Clouds End CIC began with a simple but powerful belief: people who struggle with hoarding deserve compassion, understanding and tailored support, not judgment or stigma.

The idea came about because hoarding was so often misunderstood. Too many saw clutter simply as a mess to be cleared, rather than a symptom of deeper struggles such as trauma, mental health challenges or housing insecurity. This kind of misunderstanding leads people to fall through the cracks.

Heather Matuozzo – Founder of Clouds End CIC

When Clouds End CIC started, there were very few services addressing hoarding in a humane, informed way. Eviction notices were served without real help. Housing teams did not always know how to respond. Families felt powerless. The organisation was created to fill that gap by offering practical help and advocacy, all rooted in empathy and a trauma informed mindset.

How Hoarding Can Lead to Homelessness

The impact of hoarding on housing security is real. Sometimes clutter becomes so overwhelming that homes are considered unsafe by landlords or local authorities. Fire hazards, pest issues and structural risks can all prompt eviction notices.

Without the right support, people can lose their homes. And once that happens, escaping a cycle of homelessness is incredibly difficult. This is where Clouds End’s work connects with the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Positive Pathway Model, which focuses on prevention, early intervention and sustaining tenancies before crisis hits.

At Clouds End, the specialist team have witnessed how timely intervention can change everything. They aim to meet people where they are, respecting their backgrounds, culture, life story and the challenges they face.

One example is SH, who lived in a local authority flat in Birmingham. His mental health struggles led to accumulation of belongings. He was facing eviction. His occupational therapist referred him to the Chaos to Order project, which is run by Clouds End and Northfield Community Partnership.

SH said what he really needed was skips, but he could not afford them. With support through the project, he filled three skips on his own. In under three months, the eviction risk disappeared. When the project ended, he told Clouds End CIC he had got his life back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before and after help with clearing Chaos and bringing back to Order

 

 

Working with Services to Improve Support

Clouds End CIC sees hoarding not as an isolated issue but as something shaped by systems. That is why they work with housing associations, local councils and homelessness services. Their goal is to help these organisations see hoarding differently, as something that can be supported, not punished.

They deliver training and consultancy to help people working on the front line build policies and practices rooted in care and practicality. Their aim is for people to be offered pathways to recovery, rather than being penalised for their circumstances.

In March 2025, the Chaos to Order project was featured over four days on  BBC Midlands Today. That led to a meeting with MP Paulette Hamilton, Interim Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee. Heather Matuozzo, Clouds End CIC’s founder, asked for national guidelines on hoarding behaviours. That request is now being considered in October 2025.

This way of working sits naturally within the West Midlands Combined Authority Homelessness Task Force’s Positive Pathway model, because it prevents homelessness before crisis takes hold and helps people sustain their tenancies with dignity. By working side by side with councils, housing teams and health services, Clouds End CIC is also putting the Designing Out Homelessness framework into practice, showing how systems can adapt to meet people’s real needs. Their commitment to compassion and practical solutions is shaping a West Midlands where hoarding does not have to mean losing a home, but instead can be the beginning of recovery, stability and belonging.

How to Get Support or Get Involved

Here are practical ways to connect with Clouds End CIC:

• Accessing support – If you or someone you know is affected by hoarding, you can reach out to them directly. They offer one to one support designed to build trust and foster long term change. They also run support groups, both face to face and via WhatsApp.
• Training – They run workshops on hoarding awareness and trauma informed approaches. These help professionals, community members and organisations to respond in more effective and compassionate ways.
• Supporting their work – You can share their resources, commission training, partner with them on projects or make a donation to help them reach more people. Just email them at: help@cloudsend.org.uk

Clouds End CIC continues to stand with people affected by hoarding, offering help that is both practical and deeply human. Their work reminds us that prevention, connection and dignity can make the difference between losing a home and holding onto it.

Find out more about Clouds End CIC on Street Support Network or by visiting their website.