Black Santa grant applications close on November 25

Monday November 21st 2022

Applications for grants from Belfast Cathedral’s Black Santa Christmas Sit-out must be submitted by the closing date of Friday November 25.

The 46^th sit-out will run from December 19-24, and with Donegall Street now reopen to both vehicles and pedestrians in the wake of the fire in Cathedral Buildings on October 3, it will take place as usual on the steps of St Anne’s.

Dean Stephen Forde, who will be doing his fifth sit-out as Black Santa, said that this year, in order to increase the impact of the appeal’s support for local charities, applications are invited from those registered charities whose annual income was £150,000 or less in 2021.

He added that due to the current cost of living crisis, he especially welcomes applications from registered charities supporting the most disadvantaged families and individuals in the community and charities working directly with refugee communities settling in Northern Ireland.

The Black Santa tradition was started in 1976 by Dean Sammy Crooks and has been carried on through the decades by the successive Deans of Belfast.

Download an Application Form.