Marie Macklin of 'HALO’ has a passion to regenerate urban areas and work with local communities to empower local people and boost small businesses.
When the Johnny Walker factory closed in Kilmarnock 10 years ago, it threw thousands of people out of sustainable employment and was a MASSIVE blow to the local economy. Instead of just standing by watching, Marie agreed to buy the factory and put together a £65 MILLION package of funding to create a thriving local, community driven economy once again.
Then, even with the responsibility of keeping £65M of spending on track, Marie also stepped in during Covid19 lockdown - donating £100,000 to local food businesses, ensuring the most vulnerable people in our community were able to eat nutritious food when the food banks just could not keep up
It’s a story of amazing work, passion and not being afraid to stand up and be heard. Listen now to hear Marie's story.