The annual ‘Black Santa’ Christmas appeal has raised £150,000

The recent ‘Black Santa’ Christmas appeal at St Anne’s cathedral in Belfast has raised £150,000 to support the vital work of charities across Northern Ireland.
Dean Stephen Forde, St Anne’s cathedralDean Stephen Forde, St Anne’s cathedral
Dean Stephen Forde, St Anne’s cathedral

This will be distributed to around 200 organisations at the annual ‘Good Samaritans’ service, which returns in person in the cathedral on Sunday February 6. The 2021 service was held virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The ‘Black Santa’ sit-out on the Cathedral steps has been going for 45 years and cathedral Dean, the Rev Stephen Forde, said the sum raised had exceeded his expectations.

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“On December 23, having reached £100,000, I issued the challenge for us to hit £150,000, and it is amazing that we achieved this,” said the Dean.

“The £150,000 total came in a year of restricted footfall with the covid pandemic and when many of the cathedral’s major events had been cancelled because of restrictions.

“The figure received this year compares with the £120,000 raised last year,” added Dean Forde.

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