The Chronicle reports today on the sales of a number of houses by the Bournemouth Churches Housing Association.

So what, some may think. The devil is in the detail. The four houses were originally bought by Winchester Churches Housing Group, also known as Keystone. Those with long memories will recall it was set up around 35 years ago in response to the growing problem of homelessness that had also sseen the evolution of the Trinity Centre, then based in Upper Brook Street, and the Winchester Churches Nightshelter, now known as the Beacon.

When Keystone realised it was too small to thrive in the 21st century it looked for a partner with similar values. Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA) seemed to fit the bill. Yet within a couple of years it was starting to sell its Winchester properties, the home to 20 people. Four have gone, raking in £2.1m. The last is in St Johns Road and the association is seeking to evict the four vulnerable tenants, as reported in the Chronicle last month. As four one-bedroom flats it could reach around £650,000.

This is an appalling breach of faith. Generous people did not make donations to help with homelessness in Dorset, laudable though that is. They left or donated money to help with homelessness in Winchester.

The Bournemouth Churches Housing Association will argue that it has to look at the bigger picture and selling expensive properties in Winchester will enable it to help more people in Bournemouth.

But that is missing the point; their actions are a betrayal of the initial impulse of largely Christian-based generosity, hence the name of the organisation.

In a statement the BCHA blandly said: "Over time, the services BCHA has provided in Winchester have diminished", justifying its decision to sell. Tell that to the four people it is seeking to evict in St Johns Road. The BCHA stance is akin to a man murdering his parents and then pleading for mercy on the grounds he is an orphan. BCHA knew what it was getting into when it took on Keystone. It has cut it services and then using that to justify its actions. It is the author of any misfortune that has seen it want to cash in on its properties.

The sadness is that any future potential benefactor will think twice before committing their money to a supposedly local cause.