John Davidson

John Davidson MBE was born in 1971 in Galashiels. After leaving school without qualifications, he began work as a caretaker at Langlee Community Centre in Galashiels, where since 2002 he has also been a part-time youth worker. John was the subject of the 1989 BBC documentary ‘John’s Not Mad’ and has featured in various documentaries since, including ‘I Swear I Can’t Help It’ (2009) and ‘Tourette’s: Teenage Tics’ (2016). In 2003 he founded a Borders support group to help families of those with the condition.

In 2019 he joined the board of Tourette Scotland and works with Tourette’s Action, visiting schools, giving talks and workshops. That same year he was awarded an MBE for “his efforts to increase understanding of the condition and helping families deal with it across the country.” He has also gained international recognition for his online support.