More than one celebration!
Back on the Road’s Christmas party took place at Bridgeton Bus Garage on 12th December and celebrated the programme’s participants past and present with friends and supporters. BOTR founder, Dr Alistair Ramsay, was on hand to present the certificates of achievement as part of the festivities.
As well as all the usual Christmas music, food and silly jumpers, the party had more in store for programme supervisor, Gordon Kerr, than he’d bargained for. Gordon has two very important milestones coming up which he’d been keeping quite quiet about. Unbeknownst to him, BOTR director, Martin Walker, and programme coordinator, Vince Ho, had other ideas and had been working on a secret mission which would be revealed at the party.
Gordon is celebrating 20 years running the Back on the Road programme. That’s almost as long as the programme has been running itself. An amazing achievement. The second is a special birthday, his 60th! With Martin acting as MC for the party, the surprises started to roll. The lights in the room were dimmed as the door opened with Gordon’s wife, Rosie, coming in with a big cake and candles ablaze. He had no idea Rosie was turning up or that a cake was organised to mark his birthday. Then, ‘beaming in’ from London, GVVT Patron, Ken Bruce, offered his thanks and good wishes to everyone associated with BOTR as well as a special message for Gordon on his achievements.
Speaking after the event, Steven Booth, Chair of Back on the Road, said: “Not only was today’s Christmas party a celebration amongst friends, it was also a celebration of the amazing achievements of our programme participants. It was great to be able to mark the progress they continue to make.
Gordon Kerr deserves the high accolades he has received for the work and commitment he has shown to Back on the Road and the Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust. He is integrated into the fabric of life at Bridgeton Bus Garage and is universally liked and respected. We are very grateful for his service to the programme and its participants, past and present, and here’s to many more years with him involved.”
