Council to launch countywide hoarding care and support groups at awareness day event

The Gloucestershire Hoarding Awareness Day, which has been organised by the county council in partnership with HoardingUK, will mark the launch of support groups in each of the county’s districts.

The free event will be held at the Gloucester Guildhall between 1pm and 3pm on Thursday 11 April and will feature presentations on the subject as well as a question-and-answer session.

Hoarding behaviour has been clinically recognised and is characterised by accumulation of possessions that results in living spaces becoming cluttered to the point that their use or safety is compromised. Typically triggered by trauma, this anxiety disorders’ symptoms result in significant distress or impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning.

The new monthly groups aim to help individuals with these difficulties by offering a holistic approach to empower them. Trained enablement co-ordinators will facilitate these sessions.

Sessions had previously been held in Cheltenham and Gloucester, but will now be rolled out in Cirencester, Coleford, Stroud and Tewkesbury.

Several people have already benefited from the ongoing sessions, helping them to find short and long-term ways forward.

One attendee of the drop-in sessions, who has chosen to remain anonymous, said: “People with hoarding disorder have had trauma in their lives.”

“Just getting a skip and getting rid of things doesn’t fix that trauma and I would guarantee that the issue would be a lot worse within a year.”

“The trauma itself needs to be dealt with in order to find solutions that are about the person, as well as the problem.”

Hoarding disorder affects between up to two and five per cent of the population.

The attendee added: “I would encourage any people who are struggling with hoarding to go along to these sessions.  It can help stop it getting as bad as it got for me.

“These groups have helped me to understand more about why I do this, which then helped me to be able to start to address it.

“People need to know that they don’t need to suffer on their own. There are a lot of people in the same situation.”

The county council’s Enablement Service has increasingly been asked over the past few years to support people who have hoarding behaviours. It is hoped that by being able to offer this additional support through regular monthly group sessions, it will provide opportunities for people to make empowering decisions about the support they need.

Working in partnership with housing providers, the fire service, and other professionals the service aims to offer a holistic and a more joined up approach to support people in their own homes safely to manage risk to their health and wellbeing.

Megan Karnes, from HoardingUK, said: “While we are looking at complex mental health behaviour which is nearly double the number of people with other common conditions – there is still so little focus on trauma and anxiety within support models.

“These groups become the first therapeutic and practical step in providing person-centred support.”

Cllr Stephan Fifield, Cabinet member for Adult Social Care Delivery at Gloucestershire County Council said: “Our support has already proved successful in Cheltenham and Gloucester, and I’m delighted that we are extending this support countywide.

“These support hubs offer a holistic approach to help individuals, rather than simply clearing out houses – which is proven not to work and causes more trauma, leading to re-hoarding. I encourage anyone who is struggling with hoarding to come along to one of these sessions.”

Keeley Fellows, of Happy Homes Support, the specialist service working locally stated “All the organisations working together has improved both the space and wellbeing.  It’s been great to work so collaboratively.”

To attend Gloucestershire’s Hoarding Awareness Day, book your spot at https://hoardinguk.cademy.co.uk/gloucester-hoarding-awareness-day.

For more information on the support sessions and how to get support, visit https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/your-community/support-hub/your-mental-health-and-wellbeing/hoarding-support-group/

Alternatively email hoardingsupport@gloucestershire.gov.uk, or call 01452 425 427.