A man carried a cross for 25 miles across Pembrokeshire to raise money for his local church.

Jordan Rawlinson completed the first part of his challenge on Monday (November 18) when he walked over ten hours from Pembroke Dock to St Clears to generate funds for St John’s Church.

Jordan is hoping the money will help maintain the church, support outreach programs and keep it thriving as a beacon of hope and worship.

He said: “Christmas is coming up and I wanted to help God and myself. I wanted to show myself that I could do it.

“After Monday I was struggling. I was in a lot of pain. My shoulders were in bits, my hips were sore, there were blisters all over my feet. I could barely walk. But this is only a tiny percent of what Jesus went through.

“This time of the year is about being with family. But I’m giving up my time with my family to give back to the church and the community.”

Jordan’s next challenge is to carry the cross around the rest of Wales, helping to raise money for other churches while spreading the word of God.

He will visit cathedrals in all weather conditions and camp in nature, with the aim of inspiring people to reconnect with their faith.

He continued: “When walking around Wales, I’ll be sleeping in a tent every night. I’ll be giving up all my comfort and sacrifices like Jesus did.”

Originally from Kent, Jordan found his faith after going through a lot of adversity.

“I moved here to escape the gangs in my area. Some of my family members died and I was struggling with my mental health. I was using food banks myself. This was before I started going to church.

“I had a dream about Jesus and I’m following it through. My faith improved my mental health, and it helped me forgive people. I ended up losing my job because of poor mental health and now I’m trying to build myself back up.”

Jordan believes the challenge of carrying a cross is spiritual as well as physical.

Through the feat, he wants to honour the sacrifice of Christ, share his message and unite those in need of love.

Jordan is currently documenting his journey on Instagram – posting videos and stories about the challenge.

To support Jordan and help raise money for St John’s Church, visit his GoFundMe page and donate.