On 22nd August 2024, BotR hosted its 25th Anniversary Celebration at Bridgeton Bus Garage. There were 37 attendees, including John Grady, a newly elected Member of Parliament in the Glasgow East area.

On the day, speeches were given by Steven Booth, Chair of Back on the Road and GVVT, and Dr Alistair Ramsay MBE (Founder of Back on the Road). Craig, Alec, and John (graduates and participants) hosted a live experience-sharing session that reflected on the achievements and milestones of the past year.

At the welcome session, Martin Walker, a Back on the Road board member, acted as the Master of Ceremony. He expressed gratitude for the contributions of Vince Ho, the Project Coordinator, and Heather MacDonald, a volunteer. Additionally, he thanked Gordon Kerr, the Project Supervisor, for his 20 years of dedicated work at the garage.

The attendees took a guided tour led by Mark Caldwell, a Back on the Road board member, and Ian Short (Previous board member and founder of GVVT). They visited the exhibition area and Archive and participated in a workshop demonstration under Gordon’s guidance.

Numerous positive comments were made about the event. Some participants noted that the event offered an excellent opportunity to meet new people and connect with others. Many attendees expressed their appreciation of the tours and shared their lived experiences, which led insight for attendees to understand their arduous recovery journey and their hard work and resilience.

The 25th Anniversary celebration concluded on 22nd August 2024, focusing on recognising Back on the Road’s impact on the community. This left everyone feeling energised and reconfirmed their support for the programme.