Volunteers at a Knowle West parenting charity were in tears after hearing their last hope for funding had failed.

Parentline Plus, based at The Park centre in Daventry Road, Knowle West, is a local branch of a national charity but is set to close next week after the loss of £50,000 a year in grants from the Government Parenting Fund.

With appeals to Bristol South MP Dawn Primarolo and an online petition, workers and parents at the charity have been fighting for rescue funding. But a letter from Bristol City Council this week said they were unable to assist.

Volunteer Shirley Andrews, 53, of Knowle Park, said: "I wrote to Dawn Primarolo and she had written to the council and now we have had the reply saying they can't help.

"It says there were lots of Bristol applications for grants from the Parenting Fund."

"They give a list of other organisations that are receiving help. More money has gone to many other charities that help fewer parents than we do.

"We asked for £50,000 a year and we help 500 parents – in terms of value for money how can they justify that?"

The service helps about 500 local parents and grandparents each year who are struggling to cope with behaviourally challenged children, those facing having their children taken into care because of drug or alcohol problems and grandparents who have become the main carers for grandchildren.

In her reply to Dawn Primarolo, Claudia McConnell, service director for health partnership and commissioning, wrote: "While we are always concerned when a provider closes in Bristol, I hope we can reassure you that our commitment to supporting parents in Bristol is not at risk and that we have endeavoured to provide as much support to Parentline Plus as we are able to."