SUPPORTERS of a charity for disabled children and their parents in Edinburgh are hoping they could be the subject of a last-minute reprieve after a carol-singing protest at the city’s council chambers.

Kindred’s helpline supports more than 500 families of disabled children every year, but director Sophie Pilgrim says it now faces closure after being blocked from applying for funding.

Ms Pilgrim claims a tendering exercise held by the council includes £206,000 in funding for a parent information service, but only as part of a wide £1.2m contract for other services for disabled children.

The small charity does not have the scale to provide the full contract, but claims no other organisation can offer the same parent-led support it delivers.

Attempts by the charity to enter a joint bid with a larger children’s charity were rebuffed, she said., and now Kindred’s grassroots service could be lost.

Nearly 2,000 people signed an online petition after the charity warned the helpline and other services could face closure. Two core members of staff have already been made redundant due to the uncertainty caused by the tender and three more redundancies are planned for January 1.

After the city chambers demonstration Ms Pilgrim said: “I have been advised to plan an exit strategy for Kindred. But the leader and deputy leader of the council listened to our concerns. Hopefully something will come out of that.”