A Bradford homelessness charity is preparing to fold in March after 30 years supporting lone-parent families in the city.

The Gingerbread Housing Project, which provides temporary supported accommodation for single-parent families, is set to lose two major contracts, totalling about £160,000, from the Council’s Supporting People fund.

It is believed the project will have to close at the end of March, unless it manages to secure some cash in the next few weeks.

Gingerbread, based in Barkerend, supported around 100 families throughout 2011, including nine over the Christmas period, and project manager Corine Campbell has now warned that next year may be a “bleak” one for those who have previously relied on its support.

She said it was thanks to “the generosity of national and local organisations and businesses and the hard work of the volunteers, staff and management teams”, that the charity was able to support so many families.

“All those contacts we’ve built up over the years with organisations will be lost, and the relationships we have built up with the people we support,” she said.

“It’s too sad in this current climate – we are supposed to be keeping families together.”

The organisation has accommodation for ten families, supports some in their own homes and continues to support former service users at “special times like Christmas”, she said.

Over the festive period it provided gifts and dinner for the families it supports, with Bradford-based greeting cards giant Hallmark supplying Christmas cards, and festive grocery shopping made possible by Fair Shares and In Kind Direct. A donation by Sovereign Healthcare funded a party for younger children.

Moira Wilson, Bradford Council’s strategic director for adult and community services, said: “Gingerbread Housing Project were informed last June that their funding would not be renewed.

“We are working with them to ensure that all those who use the service get alternative support.”