THEY will travel by bike, by foot, by boat, and, if needs be, by air: this is South Oxfordshire by any means possible.

Setting off today, eight adults with learning disabilities and support staff from around the county will undertake a 100km challenge across South Oxfordshire over three days.

The team – who are backed by Oxfordshire disability support charity Style Acre – will complete a return cycle ride from Blewbury to Oxford, canoe from Oxford to Abingdon then walk from Abingdon to Didcot.

The challengers are raising funds for charity Style Acre, which provides support for 240 people throughout the county.

Rachel Knapp, who is one of those taking part, said: "I’ve never done a big challenge before and I’m doing this to make myself step outside my comfort zone.

"I'm raising money for Style Acre, where I have been coming for six years."

Miss Knapp, who lives in Didcot, works at the Style Acre tea room at Savages garden centre in Blewbury and also helps out with the charity's regular bingo night.

She said: "Style Acre has helped me a lot – it's got me two jobs and it’s given me lots of confidence. I will feel happy just to finish."

The Falcon Canoe Club in Oxford have provided canoes and helped the challengers with their training.

Falcon member Keith Long has volunteered to collect the canoes from Abingdon at the end of day two tomorrow.

Style Acre was formed as a registered charity in 1992 by a group of parents who wanted to secure the future of a residential home where their adult children were living.

They raised the money to buy the property and took over running the home in 1995.

Since that time the charity has changed considerably and broadened its approach to supporting people.

The residential home was sold in 2004, and the money raised from its sale was then used to purchase housing in local towns and villages.

This has enabled the people it supports to live with their friends within easy reach of Style Acre day services and community facilities.

As well as its tea room at Savages the charity also helps run a community garden at Charlton Day Centre in Wantage where its members get therapeutic work experience.

Find out more and sponsor the 100k dashers at styleacre.org.uk/100k-challenge