Projects in Down & Dromore benefit from Black Santa
The annual Good Samaritans’ Service in St Anne’s Cathedral on Sunday February 5 was indeed a ‘day for joy,’ as predicted by the Dean of Belfast, the Very Revd John Mann.
More than 200 cheques totalling over £180,000 were presented to representatives of charities in the community and voluntary sector during the special service.
The money was raised during the 2011 Black Santa sit–out which took place in the week before Christmas and involved the Dean and members of the Cathedral Chapter.
Some projects in Down and Dromore were beneficiaries – Kilkeel Parish Bridge Association, CAP Belfast, Saintfield Parish Wednesday Youth Drop–In, Willowfield Parish Community Association, The Men’s Ministry at Willowfield Parish Church, The Dock at Titanic and Seagoe Children’s Club. Click here to see a gallery of photos. Pete Smith, a parishioner of Seagoe, also received a cheque on behalf of Xpression Portadown which he helps to lead.
During the Good Samaritans’ Service, the three distinguished guests who had each given up their time to present the cheques all paid tribute to Dean Mann and his team.
BBC newsreader and presenter Donna Traynor, who presented the cheques to organisations working with children and youth, was applauded warmly when she told the congregation that thanks were due to the Dean and his team who had stood on the Cathedral steps all day for a week collecting funds on the charities’ behalf.
Lady Rachael Gregson, who supports a number of charitable endeavours, presented cheques to community service groups. She thanked Dean Mann for his incredible fundraising efforts and said the number of charitable organisations present at the service was an indication of the way people in Northern Ireland care for others.
Cheques for work with family related groups, medical organisations and international projects were distributed by Professor Alastair Adair, Pro Vice–Chancellor of the University of Ulster. “What a good news story this is,” Professor Adair said. He thanked all who had contributed to the Black Santa Appeal and the charities for the work they do.
Extending his thanks to Dean Mann and his team, the Professor said: “Since meeting the new Dean I have been inspired by his vision for the future of the Cathedral and for a shared future in Northern Ireland.”
Dean Mann was installed as Dean in August 2011, and this was his first year as Black Santa.
Welcoming the distinguished guests and all the charity representatives to the service, the Dean said holding a special service for the presentation of the Black Santa cheques was a way of acknowledging not only the generosity of the giver of money, but the generosity of the giver of time, effort and ability.
“We need to celebrate these things and be encouraged by one another,” he said. “The hours of service to the community and further afield that are represented by you all are not for me to praise, I cannot though but stand in awe of the commitment that you share, whatever your particular charitable interest. The work is immense.”
The Dean urged the charitable sector not to accept a Cinderella complex, ‘beautiful and special, working hard in a hidden way with often inadequate resources.’