Joseph Pennings from Helvoirt and Angel de Nijs from Kaatsheuvel are the Brabanders of the Year 2025. Together they have been accompanying a drum band for people with a mental or physical disability for more than thirty years. Every Sunday they rehearse with ‘their’ drum band Maurits.
Joseph and Angel have tears in their eyes when they hear that they have been chosen as the Brabanders of the Year 2025. They can hardly believe it. “I broke out in a sweat. I thought: could it really be?”, Angel reflects. Joseph adds: “It’s overwhelming, a lot of fun. But this year’s nominees are all fantastic people, as far as we’re concerned we all actually won.”
“I got an arm around my neck and a big hug, then I was immediately sold.”
Joseph has been the conductor of the Maurits drum band for 38 years. “I had been in other percussion groups, but this was something completely new,” he says. “The first time I was here, I got an arm around my neck and a big hug. Then I was immediately sold.”
A few years later Angel also joined the band. First as a supervisor, later she became president of the club. “My mother-in-law had heard that they were looking for people to guide the band members. She thought I could do that because I was with the majorettes. But I had never had music lessons and I couldn’t even read music.”
Still, Angel decides to help. And just like Joseph, she immediately falls in love with the band. Every Sunday they rehearse with the band members and they perform regularly.
“The band members are almost happier than us.”
In the Winter Efteling, Joseph and Angel receive the corresponding statue from King’s Commissioner Ina Adema. They receive it with pride.
But the band members who came along to cheer on Joseph and Angel are even prouder. “We have tears in our eyes and the members of our drum band are beaming with happiness,” says Angel. “They are almost happier than us. And that is why we do it, every Sunday.”
Curious who the other nominees were. You can read their stories here.
The special broadcast of the Brabander of the year can be seen online and on television from Christmas Day.