Jo Cooke is a Director of Hoarding Disorders UK CIC and also runs her own business Tapioca Tidy.
She is also the author of the book Understanding Hoarding which is fast becoming the “go to manual” for hoarders, their families and agencies that work with people exhibiting hoarding behaviours.
She has appeared in the Guardian newspaper, Cosmopolitan and other publications. She has also appeared a number of times on BBC Radio and BBC Sounds and on BBC Breakfast and ‘Inside Out’. Jo was selected as a finalist for the Thames Valley Venus Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.
Jo is a professional declutterer and organiser who has a very professional, calm, non-judgemental and “makes sense” approach to helping you reclaim your space. Jo previously had a varied career in charitable organisations, human resources, project management, bookkeeping and the civil service, but realised she had a flair for decluttering and organising when she had to sell the family home that her father had lived in for more than 30 years. She has a wealth of experience and skills required when working in cluttered environments and takes a responsible and empathetic approach to the needs of people she works with.
Jo co-facilitates three hoarding support groups in Bracknell, on the telephone and on-line.
Jo Cavalot is a Director of ‘Hoarding Disorders UK – Community Interest Company’ and also runs her own business ‘Dottymow’ as well as other initiatives 'Fibble' and 'Under the Stuff'.
Jo has been a declutterer and professional organiser since 2017 helping people to create, space, harmony and peace of mind by letting go of the things they no longer need. She has a natural ability to create and implement systems and organise both people and their things.
Jo has struggled with her own demons in life and when she began to learn more about people affected by hoarding behaviours she realised that this was an area she really wanted to specialise in and approached Jo Cooke to begin the exciting process of taking Hoarding Disorders UK to the north.
Previously, Jo had a long career in the printing industry, working in a variety of roles from operations and production management to project director. Through her own journey of recovery since 2012, Jo has found ways to overcome her own fears and emotional baggage from the past and has spent a great deal of time supporting others with their issues too. Jo understands that any problem with clutter tends to be about more than just the stuff and is empathetic and understanding in helping people to deal with this.
Jo's other inititiatives; Fibble - looking at executive functions; and Under the Stuff - helping people to identify underlying trauma through a therapy called Compassionate Inquiry (an approach based on the work of Dr. Gabor Mate) are also her passions.
Jo facilitates Squirrel Support Squad, an online hoarding support group.
Paul Cooper has been working with Hoarding Disorders UK CIC since 2016 and is based in Gloucestershire.
He helps to deliver hoarding awareness training with Jo Cooke around the UK.
Previously he worked in sales and recruitment as well as 5 years in the Inclusion center of a secondary school. Paul featured in the BBC1 documentary with Jo and has written two books and featured in several others. Paul is also known for his character Martin Mucklowe in the BBC award winning comedy This Country. In his spare time, he is director of a children's charity, the National Children's Football Alliance.
Paul brings an abundance of patience, calm, and reassurance to his role within Hoarding Disorders UK CIC and also brings humour and empathy which are much needed in the world of clutter, chronic disorganisation and hoarding.
Sasha is the Executive Assistant for Hoarding Disorders UK CIC and provides administrative/marketing support.
When not working with the HDUK team, Sasha Clarke is an actress. Sasha has appeared in Holby City, Eastenders, Jack Ryan and has various other credits TV, theatre and short film credits. Last year Sasha filmed 'York Witches Society' by MSR Media and has worked with the Reading Rep Theatre in collaboration with A Girl Called Stephen on 'Safe' by Alexis Gregory and a rehearsed reading of 'Locker Room Talk' by Gary McNair.
Currently, while COVID-19 has put the arts on hold, Sasha is working as a Donor Care Supervisor within the NHS to support the Blood and Transplant department.
We are very grateful for the range of skills and expertise Sasha brings to the team.
Carole Reed runs her own decluttering business, HappySort which is based close to Bristol and Bath. Carole first came across people with hoarding behaviours when she worked as a social worker in London.
Carole is unflappable and calm. Her work as a social worker (including two years in the palliative care team) and as a carer in a nursing home has meant that she has a wealth of experience around how individuals can be impacted by poor mental and physical health. Her more recent work with Age UK (still ongoing) means that she is familiar with the challenges that older people live with day to day and how hoarding adds an extra layer of complexity to this. The time spent working in both health and social care teams means that she has a good understanding of how to liaise with the different professionals and assist clients to navigate the services available.
Carole has a can do attitude and will work tirelessly to seek solutions to issues to ensure that the people that she works with have the best possible experience of working with her. She has stayed true to her social work training and the client is always at the centre of any decision making and planning.
Carole is a member of APDO, has three young (and very messy) children. In her spare time Carole tries to keep reasonably fit (but hates every minute).