Buildings and civic landmarks across Renfrewshire will be lit in blue this month to mark World Drowning Prevention Day and to honour the memory of a local teenager who lost his life in open water in 2021.
Commemoration and safety message
The initiative, coordinated by Renfrewshire Council in partnership with the family of the late William McNally, will see landmarks including Tweedie Hall in Linwood illuminated on 25 July. The lighting is intended both as a tribute and as a visual prompt for residents to speak with children and young people about the risks associated with rivers, lochs and other open water.
The family have campaigned on water safety since William, who was 13 and from Johnstone, tragically drowned on 2 June 2021 while swimming with friends near a stretch of the River Gryffe known locally as the Clay Pitts. The council says the blue lights form part of a wider approach to raise awareness of simple precautions that can prevent future tragedies.
Family plea and public advice
"If sharing William’s story encourages even one person to think twice or make a safer choice, then that conversation could save a life."
William’s mother has urged parents and carers not to underestimate the dangers of open water, even when the weather is warm, and to use the summer months as an opportunity to reinforce safety messages. The council and the family are encouraging families to take a moment during the holidays to discuss safe behaviour around water.
- When: 25 July (World Drowning Prevention Day)
- Where: Prominent buildings and landmarks across Renfrewshire, including Tweedie Hall, Linwood
- Why: To remember William McNally and to promote water-safety awareness
Local context and impact
Renfrewshire experiences an influx of families to parks, rivers and reservoirs during warm spells, increasing the likelihood of informal swimming and water-related activity. The council’s commitment to lighting civic buildings aims to create a visible reminder of the risks, while the McNally family’s campaigning work has led to ongoing collaboration with local authorities to promote prevention measures.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Victim | William McNally, aged 13 (Johnstone) |
| Location of incident | Clay Pitts, River Gryffe |
| Action | Blue lighting on 25 July: World Drowning Prevention Day |
For residents, the practical message is straightforward: supervise children near water, avoid unsupervised swimming in rivers or quarries, and have open conversations about risk when planning days out. The council and the McNally family hope the visual tribute will prompt those conversations and keep water safety on the public agenda during the summer months.
This local remembrance forms part of a global observance intended to reduce preventable water-related deaths; in Renfrewshire the gesture will be both a memorial and a public safety prompt.
