Our brilliant community lead Marie sat down with us for a chat to tell us a bit about her story. Her’s is one of care, resilience, and finding her voice. Her journey to GALLANT didn’t begin with climate change, but with a lifelong commitment to helping others and standing up for what she believes in. 

Caring Roots 

From her earliest working years, Marie has always been drawn to roles that put people first. She has worked in the care sector, advocacy work, and even running a cafe. For her, it’s always been about connecting with others and making sure no one feels left out. 

She went on to run workshops through Scottish Women’s Enterprise for people experiencing isolation or poor mental health. Outreach work through her church gave her further tools to connect with people, always guided by her passion to make a difference. 

Finding GALLANT 

Marie came across GALLANT during a difficult transition after losing her job. Encouraged by a friend, she decided to attend one of the early GALLANT workshops. The session happened to be a flooding game exercise, and it made a real impression. 

She didn’t know a great deal about flooding beforehand, but what stuck with her was the way everyone could get involved, share ideas, and build on each other’s contributions. It was collaborative, hands-on, and it suited her learning style. 

As someone with dyslexia, traditional academic learning hadn’t always felt accessible. At GALLANT, she discovered she was more of a visual learner, and she found a space where her way of engaging with climate issues was valued. 

At the same time, Marie had begun attending Govan Community Council meetings, wanting to listen to people, give voice to local concerns, and contribute to change. To her surprise, she was nominated to become a council member. She now sees her roles in both spaces as connected, the council helps her with GALLANT, and GALLANT gives her a stronger voice on the council. 

Building Confidence 

One of the real turning points for Marie was completing GALLANT’s climate communications training. The programme gave her more confidence to share her perspective and speak up without worrying about confrontation. 

“It’s about being able to be confident in your own story or your own testimony” 

For her, communication doesn’t always have to mean debate. It can simply be about telling your own story, sharing your own testimony. The training helped her polish skills she had already built up over the years through caring and advocacy, while also giving her new ways to raise awareness on issues she’s passionate about, like biodiversity and animal rights. 

Embracing communiMap 

Another proud milestone for Marie has been getting to grips with communiMap. Technology hasn’t always come easy for her, but she decided to give the app a go, and it quickly became something she enjoyed. 

She often uses it while out walking with her children, noticing plants, spotting green spaces, and sharing what she sees. The part that excites her most is the biodiversity aspect, which has opened her eyes to new things and even sparked an interest in composting and the creatures that live in it. 

Roots of Care for People and Planet 

Marie’s passion for the environment can be traced back to her childhood in London. Though nature was limited, she cherished local parks and summers by the sea in St Andrews with her grandmother. Growing up surrounded by pets, five cats and a dog, she developed a strong sense of responsibility toward animals. 

She vividly remembers shouting from her balcony as a child when she saw someone kick a dog, demanding they stop. Her father’s support in that moment left a mark, and she has carried that sense of justice with her ever since. She realised she didn’t want to live in a world where animals were treated badly. 

Her love of animals expanded into a deeper awareness of the natural world. She began to see how bees, flowers, and ecosystems were interconnected, and how humans must care for these systems to allow life to thrive. 

Looking Ahead 

For Marie, climate change is inseparable from compassion. She thinks about those living in poverty, or in countries struck by drought, and how inequality magnifies climate impacts. Her faith and background in pastoral care also shape her approach, where she blends empathy with action. 

“I love learning, and if it takes me a wee bit of time and things are a challenge, I’m that age now, I’ve had life experience, so to speak.  But I think this ties in with everything, the pastoral care, the community, the love of biodiversity, the plants, the whole planet…I’m willing to take a stand” 

Looking ahead, she hopes to find a role that ties together her passions for people, community, and the environment. She’s even considered going back to education and sees community facilitation or climate-focused work as possible futures. 

Whatever comes next, one thing is clear: Marie will continue to care, to speak up, and to bring others along with her. As she says, “Knowledge is power” and her passion will continue to drive her. 

“It’s about the knowledge, you see, knowledge is power, if people don’t have understanding and knowledge, they don’t want to get involved. You have to respect that, and respect at all times, that’s very crucial.  You still get your point across and your passion drives you to keep going”