A CAMPAIGN to halt cuts to a service which supports homeless young people in the county was taken to the streets last week.

The Hereford Times has previously reported that Herefordshire Council is consulting with SHYPP, the Supported Housing for Young People Project, about possible cuts of 66 per cent.

The organisation says that if the cuts go ahead, it will signal the end of all support to young people struggling in their own tenancies, the end of support to young, vulnerable parents and the end of any crisis intervention work taking place to help young people return home or find alternatives to being homeless.

A petition calling for Herefordshire Council to reverse its proposals has garnered more than 2,000 signatures and last week, former service users were among those who helped to spread the word at an event in Hereford's High Town.

Stonewater, a major provider of sheltered housing for vulnerable people in Herefordshire, has also put its weight behind the campaign.

Sue Shirt, executive director for housing with Stonewater, said: "SHYPP provides an absolutely vital support service for homeless and vulnerable people in the county. Seventy per cent of young people we house in the Herefordshire area would have some support or contact with SHYPP’s service.

"These cuts would create a significant loss to Stonewater and result in us being much less likely able to accept vulnerable young people.

"As a result, many young people will end up either homeless or in inappropriate temporary bed and breakfast or bedsit accommodation where they could end up a risk to themselves and the community."

Sam Pratley, managing director for West Mercia Homes, which runs SHYPP, says the organisation has always had an excellent working relationship with Stonewater, who often provide crucial accommodation for young people on the basis that SHYPP will support them to manage.

"This is the same relationship we have internally with our Kemble properties but if vulnerable young people no longer get SHYPP support it does make it very hard for housing providers to continue accepting them,” he said.

SHYPP is asking people to show their support by signing their petition at change.org, which they will present to the key councillor responsible for housing, and to use social media to express their support using the hashtag #SupportSHYPP.

The SHYPP petition can be signed at https://www.change.org/p/cllr-patricia-morgan-support-shypp-to-stop-council-from-cutting-66-of-homelessness-services-to-young-people/c