CASH totalling more than £18,000 will boost community projects in Wyre Forest.

In the latest round of grants announced under the Lottery's Awards for All scheme, four causes will benefit.

The biggest amount possible - £5,000 - goes to Wyre Forest Multiple Sclerosis Society, which will use the money to provide activities such as yoga and trips for people with disabilities in Kidderminster, Stourport and Bewdley.

Wyre Forest Arts Forum is receiving £4,675 to run a series of performing arts workshops for adults aged between 25 and 40 with disabilities in Kiddermin-ster and Bewdley.

The cash will pay for hiring venues, costumes and props, as well as paying for a tutor and administration.

Mentor Link, based in Bewdley, has been awarded £4,700 to recruit extra volunteer mentors and offer out-of-school services to pupils.

Another aspect of the project is to equip a bungalow on site at Bewdley High School for training and meetings. The grant will pay for training and gardening equipment, travel expenses and publicity costs.

The Friends of Bewdley Museum has been awarded £3,908 to provide a range of activities to encourage children to learn about their heritage.

A total of £53,000 in Awards for All grants has been allocated to projects across Worcestershire.

Meanwhile, Wyre Forest District Council is pumping £85,000 into modernising changing facilities at White Wickets Sports Ground in Franche, Kidderminster.

The six changing rooms - four of which have showers - are being refurbished by the council, as the wooden structure has become run down and the heating and water supply is unreliable. Upgrading will include the installation of a new boiler and showers.

Adults' and children's teams use the site's four football pitches for local league games and cricket and bowls are also played there.

Originally, the council had decided to demolish the changing rooms and replace them with units which had been built off the site, earmarking £46,000 for the project.

In order to provide better facilities and a better standard of refurbishment, however, the council decided to allocate extra funding.

Work on the changing rooms is due to begin in May, 2006.