I'd never truly taken recycling seriously until I went to The Gambia, a small fascinating country in West Africa. But as soon as I got back to the UK, the desire to recycle firmly entered my heart.

I challenge anyone to go to one of the poorest countries on the planet, see numerous examples of people being careful and inventive with their resources but generous at the same time, and then not feel repulsed by our own bloated throw-away lifestyles. To top it all, on the TV back home the news was that, largely because of our weekly supermarket shop lifestyle, we throw a third of our food away!

I wouldn't advise going to The Gambia if you like mountain scenery because there isn't any - but the music and dance, food, dry season weather, beaches, markets, birdlife and above all, people, are tremendous.

Me and my wife, Susanne (she's taken all these photos), stayed at a compound (a walled plot of land in which Africans build their extended family homes) in urban Kololi owned by the Gambia Tourist Support (GTS), a set-up for which I have immense respect. Francis Glynn, its founder who has divided his time between the Gambia and England for nearly nine years, was living at the compound when we stayed, and it was great to see his fondness for the Gambian people.

The ethos of GTS aims to be different from the typical beach European package ventures that take their profits from the locals and even import their own food, turning their back on the land behind. GTS provides a superb service for tourists but uses all the money earned to plough back into local employment, education support and rural projects. Its staff and restaurant with regular music and dance performances are a knockout!

See their honest website www.gambiatouristsupport.com

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