After my recent 5K for Gingerbread, I've got the running bug (don't expect it to last) and will be doing one final lap with my Gingerbread colleagues to get in the festive spirit, build up some team spirit (and an appetite for the snacking season) and get more support for our vital services, including our Single Parent Helpline, expert advice and information, training programmes and peer support services, that help reduce isolation and loneliness. 

Christmas can be an incredibly challenging time for single parent families, who are:

• owed £4 billion in child maintenance
• twice as likely to be living in poverty 
• twice as likely to experience fuel poverty
• in the three lowest paid occupation types (68%) - despite most being in work 
• in debt - 74% of single parent households have financial liabilities
  

We're running one more time this year to shout about the everyday brilliance of single parents and celebrate the amazing work of Gingerbread staff after a challenging year. 

What better way of recognising 100 years of fighting, campaigning, myth-busting, researching, supporting and advising than to see some sweaty Santas Gingerbread run round central London?  

We can't deliver our services without the support of people like you. Thank you for your amazing support this Christmas.