My name is Alex Haydon. I am an Oxfordshire resident and over the last couple of years I’ve spent time volunteering for charities helping homeless people and people with mental health problems.

In that time it’s become clear to me that events can conspire in people’s lives to cause what seem like insurmountable difficulties – becoming ill, the breakdown of a relationship, the loss of a job – often culminating in the loss of a home. From then on things can just spiral downwards.

I’ve also seen how the dedicated work of skilled specialists putting in the right kind of support can turn this spiral of decline around. Early intervention can prevent the problems from reaching crisis point in the first place with advice, advocacy and support to keep people in their homes. If that point is passed there are services to help with a place to live and the specialist support needed to begin recovery from mental health problems, or maybe drug or alcohol misuse. They are the key starting point for that journey back into the community, into work and most of all into a home. After all, home is the basis for stability for most of us.

It is for this reason that I have started this petition, to support the campaign of Homeless Voice Oxfordshire which aims to persuade Oxfordshire County Council not to impose a cut of 65% in its Housing Related Support budget. That's on top of a 38% cut in 2014.

I do understand the tight squeeze being placed on councils by central government, but I also know that there is no more scope to make savings here. This cut will lead to service closures. If this cut goes ahead homelessness will rise and we risk seeing more vulnerable people on the streets, in prisons, in hospitals or worse.

Homelessness is a problem for the whole of the county. The County Council is the only body capable of offering a strategic, cross county element of the solution. Their contribution is invaluable and must be preserved.

Homeless Voice Oxfordshire are a local group drawn from across our community - professionals in the field, students, faith and community groups - who understand and care about homelessness. I'm proud to be able to be involved in their campaign and I hope you will be able to spare a moment to sign the petition to support it - and homeless people - too.