Spotlight on Growth: My Journey from Tech Partnerships to Toastmasters Leadership

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I’m a proud member of City of London Toastmasters, a club that has become a cornerstone of my personal and professional growth. Toastmasters, with its warm and supportive environment, has given me the platform to build confidence, refine my communication skills, and grow as a leader. While I work in the tech industry forging global partnerships, Toastmasters has helped me to communicate ideas, influence others, and speak with conviction. It’s the training ground where I’ve learned to turn thoughts into impactful words. 

My Toastmasters journey began after a humbling moment. A few years ago, I was invited back to my engineering college as the Chief Guest for an annual event. Standing on stage in front of 200 students, I wanted to inspire—but instead, I overwhelmed them with technology jargon that flew over their heads. That experience stayed with me. It sparked a desire to improve how I connect with an audience, to speak from the heart, and to share ideas in a way that truly resonates. 

Since joining Toastmasters, I’ve embraced every opportunity to grow. I remember the first role that I took up –  timekeeper, nervously clicking on the timer buttons. From there, I gradually stepped into other meeting roles and began giving speeches. As my confidence grew, I organised contests and eventually hosted meetings as the Toastmaster of the Day. One of my proudest moments was serving as the Master of Ceremonies at an event —a role that tested my presence, preparation, and ability to keep an audience engaged from start to finish. These experiences helped me shed my stage fear and equipped me with the tools to speak more fluently. 

Toastmasters has given me much more than just public speaking. It’s helped me develop as a leader. I currently serve as the Vice President Public Relations for City of London Toastmasters, where I’m responsible for communicating the club’s activities, celebrating member milestones, and maintaining a vibrant presence through newsletters, social media, and promotional content.  

At the district level, I also serve as the Incentive Lead. In this role, I work closely with the Club Growth and Marketing teams, analysing data, announcing award/incentive winners, and ensuring clubs know how to cash in their achievements. It’s a role that demands both attention to detail and strategic thinking, analytical skills that I now apply even in my professional life. These leadership roles have given me not only valuable experience but also the confidence to lead, support, and influence others, even beyond Toastmasters. 

A Memorable Year of Milestones at City of London Toastmasters

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Celebrating 29 years of community, growth, and connection 

This year, City of London Toastmasters marked a special chapter in its journey—our 29th anniversary! Held on 19th November, the evening was filled with reflection, laughter, and heartfelt stories as we celebrated nearly three decades of empowering speakers and nurturing leaders.

The celebration brought together members past and present. A highlight of the evening was a panel discussion with our past presidents, thoughtfully moderated by our club president, Apoorva Agarwal. Their stories reminded us of the deep roots and strong values that have shaped our club’s journey. We were honoured by the presence of some distinguished guests: Regional Advisor Lilian, District Leaders Seema Menon and Debbie Williams.  

Learning and Growing Together 

This year wasn’t just about celebration—it was also about growth. We hosted three impactful workshops: 

  • A fantastic Humorous Speech Workshop with Ola Aralepo, a two-time District Humorous Speech Champion, where members explored the art of adding laughter and levity to their speeches. 
  • A high-energy Table Topics Workshop with Luca Graziani, where members learned how to respond quickly and confidently in impromptu settings.  
  • An Evaluation Masterclass by Lynne Cantor Gayer, DTM, that helped members sharpen their listening and feedback skills. 

Encouraging Excellence 

Our club also held two speech contests 

  1. Humorous Speech & Table Topics Contest 
  1. International Speech & Evaluation Contest  

allowing members to challenge themselves, gain confidence, and step into the spotlight. 

Speakathons That Sparked Growth 

This year, our club hosted two Speakathons — special evenings designed to provide members an opportunity to accelerate in their pathways. These high-energy sessions were filled with back-to-back prepared speeches, offering both budding and experienced speakers a platform to take big steps in their Toastmasters journey. 

The room buzzed with enthusiasm as members delivered speeches ranging from ice breakers to Level 5 presentations, each one met with encouragement, constructive feedback, and warm applause. It was a celebration of courage, commitment, and continuous learning. 

Speakathon 1 Photo 

Speakathon 2 photo 

Ending the Year on a High 

We’re closing the year with pride, as many members began their public speaking journey with their Icebreaker speeches, while others completed levels and even entire Pathways, marking personal milestones in their communication and leadership journey 

At City of London Toastmasters, we’re more than just a club. We’re a community built on encouragement, shared goals, and a love for learning. Here’s to a fantastic year gone by—and many more years of growth, laughter, and inspiration to come! 

 

Celebrating Success and Finishing Strong

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Dear Toastmasters,

Thank you to everyone who attended our District Conference held from 2-4 May at the Radisson Red Heathrow. Your enthusiasm, engagement, and support made the event a great success. Whether you joined us for the educational sessions, the networking opportunities, or the speech contests, your presence was greatly appreciated and contributed to a memorable experience.

Congratulations to Our District 91 Speech Contest Winners
We witnessed truly inspiring performances during this year’s contests. Please join me in congratulating our champions:

District 91 International Speech Contest Winner 2025 and
District 91 Humorous Speech Contest Winner 2025
Dan Magill, Croydon Communicators, Division H

District 91 Evaluation Speech Contest Winner 2025
Matthew Robertson, Bloomsbury Speakers, Division C

District 91 Table Topic Speech Contest Winner 2025
Christopher Bovell, The Speakers of Croydon, Division H

I would like to extend a special thank you to all the contestants who took part, and for raising the bar with a consistently high standard throughout the contests.

Distinguished Club Incentive Winners
We are pleased to recognise the following clubs that achieved Distinguished status for the first time, or for the first time in three years. This accomplishment demonstrates strong leadership and member engagement, there is still time for other clubs to win this incentive.  Winners so far include:

  • London Corinthians
  • LSBU
  • 104 London Debaters
  • Camberley Speakers
  • Cheltenham Speakers
  • Melting Pot Toastmasters
  • Deutsche Bank Toastmasters
  • Barking Toastmasters

Congratulations to all involved for your hard work and commitment.

Pathways 100% Enrolment Award
We also wish to acknowledge the clubs that achieved 100% member enrolment in the Pathways learning programme. This is an important milestone and a strong indicator of member development and club strength.

The following clubs have earned this award:

  • London Olympians
  • Medidata
  • LSBU
  • Legacy Speakers
  • ZigZag
  • Arun Speakers
  • Chiltern Speakers
  • Oxford Orators
  • Moody’s
  • Wembley Stadium Speakers
  • London Toastmasters

Well done for your focus on education and development.

Let’s Finish Strong
As we approach the end of the Toastmasters year, I encourage all members and clubs to maintain momentum and finish the year on a high note. Whether you are working toward a personal goal, supporting fellow members, or helping your club achieve Distinguished status, your continued effort will make a meaningful difference.

Thank you for your dedication and commitment throughout the year. Let us continue to strive for excellence and celebrate every success along the way.

Warm regards

Debbie Williams
Program Quality Director 2024-2025
District 91

 

Launching a Corporate Summit in District 91

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Launching a Corporate Summit in District 91

Are you currently in a corporate role? Have you ever sat through a pointless meeting? Can you think of even ONE organisation that may benefit from bringing Toastmasters in-house but not sure how to go about it?

These are just a handful of the reasons why we’re hosting a corporate summit in London this June – and maybe, just maybe, it will be the first of many.

 

Why it is my Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM project)

Even now, I need to correct people (more so in other Districts) when they assume that I’m already a Distinguished Toastmaster because I’ve been a member over nine years and I’ve served as District Director. Just the other day, in a virtual session I’d been asked to be involved with in another District, I was referred to as DTM over 10x! 🙂

For me, it was never about three letters, but feeling that whenever I become a Distinguished Toastmaster with the hardware, it would be the culmination of multiple paths coming together and one that would benefit this organisation/District based on my own learnings during my time as a member and where I’d spotted gaps in my leadership journey.

When I joined the ‘Trio’ as Club Growth Director back in 2020, I learned that our approach to taking Toastmasters into company settings may need to be different, and more importantly, for when it does land in a company setting, for its longevity to be longer than the current average lifespan for a ‘corporate closed club.’ 

 

What’s this summit all about?

In order for us to have success in a company setting, we need to partner with companies as modelled in Past International President, Pat Johnson’s handbook on this subject. This goes beyond an existing Toastmasters member selling the idea to their boss and creating the equivalent of a community club in a company. I also can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve heard people say that they think Toastmasters would be great in their company, but they either don’t know where to start or don’t take it any further because they think that they will end up doing the work!

That definitely shouldn’t be the case! It takes a team to get it off the ground and whilst the person suggesting it is part of the process, the Toastmasters program to become part of an employee development program is the preferred approach. This event is aimed at HR/L&D/Employee Engagement Professionals who would be interested in exploring whether Toastmasters could work in their companies for this purpose. 

The summit will include a demo/taster session, a panel discussion Q&A and a couple of presentations on how Toastmasters fosters leadership development and effective communication in the professional world. 

 

How can you help?

Let me go back to the third question at the beginning.

Can you think of just ONE organisation that could benefit from a Toastmasters program in-house? Write it down now. 

If that organisation is based in the UK and has at least 1000 employees (ideally based in the UK), please share this link with someone in HR/Learning or Engagement at that company…

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/toastmasters-corporate-summit-2025-tickets-1369962126599

When they register, a member of the corporate summit team will review and confirm if they have secured a spot! Fulfil one of your Toastmasters promises, by giving this market the opportunity to explore the benefits of what Toastmasters offers.

If you’d personally like more information on any of the above, wish to attend or support, please contact District 91. 

 

Rupa Datta

Signing Off

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Last month, May 2025, marks nine years since I first joined Toastmasters in May 2016. As the end of June approaches, it also signifies the conclusion of four successive years on the District Leadership Team, six consecutive years as a DEC member, and seven years of service on the District Council. This is a moment of transition, and one that invites thoughtful reflection.

The journey has been filled with memorable milestones and meaningful achievements. Among these were leading District 91 to President’s Distinguished status in 2023/24 program year for the first time in eight years, being named Division Director of the Year in 2020/21, and contributing to the organisation of the 2020 “Lock Down” District Conference, as Registration Director and Designer which was successfully delivered online in just six weeks under the leadership of Diana Robertson. This project demonstrated that, even in the face of adversity, extraordinary outcomes are possible when we come together with purpose and resolve.

Equally important were the initiatives that strengthened the long-term foundation of our District. These included redesigning the district website, and co-creating the Thanks Toastmasters campaign alongside Susan Rayner, Florian Bay and Arnaud Sartre. These efforts were not merely creative projects; they were strategic tools that empowered clubs, enhanced member engagement, and reinvigorated our shared identity during Covid and the years immediately after. It was gratifying to see that the campaign was used in the recent tube campaign run by this years team.

Naturally, the past six years serving the district first as an Area Director and then as IPDD, have not been without challenges. From the global pandemic in March 2020 and its long-term effects to economic pressures and, most recently, the 33.3 per cent membership fee increase introduced by Toastmasters International during my term as District Director last year, our District has had to adapt swiftly and often. Yet through all these trials, we have succeeded when we have worked together as a team. We have grown stronger, together.

Behind every achievement are a team of people who made it possible. I am filled with gratitude for the many individuals and clubs who supported me throughout this journey.

To my home club, Chiltern Speakers, thank you for providing the foundation of my leadership path. I extend special thanks to Brett Freeman and Paul Imre, and to my first mentors, Jacquie Hogan and Eddie Maguire, who inspired me to take on club and district leadership roles. In more recent years, Adrian Lane and Carolyn Johnson, along with Jacquie and Eddie, continued to provide unwavering support and encouragement.

To Thame Speakers, my second home club since 2019, thank you for welcoming me so warmly. I am especially grateful to Alison Morris, John Morris and Deborah Stevens for their encouragement, support and friendship.

I am also deeply appreciative of my fellow leaders including, Chris Walker and Nadya Hamedi, with whom I served as Division Directors during the difficult Covid year of 2020/21. Your commitment and resilience were exceptional. Chris, thank you especially for your outstanding service as District Chief Judge in 2022/23. Nadya, your contributions across several areas including club growth, membership education and data cleansing were immensely valuable. Your thoughtful approach and behind-the-scenes efforts were greatly appreciated.

I also extend my sincere thanks to Rose Nakibirango, who served as District Parliamentarian, and to Valerie Slavina, who took on the responsibilities of District Finance Manager last year with great skill, diligence and care. Each of you played a vital role in sustaining the district’s stability and progress.

A heartfelt thank you goes to Janet Alkema, who provided consistent support during my tenure as Division D Director and later stepped up to serve as District Administration Manager. Your reliability, dedication and good humour brought clarity and continuity during times of change.

I would also like to acknowledge John Drinkwater for his thoughtful collaboration as we explored digital marketing strategies to expand the district’s reach and relevance. And to Nikita Parks for her work as my PR Manager and helping to realise the Membership Anniversary Campaign.

My thanks also go to Nadya Hamedi, Juli Chapman, Massimo Guadagnino and Rick Cooper for their role in establishing the Pathways Support Group in early 2023. Their efforts were central to the district achieving Smedley Distinguished status for club quality, with 104 of 163 clubs becoming Distinguished, a remarkable achievement reflecting collective club excellence in 2022/23.

To my mentors; Hillary Briggs, Arnaud Sartre and Florian Bay. Thank you for your guidance, generosity and time. Hillary, your mentorship during my terms as Club Growth Director and Programme Quality Director laid the foundation for much of what followed. Arnaud, your openness and clarity always helped me consider different perspectives. Florian, your strategic insights during my term as District Director helped me to lead with confidence. I am truly grateful to each of you.

There are many others who contributed to this journey, both in and outside of District 91, far too many to name, but please know that your support, no matter how visible or discreet, made a difference. You helped shape my journey and the successes we achieved as District 91 in 2023/24.

 

The greatest lesson I have learned is that leadership is not defined by title or tenure, but by service. It requires genuine connection, active listening and continuous dialogue with clubs and members. Ensuring that expectations, goals and processes are clearly communicated and mutually understood is essential to success. This year, as I continued to support clubs, I was reminded once again of the importance of this principle.

 

As I now step away formally from the official leadership roles within the District, I do so not with sadness, but with gratitude. I am proud of what we have accomplished together. I look forward to continuing to support clubs and members in an informal capacity, and I am confident that our paths will cross again at meetings, contests, conferences and beyond.

In closing, I reflect on the core values of Toastmasters that have been at the heart of our District’s progress: integrity, respect, service, and excellence. These values are not merely ideals to aspire to, they are the foundation upon which every success, every connection, and every accomplishment has been built. It is by living these values that we create an environment where everyone can thrive and realise their potential.

I remain inspired by the courage, commitment, and kindness shown by those who offered their unwavering support. We rise by lifting others. As I step down from this role, I will carry these values forward, and I encourage each of you to do the same. The future of District 91 remains bright and having met hundreds of you during my leadership journey I have every confidence that we collectively, will continue to inspire, empower, and achieve greatness, as a district.

Thank you, District 91, for the opportunity to serve. Thank you for your trust, your encouragement and your partnership. As I step away from the DLT at the end of June, I carry forward the lessons learned, the friendships made, and the accomplishments we’ve achieved. It has been a greatest honour to be part of this leadership journey – District 91.

Remember – happiness brings success!

Diane Richardson