National Lottery cash for Community Bees after hoarder help

Michaela Shaw from Community Bees CIC, which helps people tackle hoarding as a mental health issue to get their lives back on track, said the man didn't want to be named, but said: “In this case, we cleared a home for a father and son in York.

"A year or so later, the father died, and the son was living alone with PTSD and the grief of losing his father. He wasn't in a good place and hoarding disorder took over.

“One morning, he popped out to the local shops and when he came back his house was on fire. As the bungalow was full of hoarded items, the fire swept through the home destroying what he had left.”

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The house before the fire (Image: Supplied)

Luckily, Community Bees was able to step in and help secure safe temporary accommodation for him with the local authority. With no home insurance in place and no funds to help with emergency repairs, the organisation helped further by clearing the home, renewing the electrics, completing a gas check, and mending the garage.

They are now in the middle of cleaning the smoke damage from the property and trying to raise funds through its Act of Kindness appeal to replace windows and furniture.

The Community Bees team (Image: Supplied)

Michaela said: “We've been overwhelmed with the kindness of other Community Bees clients who’ve donated multiple items. It will take us many months to make sure this gentleman has a comfortable home to live in, but we are determined to give him the best chance of turning his life around."

She shared the story as Community Bees has today received National Lottery funding to launch a men’s peer support group.

“This is just one of thousands of people that we’ve been able to help," said Michaela.

"We’re thrilled that The National Lottery Community Fund is supporting us to help thousands more. Our huge thanks go out to National Lottery players.” 

Community Bees has received more than £18,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, to set up the peer support group, where men facing loneliness, anxiety, and depression can connect and navigate together the complexities of hoarding disorder.

It is one of over 3,700 community organisations across England to receive a share of over £200 million, over the last four months.

Through tailored interventions, including practical decluttering and mental health resources and signposting, Community Bees empowers individuals to overcome challenges and take control of their lives.

It is estimated that between two and a half and six per cent of the UK population have some level of hoarding disorder, with only five per cent ever seeking professional support.

The house after the fire (Image: Supplied)

Michaela said: “Hoarding is a very lonely condition, and many people don’t realise just how much of a big and complex mental health issue it is.

"The reality is that it doesn’t discriminate. It impacts our loved ones, friends, family members, colleagues, and neighbours. In York alone, there are thousands of people living in unsafe homes due to hoarding.

"It can lead to fires, falls, and health issues, and that’s why it’s so important that we help not just practically, but emotionally too.

“People often feel a lot of shame and guilt about their struggles, so the most important thing is not to judge someone who you think may be hoarding. A big myth surrounding hoarding is that people are ‘lazy’, and this incorrect stigma stops many people from seeking support.

“We find that it is men that suffer more than women as they are more reluctant to reach out for help from their families and friends, which is why the new men’s peer support group is so important.”

Michaela hopes the support group will help tackle stigmas around hoarding, so that more men feel comfortable to open up about the problem before it's too late.

Joe Dobson, head of funding for Yorkshire and Humber at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We're proud to support amazing organisations like Community Bees CIC, allowing them to continue providing much needed life changing support to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.”