On Tuesday 8^th April, London Victorian hosted a highly successful open-house meeting attended by 75 members and guests.

Headline Results

Total attendance:                        75
Guests attending:                        49
New members signed-up:        11
Marketing spend:                        £120
Videos produced:                        6
Views on LinkedIn:                    ~2,600

How did we do it?

Here are the key lessons learnt from this event that every Club can replicate, alongside ideas on how to do better still.

Make it a Paid Ticketed Event

London Victorians previously organised an open-house in March 2024 attended by around 35 people. While this was a successful event that led to some new members signing-up, one data point made me think; out of 41 people registered to attend only 10 had turned-up.

This time, we decided to charge anyone wishing to attend £5 to ensure buy-in and commitment from attendees. Another positive effect of this decision was to focus minds around creating a professional value-adding event which attendees would enjoy.

A Big Event Needs a Big Team

Our VP of Membership Nick Roberts spearheaded organizing this open-house meeting with support from myself and our VP of Public of Relations Sam Yates. Other members of the leadership team additionally help on more specific tasks like agenda management. We knew early on that more members would need to be involved as well, especially on the day to support delivering an amazing event.

With this in mind, meeting agenda was filled-in early on with excellent speakers, evaluators and a fabulous Toastmaster of the meeting to create a show on the day. Another team of member also looked at guest hospitality, signing-in, registering and mingling with guests in the evening.

In total almost 20 members played a part in making this event successful. It was truly driven by the whole Club.

Set Goals Upfront and Plan Accordingly

Initial discussions regarding the event’s format began 7 weeks before its scheduled date. Nick and myself agreed on all key parameters 6 weeks beforehand, with Nick emphasizing that value was a key proposition for attendees:

1. The event’s theme would be public speaking essentials and tips, aiming it at attendees looking to improve their skills in a professional yet friendly atmosphere.
2. A short interactive 15 min workshop ‘The 5Ws of Public Speaking’ kicked-off the event after intros from the President and Toastmaster.
3. The agenda then followed best-practice written when I was Club Growth Director, with audience-led interactive evaluations of the speakers facilitated by the Toastmaster amongst other things.
4. Space for ~20 Table Topics using question which attendees pre-answered beforehand while registering – ‘Tell us something unique, interesting or fun about you’ to be answered in one minute max. The Table Topics Master selected the most interesting answers for this segment and there were loads.
5. A Testimonial from a member sharing her journey to wrap-up the event and encourage people to join.
6. Networking over pizza after the event.

The goal was to attract ~80 people and fill all the seats in the meeting room. Paid marketing was part of the project plan, alongside creating a series of short 1min marketing videos to entice people.

For reference, the agenda of the event can be found on easy-Speak and the registration page on Eventbrite.

Do a Big Marketing Push

Like most Clubs, London Victorians mostly markets itself passively with a website, Facebook page, LinkedIn page and Google Business profile. On this occasion a more active use of all of these channels would be needed.

Content Creation – Nick, Sam and myself work together to create professional looking content to share across all marketing channels. Using the best photos at our disposal, we created an A4 poster, a square image for social media and 6 videos featuring our members encouraging people to attend. We used Canva to edit these materials and iPhones to shoot the videos in our venue.

Internal Promotion – Nick spoke about the event to Club members during every meeting in March and sent multiple WhatsApp messages in our group with the event poster included. Several members took on the challenge of inviting friends and colleagues to attend, and word of mouth likely brought in more registrations as well. Leveraging our membership also led to one of our members Josh agreeing to sponsor some tasty kombucha from his business to drink on the day too.

Eventbrite Marketing – Eventbrite promotes events to users according to their own interests, the possibility also exists to advertise directly on the platform to attract more views and registration. Our event page was continuously updated throughout the pre-event period to make it more attractive, eventually culminating in using features such as video headers and embedded agendas. We finally ran £30 of paid advertising ran on Eventbrite in March targeted at people living in London.

LinkedIn Posts – Nick took the lead in sharing posts about the event in his profile and the Club’s profile with members encouraged to reshare them. We additionally leveraged the videos we created into a campaign of 5 paid ads which was viewed ~2,600 times and brough in close to 100 visitors to our Eventbrite page. Not a bad spend of £60 and our Click-through-Rate of ~3,6% would be the envy of many marketeers.

Facebook Posts – We posted once or twice per week reminding people to attend the event, sharing images and the videos we created. A short-paid marketing campaign using an image also gathered ~8,000 impressions and led to a spike in traffic to our Eventbrite page.

Past Guests & Newsletter – The event was promoted to all of our past members and guests via our newsletter, which led to a few familiar faces coming back to the Club and enabled us to reconnect with some old members as well.

Business Networks – Nick took the initiative to reach out to the Victoria Business Improvement District and other similar networks in the area. Through grit and a few phone calls with the right people, he was able to get our event added to one of their websites and a promotional newsletter going to businesses in this part of London.

The effectiveness of these campaigns helped fill on the room on the day and the week beforehand as well which saw a record 17 guests attending.

Make it a Show on the Day

Executing this event properly was crucial and all meeting functionaries alongside the hospitality team were brief beforehand regarding their task. Our Toastmaster for this meeting Lucy also took care in ensuring that all contingencies were planned for so that nothing was left to chance.

In the end everything went smoothly and QR codes were spread around the room encouraging attendees to join the Club. Pizzas arrived on time and everyone had something to eat.

How did we do?

Out of 59 guests who registered to attend, 49 turned-up, vindicating the Club’s decision to charge for attendance. What’s more we now have a whooping 10 new members who signed-up after attending the event, no doubt prompted by a special offer to waive the £30 joining fee to attendees. Ticket charges covered all marketing costs, and some of the pizza. So, by all accounts this was an amazingly successful event made possible by a great team!

I personally learnt or relearnt a lot from helping its organisation and I know the same is true for Nick and Sam.

The Club will likely organize another open-house next spring in 2026, and here is what we will aim to do even better next time:

1. Plan ahead even more – In hindsight locking everything 8 or even 10 weeks in advance would have enabled us to have a solid few weeks to shoot more marketing videos and create more content.
2. Read the fine-print regarding videos – Our marketing videos were successful but could have had far more power, if we had been able to use them on Facebook. For some reasons Facebook rejected them for advertising purposes, and we lacked the time to research this further and make any claim. YouTube also only accepted our videos as shorts once the background music was removed, despite it being copyright free.
3. Have a bigger team – We needed a 4^th person in the organising team, especially to support with marketing and there was a time in late March were we all found ourselves stretched doing everything. Another team member could have helped with getting more content out.

By Florian Bay DTM – Past District 91 Director

 

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! 

 

By Nadya Hamedi DTM, Club Coach, Barking Toastmasters

Leadership at Toastmasters is about more than filling roles. It is about nurturing potential, inspiring participation and creating opportunities for members to grow. This was clearly demonstrated by the recent Club Officer Elections at Barking Toastmasters on Saturday 17 May.

Invitations were personally sent to every member and guest accompanied by promotional flyers shared to build excitement and encourage full participation.

The Nominating Committee added a personal touch to the official Toastmasters process. Each member received a detailed summary of all club officer roles, along with access to the Club Leadership Handbook, and official Toastmasters election videos. These resources equipped members to fully understand the responsibilities of each position.  Open and supportive conversations encouraged everyone to explore the different leadership opportunities available.

Multiple nominations for key roles, including Vice President Education, highlighted the club’s vibrant spirit and healthy competition. Nominees shared inspiring speeches about how they plan to serve and lead the membership, while other members delivered heartfelt seconding speeches in support. This engaging process helped everyone learn more about one another and the many ways to contribute.

The meeting was quorate, with strong attendance and lively participation. Each newly elected officer received a comprehensive welcome pack, including a personalised congratulatory letter, Club Officer Agreement and Release Statement, a role summary outlining responsibilities and skills for each position, self-evaluation form, and the iconic “Where Leaders Are Made” ribbon. These resources affirm the club’s commitment to supporting new leaders from the start.

The outgoing committee was formally discharged with sincere thanks for their dedication, receiving certificates in recognition of their contributions. In an uplifting ceremony, the new officers were installed, stepping into their roles with enthusiasm and reaffirming the club’s commitment to develop leaders, inspire growth and empower confident communicators.

At Barking Toastmasters, elections are more than a procedure. They are a celebration of voices, visions, and the journey of developing leaders. Here, leaders are not simply elected. They are nurtured, celebrated, and made.

To every club preparing for elections, embrace this opportunity. Use the tools and support available, connect meaningfully with your members and create an experience that sparks confidence and commitment. Elections also provide invaluable speaking opportunities through nominee and seconding speeches, reinforcing Toastmasters’ core values of communication and leadership. When we invest in leaders, we empower speakers. And when we do both, we ignite transformation in members, in clubs and across our Toastmasters community.

Role summary outlining responsibilities and skills for each Club Officer position:

• Club President
• Vice President Education
• Vice President Membership
• Vice President Public Relations
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Sergeant At Arms

Club Officer self-evaluation form for each Club Officer position:

• Club President
• Vice President Education
• Vice President Membership
• Vice President Public Relations
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Sergeant At Arms

🗣️ “Elections are more than just choosing officers; they represent our collective commitment to grow with the club.” Anthony Moore, Club President, Barking Toastmasters, Area 12, Division K, District 91

🗣️ “I was amazed by the extraordinary level of organisation, support, passion and the power of camaraderie in Barking club Officer election.” Olga Galaiko, Division Director, Division C, District 91

🗣️ “The Barking club officers’ elections were the most organised, inspiring and comprehensive that I have ever seen.”   Lynne Gayer DTM, Division Director, Division B, District 91

 🗣️ “Barking Toastmasters club officer elections were a testimony to excellence and member engagement.”  Mo Dawodu, Immediate Past Club Growth Director (2023-24), District 91

 🗣️ “It was inspiring to see members embrace leadership with enthusiasm, engage through public speaking, and connect as a community.” Diane Richardson DTM, Immediate Past District Director, District 91

 

I have never been inside a category C prison before, and as each gate was unlocked and then locked again, I felt drawn into a space that was home to many women who were closed in from the outside world. These women were low-level offenders who posed a moderate risk and were not suitable for open conditions.

I tried to imagine what it must be like to live here every day – unable to be heard, unable to express myself, unable to convince others that I did matter. DESPAIR was the word that came back to my mind time and time again.

I was lucky. I was there with my colleagues to deliver a 6-week Toastmasters communications workshop as my level 5 project in the Leadership Development pathway, and I was heard, I was able to express myself and I did matter – because I was free.

Despite being eager to get started immediately, we had to abide by the rules and obtain clearance through pre-employment checks, which took a LONG 6-8 weeks to complete. We were also given key and security training, which brought home the level of responsibility we were being entrusted with when opening and closing those gates on our own, without any prison staff present to make us feel secure as we stepped into this unknown world.

At long last, the waiting was over, and we all received clearance and our journey began.

Firstly though, we were advised of some more rules, more constraints!

We had to address the women as instructed: not prisoners; not inmates; not ladies; just WOMEN. That was easy to remember.

We were told not to reveal our surnames, talk about our personal lives, or disclose where we lived in case some of the women should want to contact us upon their release. We had to be constantly aware that we could not get too friendly.

Bringing tea and biscuits was a definite no, making us even more conscious of the harsh restrictions that were imposed within the prison.

But rules were rules!

As the women began to appear, we wondered what awaited us during each session. We were keen to give our all and make a difference, so we always arrived equipped with our agenda, our training guides, stopwatch (to time everyone), table topics, pens, paper and masses of enthusiasm and excitement.

We started by introducing ourselves and our reasons for joining Toastmasters and how it had changed us. After asking them to introduce themselves, we began with the warm-up exercise followed by a short 10-minute training during each session; how to deliver a speech, the importance of vocal variety and body language, storytelling, the power of 3, the purposes of a speech…

We then progressed onto the speeches and gave them a list of topics to choose from. Once the speeches were ready, the women eagerly delivered them in front of the group.

The speed with which they prepared them and how quickly they grasped everything amazed us. What we came to understand is that each one of them deeply desired the freedom to express themselves and, above all else, be heard – a stark contrast to their life in prison.

We heard some deeply harrowing stories: abuse by those they trusted, imprisonment at the age of 17 for being groomed and being associated with murder, and another woman’s experience of being told by her teachers that she was useless and incapable of achieving anything. Others shared their love of writing and music and how these passions had shaped their lives.

We concluded each session by inviting everyone in the room to provide feedback on the speeches, a moment the women thoroughly enjoyed. This was followed by the distribution of certificates and a warm round of applause.

Each time we arrived for our session, unlocking and locking the gates again, we felt an increasing sense of gratitude for the opportunity to help these women realise what they needed most; to be heard, to express themselves and feel that they DID matter.

This is the power of Communication.

This is the power of Toastmasters.

 

 

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!