Register now to join the Talking About Talking About Hoarding Conference
12th May 10:00-14:00
HoardingUK’s Annual Conference this year Talking About Talking About Hoarding is kickstarting National Hoarding Awareness Week! The conference will explore the language used to talk about hoarding behaviours and examine the power that words can have to support and inspire others.
Panellists
- ‘That Hoarder’, who is best known for her podcast That Hoarder: Overcome Compulsive Hoarding
- Megan Karnes, founder & chair of HoardingUK
- Carol, a HUK participant in the Gloucester Initiative
- Sharon Degen, HUK Trustee
- Carole Murray, HUK Trustee
- Mandi Simms, HUK Trustee and Ambassador
- Richard Lingwood, HUK Trustee
Other panellists to be confirmed at a later date.
We will also welcome a panel of people with hoarding behaviours to the Talking About Talking About Hoarding Conference to speak about their life experiences*. People with hoarding behaviours have the greatest influence on the language we use to talk about hoarding, so book a spot now to gain a fantastic insight into speaking about Hoarding Disorders with consideration and sensitivity. Professionals are encouraged to attend.
Tickets are £10 to those who can afford it, for those that cannot please consider any other amount as a donation. Thank you for supporting our work.
*If you are a person with hoarding behaviours and interested in attending as a panellist, please contact Natalie at media@hoardinguk.org – participants can remain anonymous.
Short Film Launch
HoardingUK will attend the Leicester-based Animation studio, Kino Bino, release of their crowdfunded short film ‘Of All The Things’. The film seeks to raise awareness and inspire people to seek support. Steff Lee, director, said “I wanted to create a film to show a human side to this condition that is often overlooked as a mental health issue.”
Campaign Launch
Nat Haytayan, our Media Consultant, plans to launch ‘Living in Disorder’, an awareness campaign designed to encourage empathy and reduce public stigma around the disorder. Her goal is to generate more compassionate support networks for people with hoarding behaviours to get the help they need for recovery.
A Letter from the Chair
“Hello, again, hello…”
I’m going to take a moment here to explain my/our silence in this newsletter, our first in a long, long time. The rest of the newsletter will update you more fully as to where we are now.
Firstly, I’d like to thank the Trustees, staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly. Such an amazingly amazing group (you’ll meet them formally below). They believe in what we do and how we do it. Their focus and integrity have ensured the highest standards.
Let me just say, in short, that in the last two plus years operational messes were created – and to me the worst result was that the helpline, which has been a core service since our inception, was gone.
In January I stepped back into acting CEO role. Over the last six months or so we appointed an HR company; a new fundraiser; new accountants; changed databases. The Gloucester Initiative (see more below) was delivered. As such, we are in the strongest position we have been in many years.
For seventeen years HUK has provided a range of ongoing support. Our person-centred, cost effective, time managed services including helpline, advocacy, support group development and our specialist in-home support programmes empowered people and change spaces and lives.
In my heart I feel that the best is yet to come for us and those we serve.
I’m sorry we’ve not been able to reach out, but we’ve been here, nonetheless. Thank you, too, for supporting us through this journey.
Those three words from a Neil Diamond song seem most apt now. It’s a song about missing talking to an old friend and love. So, “hello, again, hello…”
– Megan
Get stuck into…
Your Online Communities
Choice and Control in Hoarding Behaviour Training
Professionals who attend this workshop will have the opportunity to learn more about approaches to supporting people with hoarding behaviours. This training deals with balancing outside intervention with maintaining an individual’s choice and control. We have an upcoming Open Day on June 12th which we are excited to welcome you to.
Chairing Postive Change
A reminder to all subscribers that monthly ‘Chairing Positive Change’ workshops are still taking place on Zoom. All professionals from across services are welcome to attend.
Motivational Interviewing Training
Attendees will explore the key components to Motivational Interviewing techniques, work through case studies and discover ways that can facilitate behavioural changes for people who hoard.
Family, Friends and Others Support Groups
At the request of many, HUK has launched an online support group for family, friends and others who are not professionals to get support, then in turn better support people who hoard. For more information about the impact we’re making, read about here in this Guardian article.
User Involvement Group Meetings
User Involvement Group Meetings will recommence by Friday May 30th. If you have any suggestions about how we can improve our services, please consider registering to join a meeting. We want to hear from you.
Place in the Space Support Group
These monthly psychological and practical support sessions offer a safe space to anyone who hoards who wants to work on managing their space and wellbeing. Please consider joining, no one is required at any point in these sessions to let go of any item explored. If attendance is stated as ‘full’, please reach out to Hui at hui@hoardinguk.org to be placed on the waiting list.
An Update from the Team
Emma
Service Manager
I’m the Services Manager here at HoardingUK. I have a degree in Community Sector Management and previous experience with AgeUK and Social Action for Health. I have been with HUK for six months, since I started, we have hired volunteers for our helpline, advocacy placement volunteers, volunteer counsellors as well as Healthy Homes officers and therapists for our Healthy Homes Program.
I can see massive potential for the Healthy Homes Program to expand, take on more participants and make real changes to peoples’ lives. I am excited for the opportunity to work alongside staff, volunteers and the board, to make this happen.
If you have any queries about our Healthy Homes Project or Helpline Relaunch, please don’t hesitate to contact me at emma@hoardinguk.org
Claudicia
Advocacy Team Manager and Senior Lead Advocate
As an advocate at HoardingUK, I support individuals affected by hoarding behaviours by helping them navigate complex systems, access appropriate services, and have their voices heard. My work involves raising awareness, challenging stigma and promoting person centred approaches to support lasting change.
If you feel that you need support from our advocacy team, please reach out to me at advocacy@hoardinguk.org or read more about what we can do to help you or someone you know on our website. Read more….
Richard
Volunteer
Megan’s trainings enabled me to progress in understanding my friend’s relationship with her belongings. My friend is making significant progress in making the house habitable and safe. It is taking time to work through the backlog of personal issues and house repairs associated with the hoarding behaviour. However my friend says she feels more in control and is enjoying her life.
Since volunteering with HoardingUK, I completed a Level 3 Diploma in Counselling Skills and followed trainings made available by The Gift of Reconnection: Becoming Trauma Informed Gold Level and ZSA Online Suicide Awareness Training. These trainings are useful in my telephone response work at HUK, but also they have helped me to understand myself and therefore to be an informed supporter for people with a hoarding disorder.
Rebecca
Volunteer Advocate
I’m Rebecca, I joined Hoarding UK as a volunteer in October 2024. I am currently interning in the Advocacy team and helping to ensure a smooth transition as we switch data management software.
If you donate to HUK via DonorBox then you will receive a thank you note from me. Thanks for your interest in our work!
Natalie
Media Consultant
Finding a place in HoardingUK was quite a strange journey. As someone who has a family member who has hoarding behaviours, I was initially searching for answers on the disorder and stumbled onto the charity. I had only set out to understand and support my loved one the best way I could but HUK stood out to me: I was inspired by the respect, compassion and empathy that HUK has for people with hoarding behaviours. I wanted to contribute to the positive impact this charity is making in the world, and if I get to use my Graphic Communication degree then that’s just an added bonus!
The HUK Team have been so kind and supportive, I am proud to say that everyone here believes in the cause. I’m just happy to do my bit and help in any way I can.
If you have a story that you’d like to share, please feel free to contact me at media@hoardinguk.org and we can chat.
Helpline Relaunced!
As discussed in the Letter from the Chair, the Helpline relaunched in April 2025. It offers 27 45-minute sessions on a weekly, fortnightly and then monthly basis. We offer the service free of charge, but are asking people to make a donation of any amount to support our important work.
The Healthy Homes Project
The Healthy Homes Project offers person-centred practical support alongside ongoing psychological sessions: resulting in a service that addresses the root causes of the issue, not just touching on the surface-level, and brings lasting change.
If you are a professional, a friend or family member of an individual with hoarding behaviour, or even an individual and are interested in getting support, please contact healthyhomes@hoardinguk.org to learn more about the Healthy Homes Project and how we can support you on your unique path to personal and spacial transformation.
If you’re interested in hearing more about this project, or how Megan is working to make a positive change, please read Amelia Hill’s article in The Guardian.
Mailing List Statement
Due to operational issues discussed herein, we unfortunately only have the last mailing list data. We accept that this may be out of date and as such, if you have been sent this newsletter without your consent please use the link at the bottom of the email to unsubscribe if you wish.
We want to assure anyone who was a member at the time of the disruption, you will remain a member at no charge for the next year as a thank you for staying engaged. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.