Centre name could honour Tourette's campaigner, says council leader

John Davidson's experience of Tourette's Syndrome is depicted in the film I Swear

A Borders community centre should be renamed in honour of Tourette's Syndrome campaigner John Davidson, a senior councillor has suggested.

Mr Davidson, 54, has worked at Langlee Community Centre in his home town of Galashiels for decades.

Scottish Borders Council leader Euan Jardine proposed the name change during a debate on the re-shaping of services run by Live Borders - the charitable trust which runs facilities on the local authority's behalf.

Mr Davidson's life with Tourette's, which causes him to spasm and jerk, swear uncontrollably and shout explicit sexual phrases, is depicted in the new film I Swear.

Mr Jardine suggested the name change at a council meeting on Thursday.

He said: "That centre not only shaped his life, he shaped that centre's life.

"If we can re-name the centre the John Davidson Centre it would go a long way to recognising his legacy, for what he has done for Langlee, for Galashiels, the Scottish Borders and a lot of people in this region."

A decision on whether to go ahead with the proposal was not taken during the meeting.

Mr Davidson's experience of Tourette's first came to public attention in the 1989 documentary John's Not Mad.

Tourette's is now one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in the world - with pop star Lewis Capaldi just one of the recent diagnoses.

Additional reporting by local democracy journalist Paul Kelly.