Reflecting on Six Months of Growth and Looking Forward: Message from our district director

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Time goes so quickly!

I cannot believe that I am once again writing my article for the next newsletter. I hope that those of you who celebrate Christmas enjoyed the period in whatever way you chose to do it. And if you don’t celebrate the period I hope at least you had some time to relax and do something nice with your time away from work or the usual schedule of things. Importantly though, if any of our members found themselves working over Christmas perhaps as a member of the emergency services or for those of you with caring responsibilities, thank you for all you do.

It seems almost unbelievable that on the 1st January we will officially reach the mid year point of this Toastmaster year. Six months have gone by with still a very important six months to follow. I want to start by repeating my message contained in my video last month (I will try not to laugh so much as I write this) and that is to thank each and every one of you for making District 91 what it is today. Running clubs week in and week out is always a challenge, but it is such a rewarding thing to do when we see the often transformative nature of the Toastmasters program. Special thanks is also due to all the members of the District Executive committee for their efforts and service having achieved so much in the last six months.

As we stand close to the edge of the second half of the year, it is a good time to take stock, both personally and with your club or district responsibility in mind, so I would encourage you to think:

1. What were your own Toastmasters goals in 2024? Was it to complete a level or a path or just perhaps, attend more meetings? Reflect on how that went for you.

2. Bearing this in mind, what are your Toastmaster goals in 2025? Is there something you have never tried before that you would like to?

3. Think back not just to your goals in 2024, but the reason you joined your club in the first place. Are you on target to achieve that? How is that going and what do you need to do now on this journey you embarked upon?

4. Are you a member that goes beyond the agenda? Do you do more than just complete speeches and take on meeting roles? if so, how can you encourage others to do this year? If you do not – what would be the one thing, however small that you could do to help your club ‘beyond the agenda’?

5. Bearing in mind that Toastmasters is ‘where leaders are made’, how would you describe your leadership style and strength? How could you use Toastmasters to support your leadership journey during 2025?

 

Speaking personally, 2024 was a good year for me (and not just because it was when you asked me to become District Director) but I managed to tick off one or two personal goals. I wasn’t expect the change in career that I have now embarked upon but there is no doubt in my mind that my Toastmasters is one of the many sources where I have been able to build a set skills and experience to set me up for the challenges of 2025 in my new life. It is no accident that at many of the clubs I visit, I talk about the fact that Toastmasters might not be a life saving organisation but it can be a life changing one! I wonder how Toastmasters will effect your life in 2025?

Reflecting for a moment on the achievement of our District mission, I want to thank everyone involved in supporting Seema in driving our club growth activity up until this point. Over the Christmas period we had another couple of pre-charter clubs confirmed by Headquarters and I look forward to seeing how we can support these new clubs and members grow in the coming weeks and months.

There is so much to look forward to in the next six months of our program year and I look forward to seeing you around the District in the coming months.

Thank you,

Steve Vear MBE DTM
District Director

 

A Speech for that Special Occasion at City Limits Speakers.

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This year marks the 10th anniversary of City Limits Speakers, and the club has recently celebrated its 500th meeting. That achievement merits a special speech, but why not a whole online workshop dedicated to creating Speeches for Special Occasions?

Following on from the highly successful Wedding Speech Workshop, Toastmaster Andrew P Bennett DTM devised a session with model speeches and coaching on how to create the speech for your special occasion. This was enjoyed by the club members and guests on November 14th.

The very first speech example came with President David Salamons’ meeting introduction which was a model of how to’ Introduce a Speaker’ correctly. This is so often done haphazardly , but it is an important skill not only for our Toastmasters meetings , but to take out into the world when we are asked to MC at conferences and events of all kinds.

There was something of a seasonal feel to the workshop as TM Sophia White, a sommelier by profession, offered ‘A Toast to Jack Frost’ and TM Serena O’Keefe ‘A Comedy Roast of Father Christmas.’

President Elect Julie Parker and VPM Jill Segal shared the ‘Giving and Receiving of an Award.’ In this instance an award to the Best Dressed Christmas Shopper!

VPE Marc Lottig offered the ‘After Dinner Speech’ using elements from a speech hot off the press that he had given at a breakfast business club just a few days earlier.

A poignant moment came when DTM Andrew, our Workshop Leader, shared a ‘Eulogy’ entitled ‘ Latter Day Viking’ These were words that he had written following the death of his elder brother last year.

Speaking at a funeral or commemoration is one of the toughest situations a speaker can find themselves in. It was important that we discussed how to create and deliver this kind of speech in our workshop session.

Breakout time gave the opportunity for our guests to share the speeches that they were working on and receive feedback from City Limits Members. DTM Andrew had also devised some Table Topics around Special Occasion Speech themes so that everyone got to try out their voice during the session.

Wonderful support was given by Kim Crosby , Zoom Master and Leo Shkembi, Sergeant At Arms.

President Elect Julie Parker

& Andrew P Bennett DTM

Guiding Stars: Insights from Region 10 Advisor, Lilian Shaftacola, on Navigating Toastmasters’ Path to Excellence

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What does a Region Advisor do and how does your role ultimately benefit club members?

As the current Region 10 Advisor, I am using my experience to guide the leaders of our eight Districts as they navigate their way through this program year. My objective is to encourage them to develop innovative strategies that will ensure that their Districts achieve high member retention and club growth while maintaining high quality clubs that can add value to their members.

 

How do you recommend that clubs provide an enriching experience for their members?

The objective of a club should always be to find ways to support every single member and allow them to benefit from the best possible experience. I always advise the clubs to apply the moments of truth, they will never go wrong there. A few additional tips are: The club leaders should aim to be very inclusive, always providing a welcoming environment for guests and members alike. All present should be encouraged to speak up and participate during the meeting. There should be plenty of feedback, always delivered in a very supportive manner. It is also vital that a club ensures it is meeting its members’ needs (which could be changing over time). Therefore, I would suggest checking-in with them on a regular basis, to ask: “what is working, what could be done better?”

 

How did you first join Toastmasters and what has encouraged you to remain an active member after so many years?

Almost 25 years ago, I was invited by a friend to accompany them to a dinner on a Friday night. It seemed like a fairly standard invitation at first but then I realized that we were actually going to a club meeting to listen to people challenge themselves by delivering speeches. I had never heard of the Toastmasters organization before that night and I was very surprised to see so many people from different walks of life giving up their Friday evening to speak in public! I felt quite uncomfortable at first but I ended up being drawn in by the welcoming atmosphere and the multiple opportunities for growth offered. I am still active after so many years because my journey within Toastmasters has been such a rewarding one and I have loved every step of the way. While I did originally join solely to improve my public speaking skills, I have, over the years, also appreciated the leadership roles I have taken on that allowed me to develop further.

 

What motivates you to keep serving the organization and how do you stay connected to the member experience?

The Toastmasters organization has given me so much over the past years that I am really enjoying the opportunity to offer something back by finding ways to support others in their development. The mentoring experience remains an especially rewarding one for me and nothing makes me happier than seeing my mentees achieve their goals. I now have a number of mentees scattered throughout Europe and, of course, I am also working closely with the District Leaders in Region 10. At the same time, I love getting to know as many members as possible – over the last few months I have been fortunate to find myself spending time with many wonderful people. I am currently sponsoring a prospect club and I belong to two established, successful clubs in different Districts but I also love attending the meetings of other clubs. For example, when I was visiting London last week, I thoroughly enjoyed visiting four very different clubs, discussing with their members and listening to their views.

 

Leadership is a key aspect of Toastmasters. What advice would you give to members who are hesitant about stepping into leadership roles within their club?

There is so much value to be gained from stepping into such roles as you can apply the leadership lessons learned in Toastmasters to your professional life. Think of it as an opportunity to practice leadership skills in a safe, non-judgmental environment. What could be better? The beauty of it is that you never know where this leadership journey could end up taking you. Therefore, do not overthink it. Just say yes and go for the challenge!

 

Can you share a success story from a club that overcame challenges and became stronger? What could members learn from this?

I have in mind a certain club that catered mainly to an expatriate community within its country. Therefore, it would experience high turnover as a significant portion of its membership base would leave the country every year. At some point, this club found itself in a very precarious position with the original sponsors also having moved on. There were only 4 members left at that stage and there was very little interest from guests. Even the District leadership team had essentially written off the club but 2 of the remaining members really believed in it and fought to keep it alive. They first worked hard to diversify their membership base, encouraging more locals to join. They then held a number online sessions which allowed them to invite special guests from all over the world. For nine months they worked with dedication to achieve their goal of 20+ active members. Today the club is thriving again thanks to their enthusiasm and determination. The message here is that you do not need to have an army of people to save a club but you do have to have at least one person who genuinely cares and will fight for it.

 

Do you have any final words to share with members who are just starting out on their Toastmasters journey?

Dear new members, I envy you as you start out – you have such a great journey ahead of you, please do not waste one second of it. Do take on as many different roles as possible within the organization and ensure that you always have an experienced mentor by your side to support you. Just don’t give up and you will be amazed by what you will end up accomplishing. Trust me on this – during my twenty-five years as a member, I have seen the Toastmasters organization work its magic on so many people all over the world.

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!