Our team
Tom Ro Haven is proudly guided by a dedicated committee of nine passionate individuals, each bringing unique expertise, experience, and heart to the organization.
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Representing a wide range of professions and backgrounds, this diverse team shares one common purpose - to uphold the values and mission of Tom Ro Haven and ensure the continued care, welfare, and growth of the animals and children who depend on it.
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Every committee member and volunteer contributes their time, energy, and skills entirely on a volunteer basis. No remuneration is received by anyone involved; their motivation comes purely from a shared love of animals, a commitment to making a difference, and the belief that compassion and community can create lasting change.
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It is through this selfless collaboration and unwavering dedication that Tom Ro Haven continues to thrive as a place of healing, hope, and second chances.
get to know Our Founders
At the heart of Tom Ro Haven are Gill and Steph McCulloch — a remarkable mother-and-daughter team whose compassion, determination, and unwavering vision have shaped the very soul of the haven. What began as a shared dream rooted in empathy for animals and a belief in second chances has grown, through their tireless dedication, into a sanctuary of hope, healing, and connection.
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Every success story, every rescued life, and every moment of transformation at Tom Ro Haven reflects Gill and Steph’s enduring commitment to creating a space where both equines and children can thrive. Their leadership, love, and hands-on involvement continue to inspire the team, the community, and all who cross the gates of the Haven.
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Simply put, Tom Ro Haven is what it is today because of Gill and Steph’s drive, devotion, and heart.
Gillian McCulloch
Gill’s love for animals runs deep—she was raised in small bush towns across Africa and escaped to the wild as often as she could.
That childhood dream of being surrounded by animals never faded. She also carried a passion for medicine and initially aspired to be a surgeon. While that particular path didn’t unfold as planned, she found her way into the medical field, dedicating 30 years to surgical work and advanced wound care—a background that now serves her well in her work with horses.
Animal abuse continues to be a grave concern. Gill believes that fighting it requires more than rescuing animals—you must also uplift and educate people.
This belief took on added meaning after the personal tragedies she and her family endured, leading her to co-found Tom Ro Haven. It became important to her mission to empower both animals and communities: without food, hope, or an understanding that animals are sentient beings capable of empathy and intelligence, how can we truly curb neglect and abuse?
Her resolve remains strong. Gill is unwavering in her commitment to improving the lives of animals—and helping people discover their own compassion, respect, and connection to one another, the environment, and the creatures around them.
steph McCulloch
Steph’s life is driven by three deep passions: animals, healing, and dance. She devotes herself to animal welfare, primarily focusing on the horses at the Haven as well as our young program beneficiaries.
As a qualified inspector, she’s often called upon to handle cases of animal cruelty, even in high-risk situations—always putting the animals’ safety before her own. Her compassion also extends to vulnerable and abused children, blending equine therapy and dance programs at the farm.
Additionally, she teaches free dance classes to underprivileged children in Westlake and offers inclusive dance and fitness classes—all proceeds benefiting the Haven. Steph brings energy, fun & joy to everything she does.
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" Steph is the epitome of sacrifice. While the world slumbers she is up every morning in the dark with her headtorch, irrespective of the brutal wind and rain the Cape can throw at her, dutifully performing the physically taxing manual labour that looking after nearly 20 horses requires. She does not have the luxury, like many, to be employed in the animal welfare sector, this is a labour of love and passion to not only look after these magnificent creatures that she has rescued, but even more importantly to use them in nurturing and healing therapy for children who have experienced some of the worst life could throw at them, from being abandoned by parents, abused or even trafficked. She is making a huge difference in these childrens lives. She puts in what most would consider a full days work every weekday, and then has to get to her day job. She draws no remuneration from the organisation, in fact she works to help fund and support this amazing initiative. And lets not forget where she spends most of her weekends - running childrens programmes with the horses, over and above the everyday routine, as well as running outreach programmes to educate and support the communities where animals and horses are often abused. In a world so focused on self, Steph is a beacon of light in putting others before self. She wholeheartedly deserves this award. "