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I AM BUILDING A WIND PHONE, AND I NEED YOUR HELP.
My name is Jessica Dives and I am a musician, storyteller and creative based in Liverpool.
Here's a quick fire of info for you...
WHAT IS A WIND PHONE?
A Disconnected Phone line for users to call lost loved ones.
WHO IS IT FOR?
You!
The Community.
Whether you live here permanently or are just travelling through... if you have need of the Wind Phone, then the Wind Phone is for you - a place to send words out to someone you have lost.
WHERE IS IT GOING TO BE?
The Gardens of The Reader, Calderstones Park, Liverpool. This will be a private area, accessible on request for those wishing to use the phone.
WHEN ARE YOU BUILDING IT?
April 2026! Launch event details to follow.
WHY DO YOU NEED MONEY?
Wind phone's are often simple structures. But this still takes time and effort to create.
The funds are going towards: Artists time; building materials; marketing costs; releasing the song to accompany this project; and holding the launch event. And that is just the beginning... read more below...
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A few years ago, I came across a short documentary buried deep in the pages of BBC news. This documentary shone a light on something in Japan called a Wind Phone: a disconnected phone booth, nestled in someone's back garden, available for those who wanted to come and call loved ones who had died. (you can find the original documentary here )
I was profoundly moved by this concept.
As a songwriter, I ended up writing a song about The Wind Phone which I am looking forward to sharing with you all officially in the new year.
As I started sharing this song at live events, I realised that others also found relief and comfort in to words and concept. The song has since won some songwriting awards but I believe this is only evidence of the profound universal power of grief and loss.
(you can listen to a live version here if you like)
It seems thousands around the world have also been moved by the concept because, since then, Wind Phones have popped up all over the world. You don't need to know much about them to agree that a place to dial a familiar telephone number again and imagine speaking to a lost loved one is a beautiful use of space.
You can find all of the Wind Phones of the world here, at https://www.mywindphone.com/
But as you can see:
WE DON'T HAVE A WIND PHONE IN LIVERPOOL
So, I have decided to build a Wind Phone in the North West!
It will be open to the public to use in Calderstones Park accessed through The Reader.
Even though this project is in its beginnings, there are already some beautiful and brilliant local creatives involved in helping me make this a reality.
Our aim is to build and open the Wind Phone in time for spring 2026!
We’d better get to it...
COSTS INVOLVED
For me this is more than just building the phone and placing it somewhere. This is an on-going community project.
Grief has the power to connect us and form it's own kind of community.
Though I am doing my best to keep costs down, I am in need of financial help to implement the project to the quality and standard it deserves; and to pay the brilliant local artists involved.
I am looking to fund:
- The cost of designing and making the Wind Phone.
- Designing, printing and distributing a Zine to be sold in The Reader and online, comprising local artists' poetry and writing on the subject of 'Words on The Wind'.
- An opening event for the Wind Phone.
- on-going creative writing workshops for the community, aimed at encouraging responsive and reflective writing as a way of coping with grief and loss.
- Funding the release of The Wind Phone song, to accompany and support this project and keep spreading the word.
£1000 will fund...
- The cost of materials for building the Wind Phone.
- The money to pay an artist to make the item bespoke and weather proof.
£2000 will fund...
- The cost of materials for building the Wind Phone.
- The money to pay an artist to make the item bespoke and weather proof.
- A launch event to open The Wind Phone, working with the local community - raising awareness of the project.
- Marketing and press to get the word out!
£3000 will fund...
- The cost of materials for building the Wind Phone.
- The money to pay an artist to make the item bespoke and weather proof.
- A launch event to open The Wind Phone, working with the local community - raising awareness of the project.
- Marketing and press to get the word out!
- The release of the Song, The Wind Phone.
£4000 + will fund...
- The cost of materials for building the Wind Phone.
- The money to pay an artist to make the item bespoke and weather proof.
- A launch event to open The Wind Phone, working with the local community - raising awareness of the project.
- Marketing and press to get the word out!
- The release of the Song, The Wind Phone.
- The production of a zine, compiling local people's words and poetry on grief, to be sold and ultimately raise money for Liverpool Bereavement Services and Support for those dealing with loss.
- Setting up a programme of workshops for the community to help dealing with loss and grief through creative practices.
Any small (or big!) amount is welcome... I know that myself, those involved and any callers will be eternally grateful for your part in making this project happen.
Best wishes,
Jessica x