Behind every successful man stands a woman, they say. And behind every Care Rider, there is an inspiring woman.

Waking up early, thousands of kilometres of training, making a difference for the Care Village and then the big challenge of taking on the Munga mountain bike race. No man can do it without the support of his partner.

The town’s Care Riders have one woman in particular who makes sure their needs are met, Leigh Brandmuller.

She can actually be considered the “Mother of the Care Riders”.

But where does her own inspiration come from?

The Middelburg Observer spoke to the former Middelburg Primary and Steelcrest pupil.

Where does your love for making a difference come from?

“I think I was born with it. It probably comes from my childhood days – growing up with my parents, John and Wendy Brislin, as Rotarians. I was exposed to volunteering at old age homes, blanket drives, and fundraising for various charities in need. I used to volunteer at the Hospice with my mom, too, keeping the chemo patients company while they received treatment. From a young age, I could see the difference it made in people’s lives, just having someone there to share the hard times with. I realised at a young age and I still experience it today, that it is far more rewarding to give than it is to receive.”

Did it start with Pink Trees for Pauline?

“My love for making a difference started long before Pink Trees – but something remarkable did start with Pink Trees – my friendship with Tessa Fourie. We became friends through Pink Trees for Pauline. We have the same hearts for charity, and Tessa has been a close friend ever since. Tessa has been my ‘partner’ at the Middelburg Care Village for many years. From volunteering at the creche, being on the housekeeping committee, helping with events, and now being responsible for the marketing at the Care Village… we continue to grow and try to make a difference where God plants us.”

Where are you still involved?

“I am involved in the Care Village and on the Leadership Team as a volunteer – helping with marketing, fundraising, and special projects. I also support my husband, André, in his vision and dreams for the Care Village. Watch this space! There are lots of exciting things to come at the Middelburg Care Village. God is Good!”

What role do you play in the Care Riders and the Care Village?

“I am the chief organiser for the Care Riders. I handle registrations and all admin. I make sure all the cyclists get the right size shirts and socks. It might sound easy – but believe me – it is a lot of admin and I need to keep my head together to make sure everything works out! I have a lovely team (Anya and Tessa) who help me and support me. They help with the creative parts, and they are always there to brainstorm together. Tessa and her husband Rowan are always there to help the day before with set-up, and from early morning on Race Day until late afternoon, until everything is packed up. The Care Village maintenance team helps a lot on the day with set up and take down – we couldn’t do it without them. I have other volunteers on the day who also make a big difference.”  

Why are the Care Riders so close to your heart?

“They are just the most incredible people – big hearts, big smiles. They are so kind, generous, and appreciative, and it is a pleasure to serve all of them.”

How many years have you been involved?

“Care Riders – 10 years… Care Village – 21 years.”

What is your highlight so far?

“There are many highlights – but I must say, the best is always when our amazing community responds with such kindness and generosity whenever we put out a plea for help. Our community is filled with people with big hearts. The biggest highlight is how God is always providing for us! Even when under attack, we still see miracles taking place. The Middelburg Care Village would not have survived 21 years if it weren’t for the Lord’s grace and power.”

If you could tell people to make a difference, what would it be?

“Please come and share your time and talents with us. Just a small act of kindness can make a big difference in the lives of the children at the Care Village.”

How can people make a difference at the Care Village?

“Volunteer time, help with events, help us to raise funds… the needs are never ending…”

Where is there still a great need?

“There is a great need for developing our kids’ talents, for example, piano lessons for the musical kids, dancing lessons for our little dancers, skills development for our kids who have special talents but are not necessarily coping well at school academically. Once again, the needs are endless. Another huge need now is to be able to build enough new homes for our children. We are moving away from the ‘institutional’ setting to smaller family units, giving our children more focused family time and the feeling of a close family unit with more one-on-one attention from the house moms. Our current houses are in terrible condition, so now is the perfect time to rebuild. Obviously, we need a huge amount of funding to get this right – so any help with our Buy a Brick (Build a House) campaign will be greatly appreciated.”

What are your dreams for the future?

“That every child who leaves Middelburg Care Village feels ready to take on the big, wide world out there, knowing they have a solid foundation in Christ and a support system for life, but also have the confidence, life skills, and opportunities to succeed in life outside of the Middelburg Care Village. My dream is to share our children’s success stories far and wide for years to come.”

Anything else you want to mention?

“Thank you to everyone in our community who believes in our vision and continues to support the Middelburg Care Village. We cannot achieve anything without you.”