Saintfield’s ‘Wise Men’ aid charity

Saintfield’s ‘Wise Men’ aid charity

1 January 2014

THREE men who braved the cold in a 24-hour sit-out in Saintfield have helped raise £10,000 for the Syrian crisis.

The ‘Three Wise Men’ event in front of Saintfield Parish Church saw local people dig deep in support of the fundraiser running between 12pm on Friday, December 20, to 12pm the following day.

The Rev. Chris Pollock was joined by Sexton Ian Gordon and parishioner Johnny Harper, who recently carried out a 12-hour sit-out for the Simon Community.

Mr. Pollock said sleeping bags, heavy coats, winter woollies and big snow boots sustained them and that the generosity of local people kept spirits high.

He said they were also very aware that Syrian refugees and their families were suffering in freezing temperatures after months of conflict in the region.

“They are sitting 24 hours a day in the cold,” he said of the humanitarian crisis.

“You want to draw people’s attention to this at Christmas and Saintfield the people are very good at responding.

“Through Unicef if you raise a pound for Syria the government also donates a pound, so you double the donations.”

Mr. Pollock explained that £3,600 had been raised in the sit-out and £1,400 at a church lunch, making a total of £5,000, which was doubled to £10,000 through UNICEF.

“Saintfield has been amazing,” he said. “From children giving, to people giving up bags of coins, everyone seems to have responded.

“Instead of Saintfield having ‘Three Wise Men’ we have a Saintfield full of wise people who realised that Christmas isn’t all about what you get but what you can give and share. 

“As a Christian family in Saintfield, it makes God real and the way he works in people for others real as well.”