A Letter from the Chair
Wishing you a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year – from the HoardingUK Team! As we close out the year, we want to thank you all for your continual support, interest and engagement. We couldn’t do what we do without you.
At this time of year, on this side of the planet, the earth reminds us to stop. Dark mornings and short days silently say ‘rest’.
It has been an amazing year! For me, this is further evidence that working step-by-step together brings positive change. So, the team will rest. They deserve to.
From us to you. Rest. Rejuvenate. Renew.
The frenetic nature of the holidays, with its bright lights, can mean we forget to listen to the earth’s stillness that brings strength and solace.
“Peace is a journey of a thousand miles, and it must be taken one step at a time.”
(often attributed to ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu)
-Megan
Become a Trustee
As we move forward into 2026, we are reaching out to our community to become involved.
HoardingUK has been around longer than any other specialist hoarding support organisation in the UK. We have always been the organisation that has provided mental health focused support (even before hoarding was recognised as a mental health condition!). For our many years, we resisted quick-fix solutions. We are not now, nor have we ever been an organisation that focuses on fixing spaces. We have always known, instead, that spaces are fixed by supporting the people in them.
We are at our strongest place in our history operationally, organisationally, financially, and in the breadth of our reach.
Our core group of Trustees is extraordinary and has tirelessly driven our work forward and inspired it with their lived experience of hoarding behaviour, thereby empowering them and us to grow, learn and improve.
Being the Trustee of a ground-up, grassroots organisation requires more than attending meetings. It needs passion, engagement, and skills. Being a Trustee of HoardingUK is an active role. If issues arise, Trustees of HoardingUK support the organisation with advice and guidance to resolve them. When operational decisions are made, the Trustees of HoardingUK have oversight and decision-making powers. The Trustees are not separate from the organisation. The organisation is not independent of the Trustees.
If you are a person with hoarding behaviour, or a professional or other community support, such as family, friends, and neighbours, join us now to help us keep up the amazing work we do – strengthen our ability to do it and support us to continue to grow, learn and improve – then please get in touch with us about becoming a Trustee.
Our ideal would be to have representative people with hoarding behaviour from all communities sitting alongside professionals representative of all fields e.g. Business, Finance, Law, Mental Health, Social Care, Housing, Frontline Services, etc. and, of course, the broader community.
We work with joy, love, to support those we serve and each other. Become a part of our work!
If you are interested, please email trustee@hoardinguk.org
Lonely Times
For people with hoarding behaviours, the pressures and expectations from the outside world can create feelings of shame, fear and panic – often leading to withdrawal rather than connection. This can be some of the loneliest times of the year for people with hoarding behaviours.
If you have a loved one that you want to support through the festive season, click the link below to read a blog on how you can do it with compassion and understanding.
Membership Benefit Survey
Since HoardingUK began, we have been a membership organisation. It is because of our members, who have stayed engaged and supported us, that we have been able to do what we do best — empower people who hoard and bring partners together for even greater support.
But there’s always room for improvement, and we’re looking to enhance and expand our efforts, so HoardingUK is conducting a Membership Benefit Survey.
Please take a moment to complete this survey: your voices and views can lead the way forward for HoardingUK.
Your Online Communities
Choice and Control in Hoarding Behaviour Training
Chairing Postive Change
Motivational Interviewing Training
Join us for an inspiring Motivational Interviewing Open Day on Thursday, 25th September, from 10:00-16:30, and enhance your skills!
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.
HUK Helpline
Sign up for 27 45-minute sessions on a weekly, fortnightly and then monthly basis through our Helpline. We offer the service free of charge, but are asking people to make a donation of any amount to support our important work.
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.
User Involvement Group Meetings
This event is intended for HoardingUK users, including people who have utilised our services or attended our training courses.
If you are a user and have suggestions about how we can improve our services, we encourage you to join us here and give your valued feedback.
Dawn
Reviewing Place in the Space
“A helpful meeting to be with others struggling with clutter.“