MORE than £40,000 in grants from the Big Lottery Fund has been ploughed into five good causes in the Forest of Dean.

Among the causes are Forest of Dean Age Concern (£3,741), Forest Upcycling Project (9,700), Triangle Radio (£8,185), Forest Showcase Activities Festival Project (£9,950) and Switched On Community Arts and Entertainment Project (£8,900).

Forest of Dean Age Concern plan to use the money to launch a ’meals on the wheels’ pilot project for older people and residents with disabilities, while Forest Upcycling Project plan to convert a second-hand box trailer into a mobile coffee shop which will be used to train people with learning disabilities and to sell coffee at community events.

Triangle Radio aim to use the funding to provide a media training programme for young people and Forest Showcase Activities Festival Project intend to use the funding to expand their existing activities festival to new locations in the area.

Switched On Community Arts and Entertainment Project will use the funding to deliver a community pageant to people who live locally.