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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