Style Acre was originally a residential care home where young adults with learning disabilities and autism were supported. Style Acre Friends was formed as a registered charity in 1992 by the parents of the people supported there and formally took over the running of the home in 1995.
We have grown from supporting 20 people in 2004 to now supporting over 270 adults with learning disabilities and or autism in Oxfordshire.
Style Acre Friends take on the formal running of Style Acre House in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell and the charity becomes Style Acre.
In 1998 premises in High Street Wallingford were acquired and the Style Acre Charity Shop opened. Its primary purpose was to provide work experience for people supported by Style Acre and it was an instant success and helped raise money for Style Acre.
The building of Turnstyle was completed in the grounds of the Style Acre house. It included a hall, sensory room and a kitchen. Jenny Pozzoni, who had joined Style Acre a few years previously, managed the Turnstyle project, developing a wide range of activities and work opportunities.
The Work Programme provides work and volunteer opportunities for those supported by Style Acre. Removing barriers to employment by giving employment support in Oxfordshire. We currently have 118 people in voluntary or paid work placements across our 5 social enterprises and 56 external organisations.
The Style Acre Tea Room in the grounds of Savages, Blewbury is opened by Tim Henman.
70 people are being supported in community supported living houses. 100 people are attending day opportunities
T2 in Didcot is officially opened by Sinead Cusack, Style Acre’s Vice Patron. It moved to its current location on Trident Park in 2016. The Technology for Independence programme was also launched, to help people we support communicate through the use of any technology, aids and or communication devices.
Style Acre officially opened it’s new Banbury hub on Friday 12 June 2015. The building was formerly Le Royale nightclub in Butchers Row after a full refurbishment SABRe (Style Acre Banbury Resource) opened, helping between 60 – 80 adults learn new skills and find volunteering and job opportunities. The Big…Read More
John Craven OBE officially opens the Style Acre second-hand bookshop on Monday 11 January 2016. The shop – called ‘The Little Bookshop’ was set up as a social enterprise to provide work experience for people with learning disabilities.
The first Santa Dash had 200 runners, completing a 3Km route starting at Wallingford School and finishing in the Market Place in Wallingford, ready for the start of the towns Christmas Shopping Extravaganza.
Green Acre was established to provide work opportunities and training for people with learning disabilities and autism. The team learn how to work in a professional environment, how to use tools and garden machinery and work as part of a team. The team started out doing gardens at Style Acre…Read More
The Ways to Wellness project was started with the aim of raising awareness and opportunities connected to physical and mental health amongst people we support, staff and the wider community. Initially, people were asked to make commitments to their own wellbeing, which Style Acre supported, and activities/events/themes such as Feel…Read More
Covid hits but the dedication, creativity and resilience of Style Acre shines through.
On the hunt for environmentally friendly medals for our Santa Dash we came across Earth Runs. We loved the medals so much; we made contact and through funding were able to set up our own medal making social enterprise. The medals are 100% biodegradable and once people are finished with them…Read More
People we support play an active role in our eBay shop, researching items, taking photos, creating listings and packaging and delivering sold items. Being involved in this enterprise helps them to learn new skills and how to work as a team and forms part of our Work Programme.
Peter unfortunately passed away in 2024 after spending almost 30 years with Style Acre. Peter was a wonderful man with a ‘wicked’ sense of humour, and endless charm and wit. There are loads of anecdotes from people who supported him on his use of ‘fruity’ language and jokes.
Peter had a real zest for life, and he was always thinking and planning what he would like to do next. His wit and clever way with words always had people in stitches. What shines through people’s accounts is that everyone who knew Pete had a soft spot for him.
Before his health deteriorated Peter loved to walk and always wanted to walk ‘as far as the horizon and beyond’. He would walk miles on a summer evening often stopping at his favourite pub for a pint of coke.
Peter always had room for puddings, cake and sweet treats and loved to bake, his favourites were fruit cake, coffee sponge and Victoria sponge. He also loved art and crafts (he got this from his mum who was a painter) often using his favourite colour red or favourite topic valentines or Christmas.
In February 2017 Peter fulfilled his lifelong dream to go to America to see his two favourite things the Grand Canyon and the Golden Gate Bridge, alongside a trip to San Francisco and Las Vegas. In his words he said it was his “dream come true”.
Peter was a very special person, loved by so many and there will always be a Pete shaped hole in our hearts. Peter was wonderfully supported during his time at Style Acre, and those who supported him helped him live the life he wanted and showed him so much love and kindness.
Peter 1945 – 2024
We would love to hear from you if you have a connection with Style Acre and have a story to share. Whether you have been or are supported by Style Acre, a family member of someone we support, a volunteer, member of staff, a funder or a community partner we would love to hear from you.
