It started when the wife was shopping and I was aimlessly wandering around the mall.

I then spotted a stall promoting water and energy conservation.

It was the W.W.F. (WORLD WILDLIFE FUND) after a bit of craic it transpires that the UAE where I live has the highest carbon footprint in the world!!

If everyone lived the same as the UAE we would need 4 worlds to survive?

With nothing better to do I signed up as a volunteer.

Never even saw a finger pointing saying KITCHENER NEEDS YOU?

Once signed up I was invited to Dubai to undertake training to help spread the word.

A few months later they launched a new campaign on fish conservation?

The UAE is currently over fishing as we did with cod.

This is not surprising as only 10% of the UAE are indigenous, which means 10 times more people are eating the same fish supply?

W.W.F. instigated a programme to protect the overfished species and encourage people to eat other more sustainable fish.

To promote this initiative they launched a competition across the UAE.

People had to develop a recipe using sustainable fish and post it on the web site with a picture and people would vote for the best recipe?

The best 20 would be published in a book of sustainable fish recipes.

Well always game for a challenge I worked out my recipe, cooked the dinner, took the photos and published it on line and waited to see what happened.

10 months later I received an Email inviting me to a book launch at the Hilton hotel in Dubai.

At the hotel the receptionist sent me upstairs where it all went pear shaped.

I was set for a low key meeting when I found myself being greeted at the Gordon Ramsey “VEERE” Restaurant.

At the greeting the organising marine Biologists was being interviewed by the national press.

I took a seat and observed.

When the interview was over the national press asked if they could interview some of the volunteers who had won.

The organiser said “OH” you need to speak to Trevor.

I was then interviewed and made some profound statements about population explosions in the UAE and drawing comparisons to cod exploitation in the North Sea and its effects.

She then said during the dinner would I consider being used in a photo shoot!!

We then went through for our 4 course dinner of sustainable fish, cooked in the Gordon Ramsey “VEERE” Restaurant. (A step up from fish and chips, as was from fishy Hewitsons dads shop on front street) Mid way through dinner I was approached by an Emirati national magazine requesting an interview and photo shoot.

No problem I said, growing in confidence by the minute.

During dinner all the photo shoots were completed. (Trying to remember to eat with my mouth closed, and not using my left hand) When dinner was complete I thought, while I'm on a roll I will ask the maitre D for a tour of the kitchens.

In the kitchens I asked how many dinners per night they prepared, he said 40, then I asked how many chefs and he said 8?

I resisted saying that when we were in the scouts at Cockfield we could cook dinner for 25 with two Billy cans on an open fire!!

I eventually made my way home with my copy of the published book (for my Mam) having had a great day.

Next day, I got a surprise when residents from our Emirate were on Facebook & E- Mail advising everyone that there was a half page spread on the subject in the national press featuring yours truly.

I don't know which magazine it will be in as I don't buy Arabic magazines?

For those interested the link below will take you to the article in the national newspaper.

HYPERLINK "http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/catch-up-with-a-greener-fish-dish?pageCount=0"http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/catch-up-with-a-greener-fish-dish?pageCount=0 I think life is funny, who would believe a man from Cockfield having an idle walk through a shopping mall can end up dining at Gordon Ramseys, featuring in a published book, and on the centre spread of the national paper.

Only in the UAE.

Jerimiah Dixon would be pleased, as is my Mam.

Signed copies of the book will be available on my next visit to Cockfield club. (For a fee)