Norwich Hoarding Support Service Praised for Significant Impact

A woman residing in Norwich has credited a local hoarding support service with making a “huge difference” in her life. The Safe and Habitable Homes service operates as a collaborative effort between Norwich City Council, Norfolk County Council, and St Martin’s Housing Trust. Its objective is to assist Norwich residents in “decluttering” their properties and enhancing their safety. Anya, who has been part of the scheme for the past 18 months and whose surname was not disclosed, stated that she had sought help for an extended period before discovering the program, noting that other services were not “available or appropriate.” Anya indicated that previous attempts to address her hoarding were rushed. “I think it’s human nature that everybody just wants everything done, but it’s a process and it’s not as easy as that,” she said. Even after a year and a half, Anya admits she still has “a long way to go.” She explained, “It takes time to build trust, get over the embarrassment, and actually let go of the stuff.” She added, “You need encouragement and a certain amount of pressure, but you’ve got to be empowered to ultimately make that decision yourself.” The Safe and Habitable Homes Project is designed to provide long-term support to its participants. Jaya Merryweather, an integrated care co-ordinator, described this as a “unique” aspect of the scheme. “We know that everyone is an individual, and we want to get to know somebody and how they want things to be,” she stated. “I think that’s quite few and far between in terms of services out there.” Since its launch almost two years ago, the service has received approximately 140 referrals. “We’ve identified so many people across Norwich who are struggling,” Ms Merryweather commented. Alison Roe, a social worker involved with the project, further remarked: “There’s lots more people that we don’t know about that we can help.”