Local businessman and philanthropist awarded honorary degree

A businessman and philanthropist has been awarded an honorary degree from the University of Salford (@SalfordUni) after creating a charity that helps people with disabilities get behind the wheel of a car.

Thanks to John Galloway and his Speed of Sight charity, thousands of people have been able to experience driving, despite being blind, having limbs missing or another disability which means they are not allowed to drive.

Prior to co-founding Speed of Sight, John Galloway spent over a decade as the managing director of a digital media agency, providing bespoke website and digital media solutions for large blue chips and SME businesses.

His journey with Speed of Sight began when he joined forces with Mike Newman, who is blind, to help him achieve his personal quest of setting a blind land-speed record. Together, they achieved seven world records, including setting Guinness World Records in cars, planes, powerboats, and racing trucks.

In 2012, John co-founded Speed of Sight, dedicating himself full-time to the charity’s mission of providing exhilarating driving experiences to individuals, of all ages, who have disabilities that preclude them from holding a driving licence. 

John was born in London but moved to Bolton aged eight in 1972. He left school with no qualifications and was later diagnosed with dyslexia, but that didn’t hold him back from a very successful career in sales. But it was his personal life that drove John in his charitable direction.

John said:

“One of my best friends passed away aged 16 with spina bifida and my mother had sea hand syndrome, ended up in wheelchair, and also my dad had two strokes and developed dementia. My career was going well but my personal life was full of issues. But it raised my awareness of disability and drive me to want to help others.

“There are things we take for granted as human beings but not everyone can have those experiences. We are the only charity in the world that provides these kind of life changing experiences for people with life limiting disabilities. People who have been told they will never be able to drive due to their disability, when they get behind a wheel their reactions a are priceless. Many are lost for words, punch the air or cry with joy after they’ve driven round our tracks for the first time.”

Speed of Sight works with people from age seven to 90. The drivers work with an instructor as they navigate round a circuit and have full control over the car.

John added:

“It’s a very safe environment, some will go faster than others. We get so many repeat customers. It is very rewarding.

“It touches your heart, you feel you are making a real difference. To all you graduates today, do not let your degree define your life. Use it as a platform to grow from. My life experiences taught me about the power of self-belief, resilience and the importance of kindness.”

Dr Francine Morris, Associate Dean for Enterprise and Engagement at Salford Business School, said:

“John has worked with Salford for a number of years and he has contributed so much. He truly is an inspirational figure whose compassion shines through in everything he does. John fully deserves this honour and we look forward to working with him more in the future.”