Toastmasters Recruitment Drive at South Croydon Jobs Fair

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On the 27th November 2024, a dedicated team in Division 8 put up a Toastmasters’ banner and raised awareness of the benefits of joining Toastmasters International. This was their third trip to Job Fairs by the Bridge in South London. The team spent three hours, talking and introducing attendees Toastmasters and how their speaking skills can develop and improve with our help. We look forward to meeting them at a club near you!

 

Here are some highlights and feedback from some of our members that served on the day:

Suzy Kearn ,VPPR  from Croydon Communicators :

The day was an enjoyable experience for both TM’s and potential guests. The event was packed and a great opportunity to get Toastmasters known and possible new members, now or in the future.

 

 

Sabeer the Division B8 Area Director had this to say:

It has been an amazing experience for me. The teamwork was incredible and time went by so quickly and the  best part was we were all having a great time, engaging/ talking with participants at the job fair. I was surprised to learn that not many people knew about Toastmaster which would make it a perfect reason why we were there.

Overall, been an amazing experience for me and thank you for having me.

Wendy Gibson VPE from Purley Speakers had this to say.

Positive Takeaways:

  • High Attendance: The event was well-attended, providing plenty of opportunities to engage with a diverse group of potential new members.
  • Effective Teamwork: Our team worked seamlessly together, with everyone contributing positively to the event. We were able to engage attendees without anyone needing to wait for attention, thanks to our well-staffed table.
  • Positive Energy and Engagement: We arrived with enthusiasm and maintained a friendly, approachable attitude throughout the day. This helped us make meaningful connections, and we successfully gathered numerous contact details.
  • Strong Collaboration Across Clubs: It was a great opportunity to meet members from other clubs and work together as a unified team. Despite being new to each other, we gelled quickly, making the event enjoyable and productive
  • Slow Foot Traffic as an Advantage: The crowded corridor slowed the pace of attendees, which gave us more time to capture their attention and engage with them, ensuring we spoke to more people than we might have otherwise.

Challenges:

  • Limited Space: The small table and lack of seating made it difficult to organise materials and rest comfortably. However, this did encourage more standing interactions, which could be seen as an advantage in making our table more approachable.

This was a super event, and we hope to do many more of these in the future, and to continue to inspire everyone around us.  Are you inspired to do similar at your local business fair?

 

Three Decades of Toastmasters Excellence: Celebrating London Athenians’ 30th Anniversary

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Celebrating 30 years of excellence with London Athenians

On 1st October 2024, London Athenians celebrated a remarkable milestone – their 30th Anniversary! The evening was filled with connection, inspiration, and plenty of joy as they reflected on three decades of growth and achievements.

A special night has been carefully planned, kicking off with an icebreaker activity, giving everyone a chance to mingle in a friendly and fun atmosphere. This was followed by a lively Table Topics session in true Toastmasters style.

Everyone was dressed smartly, adding to the elegance of the evening. There was food, cake, and bubbles to enjoy, allowing time for members to relax, chat, and network.

The highlight of the evening was hearing from former members, who returned to share their Toastmasters journeys and the lasting impact the club has had on their personal and professional lives. Their stories were a powerful reminder of the value of Toastmasters in building confidence, leadership, and lasting friendships.

London Athenians are truly special because of their strong sense of community – they support one another’s growth, celebrate achievements, and share in the joy of learning together.

At the heart of everything they do is a love for celebration. They celebrate progress, success, milestones and most importantly, they celebrate each other. Here’s to many more celebrations to come!

Announcing the D91 2025 Conference: The Stage Is Yours

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Dear Toastmasters,

I am thrilled to announce that the District 91 Conference 2-4 May 2025 will take place at the vibrant and contemporary Radisson RED Heathrow! This year, our theme is “The Stage Is Yours” – a celebration of the courage, growth, and achievements that come from stepping into the spotlight and embracing new challenges as I have done by becoming your Conference Director.

Mark your calendars for this unmissable event, where we will come together to learn, connect, and inspire one another. The 2025 Conference promises a dynamic programme, including exceptional keynote speakers, engaging workshops, and unparalleled networking opportunities, and host four amazing District speech contests. Radisson RED Heathrow provides the perfect venue to bring this vision to life, offering a modern and energising space for growth and discovery.

As your Conference Director, I am committed to delivering an extraordinary experience. Together with a dedicated team of volunteers, we are planning an event that will motivate and empower you to take the stage in your own journey, both within Toastmasters and beyond.

We are actively seeking passionate and committed volunteers to help bring this vision to fruition. If you’re ready to be part of something incredible, we’d love for you to join our team. Please see below specific roles that we need to fill:

  • Graphic Designer
  • Logistics Director
  • Technical Director
  • Registration Manager
  • MC Co-ordinator

My name is Bolu, and I’m a proud member of Holborn Speakers. Taking on the role of Conference Director has been a bold step, and I am honoured to lead this exciting event. Keep an eye out for ticket announcements and get ready to claim your place at Radisson RED Heathrow—because “The Stage Is Yours”.

Don’t forget you can still register your interest to be the first to receive all the latest updates here

I look forward to seeing you there!

 

Warm regards,

Bolu Olubajo Conference Director 2025

District 91

Spotlight on Success: Ga Lok Chung – Empowering Leaders as Club Coach Lead

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My home club is City of London Toastmasters. At various points I’ve also held dual membership at a variety of other wonderful clubs in London and I became a Distinguished Toastmaster in 2018. I love competing, having reached District finals 9 times across different contests and winning Evaluation in 2016. I’m a management consultant at KPMG, where I currently head up designing solutions for managed learning services for clients across the globe. So, developing myself and creating the platforms for others to learn and grow has always been central in my career.

 

This year, I’m supporting the District as Club Coach Lead. If a club has been facing some challenges in membership numbers or need support, I match them to an experienced Toastmaster who helps the club rebuild its membership and improve the overall quality of the club experience. The coach works closely with club officers and members to provide guidance, enthusiasm, and structure within the club.

 

Recently, my home club celebrated its 29th anniversary in November. As the current longest serving member I’m still in touch with many of the former Club Presidents and it was a joy to invite 7 of them back to a special in-person panel discussion during our club meeting. They shared their leadership lessons and what this club has meant to them. The three things I took away were:

 

  1. Each Club President brought their unique personality to the club. They introduced and tested innovations and improvements to the club. Toastmasters is not only a safe space for members to practice their public speaking skills, but also a safe space for people to grow their leadership skills.
  2. We recognise the courage it takes put yourself out there. All our past Presidents started at the back of the room, eventually getting more and more involved in the meetings until one day, they became the person to stand at front and open every meeting. The importance of encouraging people to get involved and have a go is paramount.
  3. We’ve always been a very social club. Going to the pub post meeting, the annual Christmas curry get-together and we’ve recently introduced snack and chat and the end of the meetings. Countless friendships have formed in a community where people want to support each other to succeed in their goals.

 

Coming back to club coaching, Toastmasters is an amazing place, and we want to support every club to help serve its members. Becoming a successful club coach gives you a credit towards your Distinguished Toastmaster award and gives you enormous satisfaction in helping a club succeed and secure its own legacy, I would recommend any Toastmaster to consider it.

November Highlights: Pathways to Success in D91

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What a fantastic month it has been! A huge congratulations to all the winners of the Humorous Speech and Table Topics Division Contests. Your success is an inspiration! A special shoutout goes to all participants who took on the challenge and achieved personal growth, your efforts and courage are commendable. To all the functionaries and helpers who made these contests run seamlessly, thank you for your dedication and teamwork. We look forward to seeing all winners at the District contests taking place at the Distict 91 Conference.

 

Conference Update

I am thrilled to introduce the D91 Conference Director for 2 – 4 May 2025 is Bolu Olubajo. Bolu is a member of Holborn Speakers and looks forward to formulating and leading the conference team for a successful conference. Find out further details about Bolu and see the announcement of the conference venue here.

 

Club Officer Training

We were treated to an incredible lineup of speakers at our recent Corporate Club Officer Training. From exploring Pathways to learning how to maintain momentum and stay focused, the event was packed with actionable insights. A heartfelt thank you to Christine Lennon DTM, Marc Lottig DTM, Andrew Tsuro DTM, Pat Johnson DTM PIP, and Morag Mathison DTM, for sharing their expertise and facilitating these outstanding sessions.

If you missed out, don’t worry, further training opportunities for all other club officers will be available now through to the end of February 2025. Don’t miss your chance to learn and grow.

Incentives We’re delighted to announce the winners of the Club Success Plan incentive! This initiative encouraged clubs that were not distinguished last year to submit a club success plan for this year. Congratulations to the following winners:

  • 07814710 LSBU
  • 05042742 Deutsche Bank Toastmasters London
  • 07084351 Worcester Speakers
  • 03105854 Malvern Speakers
  • 07850144 Verizon EMEA Online

 

Your dedication to planning for success sets a strong foundation for achieving your goals this year.

Here’s to a joyful and successful festive season—wishing you a very Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and continued success in the months ahead!

 

Warm regards

Debbie Williams

Program Quality Director 2024-2025