Weather no deterrent for Belfast’s Black Santa

Wednesday December 19th 2012

Dean John Mann, Rev Canon David Humphries and Paul Gilmore on a wet and dark Wednesday morning on the steps of St Anne's.Rain and a sharp wind are no deterrent to Belfast’s Black Santa the Very Rev John Mann as he and his team continue the annual charity sitout on the steps of St Anne’s Cathedral.

The Dean of Belfast, who is still suffering from a nasty parasitic tummy bug he picked up during a fact finding visit to India with Christian Aid, has been encouraged by the support he is receiving so far.

A £3,000 anonymous cash donation dropped into the Cathedral last Friday got the 36th annual sitout, which began at 8.30am on Saturday December 15, off to a great start, and by the end of Tuesday evening the total raised was around £77,000.

Canons Neil Cutcliffe and Ken McReynolds, Dean John Mann, former Archbishop Alan Harper and Bishop of Connor Alan Abernethy receive a donation from a Black Santa supporter.As always, the Dean is supported by Cathedral clergy, Canons, Ecumenical Canons and the Bishops of Connor and Down and Dromore. The former Archbishop of Armagh, the Rt Rev Alan Harper, who was previously a Bishop of Connor, turned up to lend his support on a very wet Wednesday afternoon.

The sitout continues daily (except Sunday) until Christmas Eve. You can read Dean Mann’s Black Santa Diary each day in this week’s Belfast Telegraph.

 

 

A bus driver calls Canon Neil Cutcliffe over to receive a donation to the Black Santa appeal.

Black Santa team members Canon Neil Cutcliffe and Bishop Alan Abernethy receive a donation.

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