One of County Down’s most famous sons delivered Christmas cheer to local children earlier this month. Lottery winning bin man Stephen Inglis won £70,000 on a scratch card this summer. As part of a local party, he visited a local community centre dressed as Father Christmas to give out presents. His friends have always known about his generosity, but now the man from Bangor in County Down has shown the spirit of the season to local children near his home. It was part of a celebration of the work of the Lagan VIllage Youth & Community Centre. He praised their work in the community and decided to give something back to the volunteers and users.
Lottery Winning Bin Man Becomes Father Christmas for a Day
The Lagan Village Youth & Community Centre recently received some £5,000 for a street party. BLF allocated the grant after recognising its important work in the community for diversity and helping young people. The appearance of the lottery winning bin man was the icing on the cake for everybody who has worked so hard through 2016. The group has had a great year. Typically, their activities focus on community events designed to bring locals together. Community events are important for fostering cohesion between ages and ethnic groups. However, it is also important in Northern Ireland to bring together Catholic and Protestant families.
The street party will bring together people of other faiths too. It is hoped to forge a new understanding between local people. The involvement of the lottery winning bin man will certainly help the Christmas Wonderland. However, it is not just about bringing people together – but recognising the important volunteering workers that make Lagan Youth & Community Centre’s outreach possible. Stephen Inglis gave out presents to an impressive 120 children this year, marking the beginning of a great Christmas season for the local area.