Walsall centre for vulnerable adults gets more than 10,000 requests for help in one year

The Glebe Centre, on Wednesbury Road, Walsall, saw 10,421 requests for its services. This included free changes of clothing, shower facilities, hot meals and counselling.

People who access the service are often homeless, suffering with mental health problems or drug addiction or could be prostitutes, according to a report at a Walsall South area panel meeting where the figures were revealed.

Councillor Aftab Nawaz, who represents the St Matthews ward where the centre is located, said: "I find these figures shocking. It is a true reflection of the austerity measures imposed on towns like Walsall from the Government.

"It is OK to keep making these cuts to local authorities, but this is the real, human effect they have.

"We have more than 10,000 requests for things like food and clothes. These are people who should be being helped, but they are being forgotten," he said.

"I have nothing but respect for the staff at the Glebe Centre, who do a tremendous job."

Walsall South area manager John Morris said: "The Glebe Centre is a multi-functional hub for over 18s from where a variety of services are delivered that serve vulnerable adults in Walsall.

"In the 2015/16 period, we had 10,421 contacts using our services. These are obviously not individual people, but we currently have no system whereby we can look at the number of individuals who access our services annually as I don't have the HR capacity for this.

"We have about 490 people registered with us and these comprise of a 75/25 per cent split of men and women respectively.

"The youngest person to register with us is 18 and the oldest is 86.

"We see people from all nationalities and are a crucial service for many Eastern European people who have no recourse to public funds.

"We rely on the help of local churches and other groups through their kind donations of food, cleaning products, toiletries, clothing and money in order to deliver our services and we wouldn't be able to continue to operate if it wasn't for the support that we receive."