Community drop-in centres based at three of the region’s bus stations will remain open thanks to funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
The hubs were set up by community transport groups in disused shop units at Coventry, Walsall and West Bromwich bus stations as part of the wider Let’s Chat pilot scheme.
They have proven to be very popular and have helped to connect more than 7,500 local people experiencing loneliness and social isolation with new friends and vital support services. With the 12-month Government-funded programme coming to an end, the hubs were left looking for extra funding or facing closure.
The WMCA has now given them the lifeline they need with funding from its health and communities programme and from its Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) budget meaning the hubs will now remain open until at least March 2024. A sustainable longer-term fund has also now been identified and a bid will be prepared by the providers.
Councillor Izzi Seccombe, WMCA portfolio lead for wellbeing, and leader of Warwickshire County Council, said: “The Let’s Chat hubs have been a huge success and we would like to thank the providers for creating warm and welcoming spaces in our bus stations.
“They have demonstrated how our transport facilities and services can mean more to many people than simply a way for getting from one place to another. These community hubs have played a positive role in supporting people’s mental health and wellbeing and we look forward to them continuing to be a vibrant part of our bus stations.”
The hubs have been a vital lifeline for users and keeping them open will support efforts to tackle the negative impact of increased isolation and loss of social interaction across the region on the back of the pandemic – one of the key aims of the recently published second report by the WMCA-convened West Midlands Mental Health Commission. Kevin Muldowney, who uses the Let’s Chat hub at Walsall Bus Station, said: “This is an essential service for people in the Walsall area, it has helped a lot of people with their problems and I have found it really useful to be able to sit and talk with like-minded people.
“Its location is ideal for everyone. I can just get off the bus and I’m here. This funding will mean Walsall will keep a fantastic amenity in the heart of the town that’s available for the whole community.”
Susie, a regular user of Let’s Chat at West Bromwich Bus Station, said: “Staff are friendly and helpful, and I will still be able to come in and meet and chat with other people. I will also be able to continue classes with Just Straight Talk every week.”
Liz Rowe, deputy chief executive at Community Transport, which runs the Let’s Chat community hubs in West Bromwich and Coventry, said: “Throughout the initial pilot, our community hubs proved to be a huge success, providing a place of welcome for people in the local community, and an opportunity to socialise with others and get access to additional services.
“The news that the WMCA and TfWM are able to fund this project has been welcome news indeed, meaning that we can continue to support some very vulnerable people, and take action to combat loneliness and isolation in society.” Debbie Chell, chief officer at Walsall Community Transport, said: “This is fantastic news for users of bus services in the West Midlands.
“The community hub in Walsall Bus Station is not just a popular meeting place for people to come and chat, but it also provides valuable face to face support and advice to residents who struggle in this digital age. After only a few months of being open there is now a real community feel to the bus station with users volunteering their time to help out and other organisations using the space to promote their services to bus passengers.”
Dudley Bus Station is set to be redeveloped as a new Metro interchange so a Let’s Chat hub there has now closed. The hub at Bilston will continue to be available on Mondays only.
The WMCA established the West Midlands Mental Health Commission to look at the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of its citizens and to understand what action can be taken regionally with partners to respond to those wide and deep impacts. Find about more about the Let’s Chat hubs at www.tfwm.org.uk/loneliness.
