There are charity events. There are industry events. Then there are events where the haulage community gets dressed up, raises serious money, takes over the dance floor and gives the DJ very clear instructions about the final song.
The Girl Torque Charity Ball is back. Open Road Training is proud to support it again this year.
Once again, we will be donating a prize to the charity auction. After the band has finished, David will also be back on the decks for the rest of the evening through our sister company, Nightlife Entertainment, part of Ornum Ltd.
So, yes, the training team may be swapping tachographs for turntables for the night.
1. What is the Girl Torque Charity Ball?
1.1 A celebration of women in haulage
Girl Torque was created to promote women in the haulage industry and challenge outdated ideas about who belongs behind the wheel, in the workshop, in the office or managing a fleet.
The organisation brings together women from across transport and logistics. It celebrates their work, raises their profile and supports important charitable causes along the way.
The charity ball brings that community together in a very different setting. The trucks may be parked, the high-visibility clothing may be taking a night off and the formalwear may be doing some heavy lifting. However, the energy remains unmistakably transport industry.
You can find out more about Girl Torque and its work on the Girl Torque website.
1.2 What can you expect on the night?
The ball is hosted at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Glasgow. Girl Torque’s website lists tickets at £75 per person, with limited availability.
The evening includes:
- A formal charity event.
- Dinner and entertainment.
- A live charity auction.
- Music from the band.
- A late-night set from David through Nightlife Entertainment.
- The chance to spend time with people who understand the transport industry without needing to explain why a good truck can stop traffic.
Please visit the Girl Torque website to confirm the current event details, date and ticket availability before making plans.
2. Watch the atmosphere from last year
The clip below is a repost of David’s own video from the event. It carries the @davythedj watermark and the NIGHTLIFE ENTERTAINMENT strap.
It gives you a good idea of what happens when the formal dinner is over and the dance floor receives its official clearance.
Last year, Open Road Training donated a prize to the auction. Nightlife Entertainment then provided the music for the final part of the evening.
This year, we are pleased to do it all again. We will be donating another auction prize, and David will return to the decks after the band.
We cannot promise he will play every request. We can promise he will hear every request.
3. Why this event matters
3.1 It supports women working in transport
The haulage industry keeps the country moving. It delivers food, fuel, medicines, building materials and just about everything else that ends up on a shelf, in a warehouse or at your front door.
Women play a vital role throughout the sector. They work as professional drivers, transport managers, planners, administrators, mechanics, business owners, trainers and compliance specialists.
Girl Torque helps showcase those contributions. It also gives women across the industry a chance to connect, celebrate achievements and support one another.
That matters. The industry is stronger when talented people can see a place for themselves in it.
3.2 It raises money for a wide range of charities
According to the Girl Torque website, £252,500 has been handed over in five years.
That is a remarkable total. It has been built through sponsorship, merchandise, calendars, events, ticket sales and charity auction support.
The money has gone to organisations working across cancer support, mental health, emergency services, veterans’ welfare, children’s healthcare, animal welfare and transport-related causes.
4. Which charities does Girl Torque support?
The following figures are attributed to Girl Torque’s website and show the amounts handed over to the supported charities.
| Charity | Amount handed over |
|---|---|
| Macmillan Cancer Care | £4,250 |
| Midlands Air Ambulance | £4,250 |
| Erskine Veterans | £4,250 |
| Sight Scotland | £4,250 |
| Mental Health Foundation | £4,250 |
| Ronald McDonald House Bristol | £4,250 |
| Mind Mental Health | £10,000 |
| Maggie’s Cancer Support | £10,000 |
| The Dogs Trust | £10,000 |
| Alzheimer’s Society | £10,000 |
| MS-UK | £11,250 |
| Transaid | £11,250 |
| Sands | £11,250 |
| Blue Cross | £11,250 |
| Diabetes UK | £15,000 |
| The Sick Children’s Trust | £15,000 |
| Drone 2 Home | £15,000 |
| Great North Air Ambulance | £15,000 |
| Prostate Cancer UK | £5,000 |
| British Heart Foundation Scotland | £18,000 |
| SSAFA | £18,000 |
| Team Tutsham | £18,000 |
| Parkinson’s UK | £18,000 |
Girl Torque’s story page displays the Prostate Cancer figure twice in its summary. We have included the £5,000 amount once in the table to avoid counting the same donation twice.
The wider total is the important point. More than a quarter of a million pounds has been handed over in five years. That is a lot of good work from a group that started with a calendar and a clear idea: celebrate women in haulage while supporting charities.
5. How can you support the ball?
5.1 Buy a ticket
Tickets are limited. Girl Torque’s website currently lists them at £75 per person for the event at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Glasgow.
If you would like to attend, visit girltorque.co.uk as soon as possible. Check the current date, ticket availability and event information directly with Girl Torque.
This is not one to leave until the last minute. “I meant to book that” is not a recognised ticket category.
5.2 Donate an auction prize
Businesses and individuals can also support the event by donating a prize for the charity auction.
Girl Torque invites potential donors to contact:
- Email: info@girltorque.co.uk
- Telephone: 07432 521152
Auction prizes can help turn a good evening into an even better fundraising result. A weekend away, a valuable experience, a professional service or a suitable industry-related prize could all create another reason for guests to bid generously.
6. Open Road Training is pleased to play a small part
At Open Road Training, our usual working environment involves driver CPC, transport management, ADR, operator licensing and compliance. Those subjects are important. They keep people safe and help businesses operate properly.
However, the transport industry is about more than qualifications and paperwork. It is also about people, community and the relationships built across the sector.
That is why supporting the Girl Torque Charity Ball matters to us.
Last year, we donated to the auction and helped provide the evening’s final music through Nightlife Entertainment. This year, we are delighted to return with another auction donation and David back behind the decks.
It is a small contribution compared with the work Girl Torque has delivered over the past five years. Still, every prize, ticket and donation helps keep the fundraising moving.
7. Join the celebration
The Girl Torque Charity Ball brings together the best parts of the transport community: hard work, humour, generosity and an impressive ability to keep dancing long after the sensible bedtime.
If you want to attend, support the auction or learn more about the charities, visit the Girl Torque website.
Secure your place while tickets are available. Support the auction. Celebrate the women who keep haulage moving.
And when the band finishes, keep an ear out for David.
The decks will be ready.
