This is a text-only version of an article first published on Wednesday, 23 October 2013. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
THE challenge is on to raise £450,000 in the next year for an adventure base where thousands of youngsters can enjoy action packed activities in a Christian environment.
The new base is at the Windmill Farm Conference Centre in Clanfield, Oxfordshire, which was set up in 2002 by a family of Christian farmers.
Adventure Plus has worked with them for more than 10 years.
The family has offered Adventure Plus the chance to buy the conference centre and 50 acres with two copses of land at the back of the conference centre. The charity needs to raise £500,000 before June next year, then £425,000 by June 2015 and £425,000 by June 2016.
£100,000 has already been raised or pledged. The conference centre already boasts a climbing wall, sports hall, kitchen and catering facilities and accommodation.
Jon Cox, founder of Adventure Plus has plans for a bushcraft area, ropes courses, climbing walls, archery range, mountain bike trails and a host of other facilities at the land in Oxfordshire. AdventurePlus has been a registered charity since 1990.
It was set up after Jon returned from Sudan, where he had seen amazing answers to prayer that encouraged him in his faith.
When he met an old school friend who at 23 was already bored with life, he realised the contrast between cultures and the faithless lack of purpose common in western society.
So, realising a calling to encourage young people to 'live the adventure of faith' he set up Adventure Plus. Adventure Plus now helps schools, youth organisations, churches and DofE expeditions among others.
It provides adventure holidays for Christian and non Christian youngsters through into adulthood.
It provides a gap year with a mixture of adventure training as well as discipleship and Biblical leadership training.
It also has a specialist unit working with chaotic young people and those at risk of school exclusion or descending into a life of crime. Jon said: "The good news is we are receiving ever more requests for our services.
Each call is a chance for our qualified Christian instructors to get alongside young people and invite them on our total Adventure Holidays.
We urgently need a purpose built, high quality adventure centre if we are to be able to continue to respond to these opportunities. "For more information, to visit the centre or invite Jon to speak at your church email jon@adventureplus. org or call 01993 703308.