Family’s water safety campaign is success after tragic death
A FAMILY who tragically lost their son after he drowned in the River Clyde have won a campaign calling for the installation of more safety measures on the stretch of water.
Duncan Spiers and his wife Margaret will meet with council officials this week to discuss in detail how safety on the banks of the River Clyde will be improved.
The family have been campaigning for city officials to look at the issue after losing their son Christopher in 2016.
They previously handed a petition containing more than 1500 signatures into the local authority calling for action.
Now Duncan, 53, from the city’s Balornock, has confirmed his campaign has been a success.
He said: “We received a letter from council leader Susan Aitken out of the blue and I am delighted that she has confirmed that the campaign has been successful.”
We exclusively revealed in February that Christopher was just 28 when he slipped at the banks of the River Clyde and drowned.
He had been on a night out at The Savoy in the city centre with two friends, and was making his way home alone to his partner David’s home in Kinning Park when the tragedy happened before midnight on January 29, 2016.
City cops made attempts to save him but drifted out into the water, and his body was recovered by George Parsonage, of the Glasgow Humane Society, two days later.
Now in her Evening Times column, Ms Aitken confirmed that a new action plan to improve river safety and reduce self-harm was presented by the council during a meeting of the Glasgow Water Safety Group.
A sub-group has also now been formed in order to deliver the key recommendations. Some of the actions to be undertaken include the attachment of ropes to lifelines and improved signage.
Duncan said: “I never thought in my wildest dream we would achieve this but the response we have had has been brilliant, other people have kept us going.
“I have to thank my wife Margaret for everything she has done as I wanted to give up at one point. Councillor Graham Campbell has also helped the family a lot.
“Christopher would be proud. We are doing it for him and the other people who have sadly lost their lives.”
GOVANHILL upcycling charity Rags to Riches is hosting a special Christmas shopping event.
From noon til 4pm on Sunday, November 11, the shop will be marking its new festive opening hours with new products and Christmas gifts.
There will also be prizes and special offers.
Rags to Riches is an award-winning Social enterprise project run by the Govanhill Baths Community Trust.
It provides a space for local crafts people to sell their wares.
All materials used are recycled, from bike inner tubes to waste fabric and plastic bottle tops.
The Upcycle Store opened in May this year on Victoria Road in Govanhill and sells everything from furniture to greetings cards, clothes and jewellry.
It aims to help cut down on waste and reduce plastic while encouraging recycling among locals.