ABOUT THE VILLAGE GUY

Building an Inspired Community Through Storytelling

Every town has a story. Every community has people worth celebrating. And sometimes, the most inspiring stories are found right on our doorstep.

Founded in 2018, The Village Guy is an award-winning community media and storytelling platform dedicated to celebrating the people, places, businesses and stories that make Paarl and Wellington special.

What started as a passion project to discover our towns through the eyes of the people who call them home has grown into one of the region’s recognised community platforms.

Our purpose has remained unchanged: To Build an Inspired Community Through Storytelling.

We believe that positive storytelling has the power to inspire, connect and strengthen communities.

From interviewing local entrepreneurs, sporting heroes and community leaders to exploring our rich history, celebrating local businesses and highlighting important developments, The Village Guy aims to keep our community informed, engaged and proud of where we live.

We don’t just tell stories. We celebrate the people behind them.

OUR COMMUNITY. OUR IMPACT.

Over the years, The Village Guy has built a loyal and engaged audience across multiple digital platforms.

Our community continues to grow, with:

• More than 63,000 Facebook followers

• Over 8,300 Instagram followers

• A monthly Facebook reach exceeding 2 million

• More than 100 interviews with the movers and shakers of Paarl and Wellington

• Thousands of people engaging with our stories, photographs, interviews and community features

Beyond the numbers, our greatest achievement is the connection we have built with the community.

Whether we’re celebrating a local success story, uncovering a forgotten piece of history, promoting a new business or creating awareness around issues affecting our towns, our goal is to make a positive difference.

RECOGNITION AND ACHIEVEMENTS

The Village Guy has received several awards, acknowledgements and media features recognising its contribution to community storytelling and engagement.

These include:

• Brand South Africa – Ambassador for the #PlayYourPart campaign

• Cape Winelands Sport – President’s Award for Sport Journalism

• Paarl Rugby League – Recognition for Sports Journalism

• Featured on kykNET’s KLOP television programme

• Featured in Die Son newspaper

• Interviewed on Smile FM

• Invited to the 2023 Commemorative Wine Harvest Event at Groot Constantia

These acknowledgements reflect our commitment to celebrating the positive contributions of people within our communities.

MEET MYLES

Born and raised in Paarl, Myles Minnaar founded The Village Guy in 2018 with a simple idea: to make a positive contribution to the community he calls home.

Driven by curiosity and a genuine interest in people, he began meeting and interviewing individuals who were making a difference in Paarl and Wellington.

What started with conversations and inspiring success stories soon developed into something much bigger.

Today, The Village Guy explores everything from local history and heritage to business, sport, tourism, community initiatives and the ongoing development of our towns.

Through photography, video interviews, storytelling and community engagement, Myles continues to share the stories that deserve to be told.

His belief is simple: every community has extraordinary people, and their stories deserve to be heard.

MORE THAN JUST A PLATFORM

The Village Guy is about celebrating where we come from, recognising where we are today and inspiring what we can become tomorrow.

As Paarl and Wellington continue to grow and evolve, we want to remain part of the conversation, preserving our history, celebrating our achievements and sharing the stories that shape our future.

Because an informed, connected and inspired community is a stronger community.

The Village Guy – Building an Inspired Community Through Storytelling.

#proudlypaarl #proudlywellington