Cathedral set to hand out £168k to big raft of causes this Sunday

The money, raised during the 2018 annual Black Santa fundraising drive, is primarily going to go to groups which work with mentally-ill people and homeless people.

The money is to be officially presented at a service on Sunday at 3.30 at St Anne’s Anglican cathedral at the north end of Belfast city centre.

The drive has been going on for over four decades, and sees passers-by drop in handfuls of cash to St Anne’s dean, clad in a thick black cape to keep out the cold.

A preliminary count in January came up with an estimated total of £160,000. Now this has been revised upward to £168,000.

Among the donations in 2018 was one anonymously-given envelope containing more than £31,000 in £20 notes.

All grants range from £550 to £1,000.

Some of the larger charities to benefit include Shelter, the Simon Community and the Welcome Organisation, and smaller charities include The Wave Project, which offers ‘surf therapy’ for young people.