21.12.2020
20th Dublin Black Santa Sit Out Underway at St Ann’s Church
Archbishop Michael Jackson and Dublin’s Lord Mayor Hazel Chu were at St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street today (Monday December 21) to formally launch the 2020 Black Santa Sit Out.
2020 marks the 20th anniversary of the Black Santa Sit Out in Dublin. Over that time the annual appeal has raised over €700,000 for local good causes.
In normal times, the Vicar, Canon David Gillespie, and caretaker, Fred Deane, are a familiar sight outside the city centre church joined by a host of volunteers bearing buckets and accompanied by numerous choirs who bring festive cheer.
This year is very different. There can be no choirs and many who make a special trip to St Ann’s to make their donation may not be able to do so.
But both Canon Gillespie and Fred were more determined than ever to ensure that the appeal went ahead. “This year, more than ever, the charities supported by Black Santa need our support,” they said. “We are lucky to be able to collect and we are relying on the generosity of those who are passing by St Ann’s and those online to make donations.”
The team of volunteers will be on the street collecting up until Christmas Eve. In addition this year for the first time there is the option to donate online on the St Ann’s website www.stann.dublin.anglican.org
As always, every cent donated goes directly to the charities supported by Black Santa. These include the Salvation Army, The Simon Community and the Peter McVerry Trust, all of which work with homeless people and also Protestant Aid, Barnardo’s, St Vincent De Paul, the Laura Lynn Foundation and the Solas Project.
Black Santa in Dublin is modelled on a similar appeal, which has been run by successive Deans of St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast for many years. It has become known as the Black Santa appeal because of the long heavy black cloaks worn by the clergy to keep out the cold. All the charities supported by Black Santa do invaluable work and every cent donated to the appeal is divided among them.
At the weekend a special recorded concert from St Stephen’s Church was released to highlight the appeal. You can watch it here.
