Updates & Posts Archives - Page 60 of 62 - Toastmasters UK South

Mission Accomplished! D91 achieves President’s Distinguished District!

7 October 202030 July 2015 by Susan Rayner

Fellow Toastmasters,

What a fantastic year we’ve had launching and establishing our new District.

Hilary Briggs, Immediate Past District Governor, District 91

I was very aware back in July 14 that this year was as much about ensuring the foundations were put in place for ongoing success as actual achievements in the year. In practice, we’ve achieved both – and I’m delighted to report that I’ve had the final confirmation from TI on our achievement of President’s Distinguished District – and also a message from International President Mohammed Murat congratulating us on ranking 3rd in the world out of 97 districts.

This great result reflects accomplishment of the District Mission of building new clubs and supporting all clubs in achieving excellence as we’ve grown 10% both in number of clubs and member payments, as well as reaching 85.5% of clubs Distinguished. In fact, we were just 3 clubs away from achieving overall 1^st in the world.

In parallel, across the District we’ve built on past successes and learnings from District 71. There’s lots going on behind the scenes to ensure clubs within our District can help their members become more effective communicators and leaders, from organising club officer training, running contests to planning specific events such as training from World Champions to enhance learning opportunities. As we improve the way we do things at club, area, division and district level, it gets easier to involve more people which also helps to spread the load. In addition, one key tool we’ve established was the new D91 member website – with thanks in particular to the drive and enthusiasm of incoming District Director Jean Gamester DTM.

None of this could have been achieved without the hard work and dedication of you, the member. As everyone takes steps along their own journey to be a more effective communicator and leader, this in turn inspires others to take another step. In fact what I feel the most important thing that I’ve learned this year is the power of enthusiasm, positive attitude and momentum. The words themselves are easy to say, however their power comes from application. They really are infectious and help to overcome all kinds of hurdles. I urge you to take the next step on your journey this year.

I look forward to serving the District as Past Division Governor (DG) and helping to identify the next wave of District Leaders to ensure we continue to build on our successes.

I feel very proud to have been first (and last!) DG of D91. It’s been a pleasure to serve you.

Best regards,

Hilary Briggs DTM
Immediate Past District Governor
Toastmasters International
District 91 UK South

How to Submit Club Officer Training Reports

19 August 201520 July 2015 by Susan Rayner

Division Directors Submit Club Officer Training Reports

Now your Area Directors have delivered Club Officer Training in your division, you need to submit a report to Toastmasters International. This is required for your Area Directors to achieve Distinguished Area and for your clubs to achieve the Training DCP goal.

This page will take you through the process of submitting reports to Toastmasters International.

Step 1. Login to Toastmasters.org and go to District Central. Click on the Record/Review Club Officer Training link and you should see a page like this (click on the images to see bigger versions):

Ensure the correct period is selected from the drop-down menu then click Proceed.

Step 2. A screen like the following should be displayed. Scroll down to find the area whose training you wish to enter, then click on the club officer roles that attended training. Note that if one person fulfills two roles, then that counts as two officers trained. For example, if Elizabeth is both the Treasurer and Secretary, then you can check both the Sec and Treas boxes.

D91 Great Western Conference 7-8 November 2015

7 October 202024 June 2015 by Susan Rayner

UPDATE:

For bookings and conference information visit greatwesternconf.toastmasterclub.org. Early bird prices are still available, but single-occupancy rooms are proving very popular, so book soon!

….

To receive the Early Bird rates for District 91’s Autumn 2015 Great Western Conference, the hosts, Thamesdown Speakers’ Club, encourages you to register by emailing the Conference Organisers directly.

The Autumn Conference is over the weekend of 7-8 November, with a special evening of events for anyone arriving in advance on Friday 6 November.

What is included in the D91 Great Western Conference?

As always our conference will be packed full of exciting workshops and key Toastmasters events: the final of the D91 Humorous Speech Contest, the final of the D91 Table Topics Contest, the important District Council Meeting, Gala dinner, and networking with fellow Toastmasters from across UK South.

Where is the conference being hosted?

Our venue is The Marriott Hotel, Old Town Swindon. Swindon is a modern painting set in a gorgeous frame of scenic countryside and is 59 minutes by train from London Paddington. The Marriott hotel is a modern purpose built hotel with spa and leisure facilities attached.

What are the local attractions?

The town itself was home to Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s Great Western Railway. It’s still affectionately known as God’s Wonderful Railway – taking holiday makers to the English Riviera, clotted cream to Harrods and Selfridges, Cornish daffodils to Covent Garden Market and strawberries to Wimbledon.

The surrounding area is home to our ancient heritage: The Avebury Stone Circle and Silbury Hill, the Vale of the White Horse[s] and the Marlborough Downs. In fact that’s how we got our club got its name – Thamesdown being betwixt the Thames and the Downs. The land of chalk and cheese – from Salisbury Plain to the Cotswolds.

What are the D91 Great Western Conference package options?

Why not take advantage of the different packages? Sightsee on Friday and then join us for the pre-conference Friday evening buffet supper and entertainment. We are proud of our heritage and have named your conference packages after our most famous Engineers.

Early Bird rates are:-

The Brunel: Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday package: single occupancy for 2 nights’ b&b accommodation, access to all Toastmasters events, buffet supper on Friday and Gala dinner on Saturday, Saturday buffet lunch and Sunday roast carvery. £303.00. A shared room is only £224 per person.

The Churchward: the Saturday/Sunday package is £209 for single occupancy and £169.50 for shared accommodation.

We’re offering a partners package including a tour of the local Wadworth’s brewery, meeting Shire Horses Monty and Max who still deliver beer around Devizes, lunch and beer tasting session. On the Sunday we invite you to the Great Western Village home of the designer outlet shopping mall, the National Trust and STEAM (the Museum of Great Western Railway).

We look forward to seeing you there!

Pictures below are from www.visitwiltshire.co.uk

Avebury Circle from visitwiltshire.co.uk

worlds fastest train

Reflections of a Toastmaster two years after breaking the ice

19 August 201524 June 2015 by Susan Rayner

From Florian Bay, Area Director 2015/16

Florian with club President regalia June 2015 As I came home from district officer training ten days ago, several things bubbled in my mind. Relief at having escaped a Martian tripod invading Earth. Empowerment at having reached another level in my Toastmasters journey in so many different ways. Finally, thoughtfulness at the journey taken so far, just over two years on from my icebreaker in Cheltenham Speakers.

It first heard about Toastmasters in early 2007, through some American self-help tapes I had purchased while studying in Bath. A quick search sadly only yielded a club whose meetings finished after the last train back to Bristol and Bath. But always wanting to become a better public speaker, a seed had been firmly planted in my mind. One evening in March 2013 while living in Gloucester, the search made a few times since 2007 was made again. “Oh there’s a club in Cheltenham, I could get the bus there after work on Tuesday!”

I still remember the first meeting I attended. It was the club’s speech and evaluation contest. One of the speech from this evening, ‘Beautiful people’ is still in my mind, especially the speaker’s fantastic vocal variety and use of rhymes. A fortnight later I was doing my first table topic. A fortnight after that, I was a paid-up member. The humble but oh so important role of timekeeper was mine one a month later. June 4th arrived and with it my icebreaker ‘Once upon a Franco-British dream’. A work placement in Scotland meant a pause in the journey, but the bug was there with desires of attending the Glasgow club one hour away by train suppressed with difficulty. In September 2013 the news was confirmed, I was due to be in London from October onwards! Less than a week after arriving, I attended and joined London Olympians, followed by St Paul’s Speakers in November.

Laughing, Learning and Inspiring: All in a Toastmasters day in Winchester

7 October 202014 April 2015 by Susan Rayner

From Richard Blackman Area 46 Governor

Toastmasters from Reading, Basingstoke, Winchester and Southampton gathered for the Area 46 spring conference and international speech and evaluation contests on Saturday 11 April 2015. Location was the Badger Farm Community Centre to the south of Winchester. It was the perfect sett(ing) for an energising and entertaining toastmaster day.

During the first half of the day participants were treated to an interactive workshop on humorous speaking led by toastmaster and award winning presenter and humorist, Alan Donegan. Entitled “Have the Audience Rolling in the Aisles: How to Add Humour to Your Speech”, the workshop itself generated much laughter. We went home inspired and more knowledgeable in the construction of jokes, and with many images etched in our minds. Elephants on the UK’s road network, backside slapping at supermarkets, business uses of roadkill, and the pleasures of gardening all resulted in laughter!

Then the contests…

The speech contests, the more serious business of the day, took place after a convivial lunch of eating and networking. Both contests were smoothly and professionally chaired by Steve Vear, with Dorothea Stuart as Chief Judge

Pictured at the top of post: All eight contestants with Contest Chair and Area Governor (Back row left to right: Debs Wallace, Andrew Keevil, Alex Reid, Steve Vear, Ken Amy, Eric Skates; Front row left to right: Gerard de Jong, Saday Appan, Richard Blackman, John Spry)

The Area J46 International Speech Contest

First up in the International Speech Contest was Debs Wallace (Basingstoke Speakers) with a personal story of how toastmasters had helped her overcome enormous disbelief. She was followed by Eric Skates (Wessex Speakers) on taking a step of faith based on his experiences over the past decade in Uganda. Third in the sequence was Gerard de Jong (Reading Speakers) with an entertaining personal story. Ken Amy (Hamwic Speakers) completed the quartet of area finalists with his speech in praise of toastmasters, given dressed in a luminous “counter-cultural tutu”.

The Area J46 Evaluation Contest

Testing the speakers in the Evaluation Contest was a target speech given by Russell Streeter, President of Solent Speakers in Fareham. Based around sailing and containing a message for his son, Russell’s great speech challenged the contestants to develop their analytical skills, but also more importantly to give the speaker some recommendations on how to improve an already great speech. Our four contestants, Andrew Keevil (Wessex Speakers), Saday Appan (Basingstoke Speakers), Alex Reid (Reading Speakers) and John Spry (Hamwic Speakers) all lived up to the task giving some excellent evaluations.

And the winners were…

First place in the Evaluation Contest went to Hamwic Speakers’ John Spry, with Saday Appan as runner up. (John pictured left with Richard)

First place in the International Speech Contest went to Reading Speakers’ Gerard de Jong, with Eric Skates as runner up.

As ever at a toastmaster event all the participants went away as winners, having achieved so much. That said only those judged to be in first place qualified for the Division J finals in Swindon on 19 April. Book your place via https://www.facebook.com/events/1610758622469993/

Good luck to John and Gerard in Swindon!

(Gerard pictured left with Richard and Steve)

A big thank you goes to Wessex Speakers for their organisation and hosting of a great day.

Thank you to our photographers Diane Chamberlain, Margaret Amy and Peter Jagger.