction.
Friday (April 1) sees the L8 institution celebrate since it opened its doors again in 2012. The Florrie's official re-opening was officiated by HRH the Prince of Wales in 2013.
After closing in 1988, it fell into disrepair even after attempts to keep the building intact by some of the old boys; Tommy Bache and Phil Williams. They both dedicated their time and money to keeping the building secure in the hope it would re-open.
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There will be a number of activities on Friday including a guided tour by Tommy Calderbank, one of the original campaigners who worked to Save The Florrie. Tommy told the ECHO : "I can’t believe its been 10 years already.
"It took a whole community to bring this beauty back to life. Its a tribute to everybody involved in the last decade that it's still going strong.
“The Florrie’s impact has been massive, and long may it remain a beloved part of Liverpool’s culture and heritage for future generations to enjoy. I hope it will inspire campaigners for other neglected gems across the city, of which there are still far too many".
People can view films including 'The Florrie: Exploring the Archive'; a 20 minute short that covers its history and the people who make it. It reveals much of the Florrie's early history which remained obscure until a chance discovery of long-forgotten archives.
Marketing and media manager Ian Broadhurst said: "We have almost every Annual Report since 1890 which were found sitting forgotten in dusty boxes at Liverpool's Unitarian Church, Ullet Road in 2019. This is enriched by our wider collection of artefacts, photographs and documents that cover the history of The Florrie and the wider L8 community”.
There will be many photographs from the 1950 - 1970s and interviews recorded during the restoration project and process. Florrie Radio will broadcast historic interviews and recordings throughout the day and collect people's memories too.
For more than 130 years, the Florrie has been at the heart of its community since it was constructed by philanthropist, Magistrate and Mayor of Liverpool, Bernard Hall in 1889. He named the building in memory of his daughter, Florence, who died at the age of 22.
It was built as a place of recreation and instruction for the poor and working boys of the district. The magnificent building stood the test of time and was identified as a building at risk in 2001. The building was at the centre of the ECHO's Stop The Rot campaign, which aimed to bring back neglected buildings into use.
The Florence Institute Trust Ltd. was formed in 2005. They were the accountable body that took the project forward and eventually made the regeneration a reality.
The Prince of Wales, on a visit to heritage sites in Liverpool in 2006, heard of the Florrie's plight and pledged support through The Prince’s Regeneration Trust. After hard work and surviving a fire they eventually (in 2012) reopened their doors 24 years after closing.
Ian said: "As a Grade II listed building, specialist contractors were used to ensure the integrity of the venue was retained whilst being developed into a multi-purpose space that would serve the needs of the community and city for years to come. The Prince of Wales kept to his promise and came back to The Florrie in January 2013 to officially reopen the building."
You can meet the old boys and two guided tours of the building on Friday at 11am and 1pm. Tommy said: "Come along and see this jewel in the South End crown for yourself.”
For information visit the Florrie Website.
