A Saundersfoot fund-raiser has just returned from a memorable trek of the Great Wall of China as part of a charity initiative run by Classic FM. In March, Ben Parris, of Saundersfoot, was one of the trekkers who joined DJ Nick Bailey, who led a team of Classic FM listeners to China to trek the Great Wall in aid of Classic FM Music Makers. Ben managed to raise a magnificent total of £2,960 and the group £75,000 as a whole. "The Great Wall was overwhelming from wherever you saw it; photos and video do not do it justice at all!" explained Ben on his return. "The trek was tough in places, but we all managed to get through. Our local guide took us from parts of the wall that are rarely seen or visited and were very much dilapidated which made trekking difficult at times, to parts that had been fully restored and were prominent in China's tourism industry," he continued. Ben admits that he made some good friends along the way and the group he trekked with were a great bunch, with individuals from as far north as the Shetlands to as far south as Southampton, and as west as Pembrokeshire to as east as Holland. "China for me was an eye-opener, in the way the people lived and survived with so little. Coming back I feel very spoiled. "The cusine was great, although some of the local snack vendors made me stop and think, as most of their wares were 'on a stick' - grasshopper, snake, scorpions, starfish, mice even, and the seahorses looked more like decorations," continued Ben, who would like to thank family, friends and local businesses for sponsoring him, with special mentions going to - The Kook-Ka Ba; Tony Ormond and Daughters Plumbing and Heating; the Wiseman's Bridge Inn; Mary's Farm House; Merlewood Hotel; and Tanya Parris. "I am very grateful for their support for me, I had a fabulous time and thrived from start to finish," he added.