A new Hub in Walsall has opened helping people in need, and also serving a delicious cuppa and cake.

Express & Star

We meet Louisa, the force behind Lou's Hub, in Walsall. She devotes all the time she can to helping those less fortunate, and today was the opening of her hub, complete with help centre, shop, and tea room.

Transcript

00:00We're here in Walsall at Loo's THA Community Hub, it's opening day.

00:04Hello guys, how are you?

00:05Hello.

00:06So Louisa, this is, that's where the loo comes in isn't it Louisa?

00:10Just fill us in on what is this community hub, what will you be offering here?

00:15I'll be offering a digital service, a tea room to bring the community together

00:20and this is events from crafts to bingo, meditation and to trips for the community.

00:28Also clothing, we've expanded the food bank within the community.

00:35So the food bank will be operating from here?

00:37Yes, it's at the back and the advice centre, one-to-ones that we actually do there as well.

00:43The re-owning takes place at the back of the community hub.

00:48So yeah, it's all under one roof.

00:50So this is to help with that support of people who are struggling isn't it then?

00:54That's what it's all about.

00:55We're tackling loneliness and people who just want to come in and talk

00:58and where we can offer love, compassion and kindness to anybody you need.

01:02Well there's a salon next door, that's actually your salon isn't it?

01:06Indeed.

01:07How do you have time to run this as well then?

01:09I don't, I work 12 hours around the clock and I do the counselling after hours as well.

01:15So anybody who's in need of counselling or re-homing, I then take that on.

01:21We're an outreach as well, so we take tents and sleeping bags and supplies,

01:27food and just so we can keep them warm for the night until I can re-arm them next day.

01:32Yeah.

01:33So yeah, it's been challenging, many hours, many hours and a lot of hard work

01:36but it's worthwhile, I'm all about the community.

01:41We've got Councillor Ali here.

01:43If only you had more people like Louisa, eh?

01:45She's doing great work isn't she?

01:47I wish, she's a very, very hard-working person.

01:52She's been very supportive with regard to helping people in the area.

01:57I've been around for about a year supporting her with food parcels.

02:02We get help from local businesses who give us the food parcels

02:06and Louisa will distribute them.

02:08She's been an amazing help.

02:11I wish we had more people like her.

02:13And it would be nice if places like this weren't needed

02:16but you've been helping people for quite a while, haven't you Louisa?

02:20Ten years. I became a charity within 2019, won a lot of awards.

02:25But you know what, it's not about that for me.

02:28It was just needing somewhere to keep them warm overnight

02:32and there should be more because at the moment we're in situations where,

02:35because of the OZ crisis, they're being sent out of the area

02:40and this is what we're facing with depression, anxiety

02:42because they don't want to go out of the area that they were born.

02:46So therefore I'm having to phone all landlords up

02:50and it is challenging at times.

02:54And they don't want to move out the area

02:56but this is what we're facing at this moment in time

03:00and it's so sad really.

03:02And you've had some lottery help to get this community hub up and running?

03:05We had £19,700 back in March.

03:08The shop had been closed 13 years

03:11and then I just decided we need to expand.

03:15Let's bring in a lot more.

03:16I'm on to my next project now so I want an HMO.

03:22So we can re-arm them straight.

03:24If anybody becomes homeless at a certain time, we can help them.

03:28It's a struggle after a certain time,

03:30especially when they're being sent out of the areas.

03:34That's what we've been up against.

03:35But yeah, it's been challenging with the help

03:40and the public health.

03:42The volunteers for everybody like Gaz

03:45and everybody who chips in.

03:47I wouldn't be where I am today.

03:51OK, I'm behind it and there's a lot of work behind the scenes

03:54but it's the public and the kindness from everybody else

03:59who's made me where I am today.

04:01Well done, Louisa.

04:02And well done, Councillor Gaz Ali, for supporting.

04:10How are you doing, guys?

04:10You OK?

04:11Hello.

04:12What do you think of the hub?

04:13Lovely.

04:14It's great, isn't it?

04:15And what Louisa's doing?

04:16Great work.

04:17I've been doing pre-arm massages for doggy days.

04:21Takes after a dad, doesn't it?

04:23Takes after a dad.

04:24Who might that be, I wonder?

04:25I wonder.

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Transcript

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