On 21 November 2026, I am scheduled to perform at Brian Wilkie MBE’s house party celebrating his 50 years in the UAE. We also have coffee and a chat to look forward to at his villa. I am pleased that a connection formed through performing has brought us to both invitations.
I know Brian through Gulf for Good, whose events I love returning to. Seeing familiar faces makes a difference. Over time, you get to catch up with people rather than introduce yourself again, and the occasion becomes part of a relationship you have come to value.
Gulf for Good began in 2001, with Brian and Paul Oliver among the people behind its creation. Its work brings together adventure and fundraising to support children around the world, including projects concerned with education, healthcare and shelter. Brian’s November party marks his own half-century in the UAE.
I admire the charity’s way of connecting a personal challenge with support for others. People give their time and effort to something demanding, and that effort helps work continue beyond the adventure itself. It is a community I have been glad to get to know through my performances.
My part has usually been to bring some magic to an event. I want people to enjoy being together, laugh and have a moment they did not expect. That is a contribution I can make with confidence, while the organisers and fundraisers carry on with the much longer work behind the occasion.
Returning matters to me because I get to see those people again. I associate Brian with work I admire, and I always enjoy catching up with him. An event is a lovely place to meet, though there is usually plenty happening around you. His invitation for coffee will give us time for a proper conversation.
We will be meeting soon. Fifty years in the UAE is quite a stretch of life to reflect on, and I imagine there will be plenty to talk about. I am looking forward to the conversation as well as to performing at the celebration later this month.
I am also planning to join an adventure next year. The details are still taking shape, so for now it is something I hope to do. I like the prospect of getting to know another side of a community I have mostly experienced with a performance to prepare.
Some of that preparation may need to involve exercise. I doubt a convincing card trick will get me carried up a hill, although it would be convenient if it did. There is time to work on the walking before I start making grand claims about my fitness.
For anyone curious about the projects or challenges, Gulf for Good’s website is a good place to begin. My next step is closer to home: coffee with Brian, and the chance to hear more from someone who has spent fifty years here.