Antrim Rural Deanery raises £2,307 for Operation Smile

Thursday September 12th 2024

Clergy in Antrim Rural Deanery with the cheque for Operation Smile. They are, from left: The Rev Jonny Campbell-Smyth, Rural Dean; Archdeacon Stephen McBride; the Rev Claire Thompson; the Rev John Farr; the Rev Ian Magowan and the Rev Jeremy Mould.

Antrim Rural Deanery has raised £2,307 for Operation Smile, a charity which provides support and life-changing surgery to children suffering with a cleft palate or cleft lip.

Each Lent, the churches within the Antrim Rural Deanery meet for midweek services, as a time of worship, reflection, and fellowship. Parishioners travel around the churches in the Deanery each week. As an act of their worship, the Deanery is encouraged to support a charity in their giving.

This year, the Deanery supported Operation Smile. A child suffering with a cleft palate or cleft lip finds it extremely difficult to speak and eat, and Operation Smile is provides surgery, speech and language therapy, dentistry, and psychosocial care to patients.

Though the weekly Lenten services, the Deanery has been able to give Operation Smile a donation of £2,307.

Chloe Woolford, Partnership Officer for Operation Smile said: “I want to thank the Rural Deanery for the recent donation – this donation will make a huge difference to children’s lives around the world. Please extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone for their kindness and dedication to fundraising for us, it really is such a kind and generous gesture.

“With your donation, we will be able to offer an incredible 15 children with timely surgery so they can receive proper treatment for their cleft condition. This truly is remarkable so thank you for offering them this.”

Speaking of the fundraising effort, Antrim Rural Dean, the Rev Jonny Campbell-Smyth, said: “It is truly incredible that parishioners across our Deanery have been so generous. Their kindness and Christian love to those less fortunate in our world is a witness of the love that we know comes from our Father God. I have no doubt that this kindness will continue as we consider next year’s Lenten Services.”