Arms: Party per esse argent and azure, in chief a pile vair and on a canton gules a bell argent, in base a ship with sails set argent on waves of the sea proper. The window marks the contribution of those Belfast citizens to the anti-fascist forces during the Spanish Civil War from 1936 – 1939.About 320 Irish volunteers fought against Franco’s forces as members of the XV International Brigade. Of these, forty-eight were born in Belfast. Twelve died in Spain. The Spanish Civil War became for many an opportunity to stand against the growth of fascism. Men and women from all over the world answered the call to defend democracy and their working class counterparts.

Working conditions in the mills were horrendous, wages were low, hours were long, health poor and life expectancy low. Women outnumbered male workers but were paid much less, and employers often issued the women with fines for laughing, singing or even adjusting their hair to keep wages low.

We will just have to put a little bit of extra effort in,” he added. “We’ve been recruiting extra volunteers for sorting, we’ve got a lot more collection spots opening right across the city. So we’re hopeful and conservatively confident that actually we will be able to meet that extra demand because that’s the reason we’re here.” The coat of arms of Belfast, now capital of Northern Ireland, was granted officially on 30 June 1890, [1] although it has been used from 1643. [2] Overview [ edit ] Belfast City Hall is located right in the heart of the city in Donegall Square. It’s a 5-minute walk from St George’s Market and a 25-minute walk from both Crumlin Road Gaol and the Botanic Gardens. 2. Opening hours and admission The vair-along with the supporting wolf-is taken from the arms of Sir Arthur Chichester, the founder of Belfast as it exists today, who obtained the city's charter from James I in 1613. The ship tells of Belfast's pre-eminence as a seaport, as do the seahorses, and the bell is canting. The motto means "What return shall we make for so much?", and is a paraphrase of a verse from Psalm 116. Throughout history women have made a diverse and invaluable contribution to Belfast, playing a significant role in shaping the city. Belfast City Council’s Women’s Steering Group commissioned the window after a notice of motion to council which was supported by all the political parties to celebrate, recognise and pay tribute to the outstanding contribution by the city’s women.

At the present time we have received requests for 17,000 coats. That’s about 50 per cent up on normal for this stage a couple of weeks before the campaign,” said Meech. While coat donations are usually for people experiencing homelessness, the range of people expected to need support is set to widen due to the cost of living crisis. Image: HandsOn London Don’t have cash to spare or enough time to volunteer? Help raise awareness on social media by sharing charity posts or using hashtags to signpost those in need to others who may have a winter coat they no longer need. They played a significant role at home, raising awareness to support the democratic cause abroad. The Spanish Civil War Window was unveiled by the Right Honourable Lord Mayor Councillor Arder Carson on the 24 November 2015. The window was designed, manufactured and installed by Alpha Glass with the agreement of all of the political parties on the council. There’s also several yearly events that take place here, like the very popular Belfast Christmas Marketsand the Lightening event. 1. Take a guided tour (not running in 2021) Elsewhere charity Care4Calais is on a mission to provide a warm winter coat to every refugee in the UK and France. By donating at one of their many drop-off points, your coat will help someone facing uncertainty stay warm in the cold months.Now in its fifth winter, Take One Leave One is returning in 2022 with the same simple concept that made it such a hit in previous years. Only a Pavement Away’s Winter Warmth campaign runs through the National Winter Warmth Week from November 14 to 20. The precise origins and meanings of the symbols contained on the Coat of Arms are unknown. But images such as the bell, the seahorse, the ship and the chained wolf were all used by 17th century Belfast merchants on their signs and coinage. The seahorse, which is used twice, shows the maritime importance of Belfast, as does the ship at the base of the shield. Wrap Up is a nationwide coat donation drive run by charity Human Appeal in Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Bradford, Glasgow, Leicester and London.

The council’s Women’s Steering Group worked with the women’s movement across the city and a local historian to develop the window which is an illustration of Belfast women mill workers, and signifies the struggles that women have faced throughout history, some of which still exist today. Get the latest news and insight into how the Big Issue magazine is made by signing up for the Inside Big Issue newsletter What if I don’t have a spare coat to donate? City Hall is open daily from 7am to 7pm during the winter months and from 7am to 9pm in the summer months. It’s completely free to enter the City Hall and there are even free public tours available as well. 3. The tour HandsOn London chief executive Jon Meech told The Big Issue he has already seen the cost of living impacting on demand for coats in 2022.The group collects coats and blankets as well as essential toiletries to distribute to homeless hostels and shelters from November to February. It’s for anyone who feels they need a coat, they can come and get one and this isn’t about judging. It’s really about cutting out that middleman.” I think the cost of living is going to have a big effect, particularly on food banks and family centres – we’ve had a couple of new family centres that have said: “Is that something we could support them with for some of their local residents and older people?” In 1888 Queen Victoria granted Belfast the status of the city and it was agreed that a grand and magnificent building was required to reflect this new status. City Hall opened its doors on the first of August 1906, at a time of unprecedented prosperity and industrial might for the city. Edward VII - Portrait of King Edward VII 1906. A tablet appears below with the inscription, “1840 by municipal corporations (Ireland) act; the constitution of the corporation was changed. George Dunbar, first Mayor."

Located inside Belfast City Hall, this café provides training and work experience for people with a learning disability or autism and all profits go to NOW Group, a social enterprise supporting employment for disabled people. The café has some great food on the menu with breakfast and lunch options ranging from sweet to savoury. History of Belfast City Hall Coat of arms of Moyses Hill, a burgess mentioned in the original charter - A silver and green shield consisting of three gold lions and three gold shells with blue medieval armour above. Historic tablet below reads “1899 Belfast for assize purposes made a country borough and became the county of the city of Belfast. Sir James Henderson, first High Sheriff”. This year will be Wrap Up’s eighth year with collections running from November 7 to 21. Last year the group collected over 5,200 coats and supported 38 charities covering almost 23,000 people.The Belfast City Hall tours take about an hour and are led by an experienced guide who explains the interesting history of the building and grounds. There is also an audio guide that you can use for the visitor exhibition. Tours are free but donations are welcome. 4. The Bobbin Coffee Shop The symbols probably have their roots in seventeenth century Belfast as these are found on tokens used by merchants of that time – for example, the bell, the ship, the sea-horse and the chained wolf are all found on the money of Belfast merchants. It is probable that the arms were composed from the merchant’s signs or that the merchants themselves took parts of the arms for use on their coinage. The official Belfast City Hall tours are the best way to uncover the history of the city’s iconic building. The free tours are led by expert guides who take you through the main parts of the grounds to give you a complete look into the history and features of the building.