Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
St Nicholas leads
The true spirit of Christmas arrived in Canterbury on Saturday in the splendid shape of St Nicholas.
With a spectacular red gown and flowing, white beard to shame any department store Santa, Canon Jim Rosenthal has been recreating the patron saint of children since 2005.
He led the St Nicholas Festival parade through the city centre to a musical fanfare involving local schoolchildren.
St Nicholas was met at the Christ Church Gate and welcomed into the Cathedral by the Dean, the Very Rev Robert Willis, who then led a short carol service.
The rousing parade had assembled at the Westgate Hall at midday and was led by children from Wickhambreaux Primary School.
It took a route around the city centre, including Rose Square for a fanfare from the balcony at Primark, through Whitefriars and onto the Buttermarket, where the Dean and Lord Mayor, Cllr George Metcalfe, were waiting to greet participants.
The St Nicholas Festival was founded by Canon Rosenthal to increase awareness of the life, history and traditions of the saint and to raise money for charities that benefit young people.
Over the past 11 years, it has raised more than £60,000, with several thousand expected to be given to this year’s chosen charities, Kent Refuge Action Network and the Special Needs Advisory and Activities Project, which aims to improve the lives of disabled children and their families.
They are benefiting from £400 collected during the parade, as well as £575 raised at a charity dinner and auction in the Cathedral Lodge in the evening.
Chairman of the Festival trustees Chris Needham said: “It was a cold but bright day and Canterbury was packed with people who enjoyed the traditional spectacle.
“There were no hiccups and we were very pleased with how it went and the money we raised. We were also grateful to have the sponsorship of Waitrose and Primark.
“But putting on the event does take a lot of planning and organisation and I welcome any support new trustees might be able to offer.”