MORE people will be able to get out and about in the Forest thanks to a grant to a community transport charity.

Lydney Dial-a-Ride has launched a fund that will give eligible people a pot of funds towards their travel costs.

The charity, which is this year celebrating its 40th anniversary, has also taken delivery of a new minibus.

Dial-a-Ride manager Louise Currie said: “We've been fortunate enough to do is to secure some funding through a poverty hurts campaign that looks at the cost of living crisis and how we can help.

“We have is a small pot of money, which we've launched as our cost of living fund.

“People who are low incomes will have a £40 credit into their Dial a Ride account, which they can use for the Dial a Ride door to door service and the voluntary car service.

“We're hoping that it gives chance that people to try the service

“We know how difficult it is sometimes to access travel within the area.

“Somebody may think that Dial-a-Ride isn't for them and it gives them a chance to give it a try.

“You don't have to be a certain age to use us – I think that's one of the biggest myths with Dial a Ride.

The fleet of 15 Dial-a-Ride minibuses – which have fully-qualified drivers transport people across the south of the Forest including Cinderford and Coleford.

The voluntary car service takes people to medical appointments.

“It's a completely door-to-door service, so somebody comes to you, knocks on your door, will help you get in and out of the vehicle and take you to access everything from shopping, going to daycare, going to a lunch club to to even meeting friends for coffee.

“So it gets people out and about.

“The voluntary car service looks after those medical appointments further afield.

“So if you need to go to Gloucester, Cheltenahm for a medical appointment, then one of our voluntary car drivers will come and collect you, take you there, wait with you, and then take you home.

“We have a really small pool of volunteer drivers. so if anybody wants to be a voluntary driver, we'd really like to hear from them.”

The new minibus, which cost £50,000 is like the rest of the fleet wheelchair-accessible and has aids to make it easier to get in and It also features new, modern branding which will be applied to rest of the minibuses in due course.

The charity also has an electric minibus on order.

Dial-a-Ride was founded by local businessmen and started with two London black cab vehicles.

Ms Currie added: “What we’re focusing on for our 40th celebration is that core of what was started 40 years ago to get people out and about and make sure that they were still included in their local community.

Applications for the funding are now being taken from both members and non-members of Dial-a-Ride.

For more information call 01594 843809 or e-mail [email protected]