The 49^th Annual Belfast Black Santa Sitout will be held this year from Monday 15^th to Wednesday 24^th December, 2025, when the Dean of Belfast, Stephen Forde, will once again take to the steps of St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast to raise funds to support local and international charities.

Dean Stephen said:

"For my 8^th year as Belfast’s Black Santa, I look forward to raising much needed funds to support local charities across our province for the wonderful and life changing work which they each do. It was 49 years ago when Dean Sammy Crooks held the first Cathedral Sitout in 1976. This year, I know that once more the people of Belfast and far beyond will take this Appeal to their hearts and you will be as generous as ever."

"In 2024 I was overwhelmed that we were able to raise over £210,000 which was distributed to 106 local charities, each with a registered income of less that £250,000. These are the smaller charities, which do not have their own fund raising departments, but which each offer incredible support to their own local communities.

And as in each of the past 49 years, we also made our single overseas donation to support the incredible work of Christian Aid, who in 2025 have celebrated their 80^th anniversary year. In September of this year I had the opportunity to visit Kenya and Burundi in East Africa with the CEO and Chair of Christian Aid Ireland to see for myself how your donations make a life changing difference to communities who experience extreme poverty, and the consequences of brutal civil war.

However, in addition to the wide range of charities supported annually, each year the Black Santa Appeal has a special focus on a group of charities working in a particular area. For the 2025 Black Santa Appeal, this focus will be on Charities working with three groups of people:

• Charities which support individuals with a diagnosis of Motor Neuron Disease (MND)
• Charities which support individuals with a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Charities which support Children with a diagnosis of Arthritis.

Each of these conditions is life changing, and in many cases will become progressively more severe. A diagnosis can be devastating. Sometimes even the fittest of sports personalities can be given such a diagnosis that will impact every aspect of their own life, and that of their closest families. For many who live with such a diagnosis, life can become increasingly isolated for themselves and those who provide their day to day care. That is why charities working in these fields provide such vital and important support, day and night.

I hope that, despite the continued economic difficulties which we all face, the generosity of individuals, companies and organisations will mean that we can exceed the amazing total of £210,000 raised in 2024.

So for whatever donation you can make, large or small, on behalf of myself and every one of the charities you will be supporting 'Thank you'"