Urgent call for volunteers to help people struggling with unmanageable clutter in Bristol

Published On: November 15th, 2023

Making Space, Bristol’s only service supporting people with hoarding tendencies, is urgently seeking new volunteers to expand its work across the city.

Making Space, which is funded by Bristol City Council and the Dolphin Society, has supported hundreds of people in Bristol over the last seven years helping them to make space in their homes and lives.

The project is part of We Care Home Improvements – the largest independent home improvement agency in the UK.

New funding is now enabling Making Space to expand its services to council tenants struggling with high levels of clutter.

Naomi Morgan, Making Space caseworker, said: “Since we started this project the need for our service has rapidly grown and the pandemic has had a huge effect on the number of referrals we are receiving.

“We are looking for volunteers who are passionate about helping people. We need caring and empathetic individuals who are up for a challenge to work alongside people in their homes.

“It’s a hugely rewarding role. Our volunteers are an integral part of transforming people’s lives. They help people make space not only in their homes but also in their minds, increasing their confidence and wellbeing.”

Compulsive hoarding is often a hidden issue and can severely impact people’s quality of life. Accumulated possessions are a barrier to living safely and comfortably at home preventing repair works and delaying people coming out of hospital.

Fires are also a concern as exit routes become blocked and fires can spread faster, particularly where there are flammable items such as newspaper or cardboard.

Between two and five per cent of the UK population are estimated to be affected by hoarding. That’s around 1.2 million people. Hoarding behaviours increased during the pandemic, exacerbated by increased online purchases.

Hoarding behaviours often start when people are overwhelmed or when something goes wrong in a person’s life. There are often underlying mental health issues associated with it, which make it hard for people to organise their possessions.

Naomi added: “The people we support require a compassionate, patient and therapeutic response, helping individuals understand why they gather possessions and why it’s challenging to let go of them, as well as developing a plan for clearing the house and co-ordinating the clearance.”

Sarah from Eastville has been receiving support from Making Space for nearly a year. “Before I started getting help from Diane, my volunteer, I’d stopped letting anyone into my house and my possessions had literally got on top of me. I could no-longer sleep in my bed or use the cooker.

“Diane started to visit me each week and slowly we made progress and she helped me to sort items onto shelves and begin to give away things to charity shops.

“It was really hard at first but I found, if I set myself small goals each week, it became part of my routine. Now I don’t have to sleep on the sofa anymore and I can cook myself meals. I’m still struggling with bringing stuff home but I’m much more aware of whether I actually need each item.”

Volunteers need to be able to give two hours a week of their time. Everyone receives training on how to work on a one-to-one basis with tenants supporting them to gradually organise and let go of possessions. Volunteers will travel across the city, visiting recycling, re-use and donations centres.

“I’ve been volunteering with Making Space for over five years now,” said Diane, who has been a volunteer for the project for five years. “I find it very satisfying to be able to help people bring order to their homes. Your home should be a safe place you can relax in and escape from daily stresses. We tackle the clutter bit by bit, helping to deal with what might seem an overwhelming problem to our clients. This is also a good hands-on volunteering role – I rarely get to sit down!”

Making Space is part of We Care Home Improvements, which has been supporting older and disabled people to remain living in their homes for longer for nearly 40 years. It covers Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset, Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire.

In addition to the Making Space project, services also include making bathrooms accessible, home adaptations, handyperson services and practical support after leaving hospital.

Watch the video here https://www.facebook.com/WeCareHomeImprovements