Church House staff support 'Black Santa'
Staff at Church House, Belfast, have raised £255 for the Dean of Belfast's traditional 'Black Santa' sit out which begins later in December.
Lorraine and Nikki from accounts got busy once again and hosted a Christmas Coffee Break where a beautiful selection of jewellery, cards and Christmas crafts were on sale. There was also a "Guess the name of the snowman" competition, but that particular secret has yet to be revealed!
The "Black Santa" tradition at Belfast Cathedral was started by Dean Sammy Crooks in 1976. Concerned at the emphasis being placed on necessary and costly building programmes at the Cathedral, Dean Crooks decided to stand on Donegal Street in front of the Cathedral and beg for the poor and charitable causes.
With a small barrel in which donations could be placed, and dressed in the familiar black, Anglican clerical cloak, Dean Crooks "sat out" each day of the week before Christmas. Thus began the tradition of Belfast's Deans sitting out for charities. The local press described Dean Crooks as, Belfast's Black Santa, and the description struck a lasting chord with the public.
Dean Crooks was succeeded by Dean Jack Shearer who involved members of the Cathedral Chapter in the Sit out. Under his leadership the event continued to develop so that by his last Sit out in 2000, a total of £2.2 million pounds had been raised for charities over the previous 24 years.