Clouds End
Following an emotive experience working as a ‘de-clutterer’ Clouds End founder, Heather Matuozzo, realised there was little or no help available for people affected by hoarding disorder and this spurred her on to form Clouds End CIC in 2009.
The company’s prevailing belief is that the process has to be fun or it won’t succeed. People often start off frightened about what may be asked of them but the idea is to help people slowly change their behaviour at a pace they find comfortable not to compel them to make dramatic, shocking changes.
Their services are available to anyone looking to tackle a hoarding situation that is causing a problem.
Being a Community Interest Company means Clouds End rely on funding, this can come from a wide range of sources and helps keep their work going.
If you would like anymore information please contact us here
Heather Matuozzo
Founder and Director
Supporter and pioneer of change ( for those with hoarding behaviours)
Heather set up the UK’s first social enterprise dedicated to helping hoarders, Clouds End CIC in 2009. She is recognized as one of the country’s leading hoarding specialists and has pioneered the creation of the first UK Hoarding Awareness Training course, which is now CPD accredited. Past clients have included Fire and Rescue Services, housing associations and local authorities across the whole of the UK.
Heather has created a system called Clouds End Supportive InterventionTM, which looks at finding multi-agency solutions that work for everyone. Based on trauma-informed, strength-based and person-centred approaches.
Heather works on the development of multi-agency hoarding groups which consists of a tailored group of external individuals/organisations, from psychiatrists to cleaning companies, that will help in an individual’s progress in clearing their hoarded property.
She has helped establish support groups across the UK, currently she runs an online and face-to-face one once a month as well as a very successful WhatsApp support group.
Heather has worked directly with hundreds of people to help them declutter, and liaised with dozens of authorities and agencies when clients need support from an empathic, non-judgmental advocate.
Heather helped organise the first ever UK Hoarding Awareness Week in May 2014 which now runs every year in the 3rd week of May.
She is an advisor to the National Fire Chief’s Council (NFCC) and a guest lecturer at Birmingham University. Additionally, she has been an advisor to the charity Mind and on-line self-help forum Hoarding.Support. She has been an associate of Capsticks Law Firm, a guest speaker at Grand Designs Live and has talked at hoarding events around the UK. She regularly speaks about hoarding on radio and TV, including appearing on the award-winning BBC1 documentary “Britain’s Biggest Hoarders” in 2012 and 2013.
Clouds End are at present working on their second “Chaos 2 Order” project with Birmingham City Council working with hundreds of people who hoard in the Birmingham City area. By the time the current funding for this project ends, they will have collaborated for a total of seven years giving a strong body of evidence-based, innovative practices and resources to show what really works when working with hoarding cases. This data is verified by Sam Wainman, a Birmingham University PHD student, working alongside the Chaos 2 Order project.
Clouds End are also currently delivering monthly free, Lottery Community funded hoarding workshops in Solihull, until August 2024.
Sharon McLoughlin
Associate
Enforcer turned supporter
Heather first met Sharon at a Hoarding seminar in Leeds where they were both giving talks, Heather really enjoyed listening to Sharon’s. Luckily Sharon had just started working as a freelance consultant and after some discussions agreed to work under the Clouds End North banner.
Her passion and expertise in the field of hoarding is second to none and she is an excellent trainer. Her compassionate, kind approach reflects Clouds End’s beliefs perfectly and she is a great addition to our team.
Alessia Matuozzo
Admin Assistant
Alessia Matuozzo is working for Clouds End CIC as the Chaos To Order admin assistant. She undertakes all the back office operations that come with helping Birmingham’s agencies and citizens overcome their hoarding behaviours. And, yes, she is related to Heather; she’s her daughter!
Andy Honey & Belinda Ogle
Heather Matuozzo first saw Andy on the Obsessive Compulsive Hoarder TV documentary on Channel 4 in December 2011. He clearly understood how to work with people with hoarding disorder, he was compassionate, patient and funny! Heather knew she had to get in touch with him and emailed him that night. He told her he really wanted to work with people with hoarding disorder and so they found a way to make it happen.
He officially joined the team in December 2012. His mix of tolerance, creative suggestions and sense of humour have made him a perfect fit for Clouds End and their clients. He was later joined by his partner Belinda who took an interest in what he was doing and went along with him on a few jobs. Her natural affinity with people combined with her practical approach made her another welcome member of the team.
Jane & Michael
Jane and Michael have joined Clouds End CIC as Associates.
They have done some wonderful work cleaning and clearing with their organisation called Lifeline. The both love what they do which comes across when they meet people and we are so happy to welcome them into the Clouds End family.
Sam Wainman
Sam Wainman is an aspiring Psychologist who has experience conducting research and reviews on the psychology of hoarding behaviour. Sam began working with Clouds End in 2020 and completed a project using Virtual reality. This project aimed to help understand how those who hoard emotionally and cognitively process their home through a safe and controlled setting. Sam is shortly due to begin a PhD which will aim to generate a new intervention for Hoarding disorder through collaboration with potential service users.
Kirsty Wilson
Kirsty Wilson has recently joined the Clouds End Team as an apprentice and will be using her amazing skills to spread the Clouds End message of support and safety to a wider audience.