![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Gareth-with-son-Charley-e1749653327383.jpg\")
Gareth with son, Charley<\/p>\nA Liverpool photographer has raised more than \u00a35,000 for the Liverpool Spirit Appeal with a spectacular image of the city taken on the day of the LFC Victory Parade.<\/p>\n
The photograph, shot from Birkenhead, shows the iconic skyline of Liverpool and the majestic cruise ship Queen Anne which had arrived the same day for Cunard\u2019s 185th anniversary celebrations.<\/p>\n
With the Three Graces in the foreground and the cruise line\u2019s newest vessel on the left, the familiar grey landmarks are framed by a sea of red as flares and fireworks lit up The Strand and waterfront.<\/p>\n
And award-winning cameraman Gareth Jones was deluged with so many requests from people wanting to buy the photo that he decided to make it available for donations that would go to the Liverpool Spirit Appeal, raising money to help those most affected by the devastating incident which happened soon after on May 26.<\/p>\n
Gareth says:<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a gesture of goodwill to bring some joy to a day which had started off with happiness, but which ended in tears.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d had hundreds of emails and people writing to me, asking if they could buy the print. But I thought instead of me making money, why don\u2019t I make it available to people digitally so they can print it themselves, however they want, and raise money for the appeal.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought it might make about \u00a3500 \u2013 and it\u2019s incredible that it\u2019s made so much more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gareth was commissioned to take the photograph by Cunard, who wanted to capture the scenes in the city on such a historic day.<\/p>\n
Gareth with son, Charley<\/p>\n
The 51-year-old father of three from Ainsdale had to climb to the top of the Queensway Tunnel\u2019s main ventilation shaft in Woodside to get the image which soon went viral after it was released.<\/p>\n
\u201cCunard arranged for authorisation from Merseytravel to go up the vent with someone who works there because it\u2019s a climb. There are ladders and steps to get to it; it\u2019s not brilliantly accessible with a backpack and camera!<\/p>\n
\u201cI was up there for a couple of hours in the rain and, as soon as I took the picture, Cunard issued it to local media. Sadly, the incident happened on Water Street about 15 minutes after I\u2019d taken it and everything changed.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Gareth goes on:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe picture had already gone out and everyone started to message me and write to me on LinkedIn, Instagram and X saying it was a fantastic picture, and they wanted to buy it. My social media went berserk.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I spoke to Cunard who agreed it was a great idea to make it available to raise money for the families affected in the incident and that, as I owned the copyright, I would do it off my own back with support from them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI put it up last Friday and now it\u2019s made over \u00a35,000 \u2013 with Gift Aid it will be a lot more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gareth, who\u2019s worked for local and national media in the past and is now a commercial and wedding photographer, smiles as he reveals some have suggested the photo is doctored, but he says: \u201cBelieve me it\u2019s a real image. It was a grey day and then all the flares and pyros went off together.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was it. I just thought, well that worked out well. It had impact \u2013 and when it went out to the press it went viral.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m an Evertonian \u2013 so it\u2019s quite bizarre that I\u2019ve maybe got more Reds followers than Blue now \u2013 but I think, for me, it shows we are all together. It doesn\u2019t matter if you\u2019re Liverpool or Everton, it\u2019s one city.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo many people wrote to me and were so nice with comments about how amazing the photo was and how it brought them such happiness. It was nice for me to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m still getting emails now and I\u2019m sending the image out to people via We Transfer so the quality is there \u2013 one guy\u2019s created a huge mural of it for his back garden, and people are saying it will make a great present for Father\u2019s Day!<\/p>\n
\u201cThe skyline is iconic and for a Liverpool fan to have that, showing Liverpool FC and the city in one shot, is wonderful, and if it was Everton it would be the same. It just captures a moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Follow Gareth on his Instagram page @photogarethj<\/p>\n
Gareth has suggested a minimum donation of \u00a320 for the photograph. To get a digital copy go to his Just Giving page<\/a>. Find out what\u2019s good up North on our new platform, The Northern Guide.\u00a0
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