District Director

What a busy but inspiring time it has been lately!

Since my last newsletter article, I have had the pleasure in attending an Area contest down in Exeter, the Division B and L contest and spent the day with my wonderful District Leadership Team when we spent a day planning for the last quarter of the program year.

Contest season really does encourage us to raise our game and literally showcases some of the best speaking talent that District 91 has to offer. It has never been something that I have been able to take part in for a variety of different reasons, but it is true what they say – nothing pushes us quite like the pressure of a contest.

We should never underestimate however, how much effort and indeed how many people it takes to make a contest a successful one. Whether you have already had your divisional contest or you still have it to look forward to, I want to thank each and every one of you that has been involved. I don’t just mean the official roles such as judge, timer and ballot keeper – a lot more than that is needed to make the events run, so thank you, thank you, thank you.

I recently wrote to the members of the District Council, including Club Presidents and Vice Presidents of Education informing them that the District Leadership Committee have nominated candidates for almost all of our elected leadership positions for program year 2025/26. A number of these positions are contested which is testament to our current leaders who have inspired people to step up to these important positions. It is now incumbent upon all members of the council to do their duty in making a decision as to who should be elected to office.

The District Leadership Committee did not nominate candidates for the position of Division D and Division H Director. It is therefore possible for qualified candidates to stand from the floor. Should anyone be interested in taking on these key roles or you have any questions, please do get into contact with myself.

If you live in the London area or have travelled there recently you may well have come across our wonderful tube campaign which was running for a couple of weeks at a large number of stations. I cannot express in words the level of pride I have felt in relation to this campaign. I want to pay tribute to Seema Menon our Club Growth Director and all the members of her team that made this possible. Thanks are also due to Diane Richardson for the design work, Janet Alkema and Rob Dewing for the impressive back end work to support the operational delivery of the campaign.

When I was elected as your District Director I made a promise that this year would all be about TEAM, and we that we would be a District Leadership Team that would role model our values and be a team that you could be proud of. The tube campaign is a perfect example of what we have achieved together – the reaction from our members in the exciting and much loved selfie competition says it all really!

Talking about pride – do you have your conference tickets yet? Our wonderful conference director Bolu and his team is working hard to make our conference an event to remember. Please don’t miss an exciting opportunity to laugh, learn and have fun – where you really will see District 91 be its best.

Have a great month.

Steve Vear MBE DTM
District Director

I heard on the news yesterday that we are soon to be at the end of ‘metrological’ winter, and of course you can’t help but notice the lighter evenings. Let us hope that all of this means warmer days are not far away. To be honest, it could not come soon enough because on the way to the car this morning to catch my train to London, I now look like I have been stranded in the rain all day, let alone 2 minutes!

As we shake off the last chill of winter and welcome the promise of spring, it’s a good time to reflect on the seasons of our own lives—both personally and as leaders. The winter months can often feel long and draining, especially for those that, for one reason or another spend more time at home.  The darker days and seemingly endless to-do lists can make it easy to feel overwhelmed. But as the days grow longer and the first signs of spring emerge, we are reminded that change and renewal (and I am not just talking about membership renewals J) are always possible.

For many of us, the arrival of spring brings a much-needed boost in energy and morale. The brighter mornings and longer evenings encourage us to fresh opportunities. In the world of Toastmasters, this is also a time of renewal—an opportunity for reflection and new beginnings, particularly as we approach club officer elections in May.

Leadership is rewarding, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. It’s easy to get caught up in the endless cycle of responsibilities, and commitments. Whether you’re a club officer, a mentor, or an active member supporting others, the demands of leadership can sometimes feel relentless.

But being a leader in Toastmasters really can be an enjoyable and exciting experience and yes, even I can say that as your District Director. In the past week I have spoken to a number of people in our District, the ability of being able to connect, laugh and enjoy the time together makes it so worth while. Perhaps now is the time for you to ask that question of your Club President – what might I be able to do for you, to go ‘beyond the agenda’.

In May, every Toastmasters club will be holding its annual elections for club officer roles. These positions offer a unique chance to develop leadership skills, make a lasting impact, and gain experience that will serve you well beyond Toastmasters. Whether you have been a member for years or are relatively new, stepping up into leadership could be the fresh challenge you need.

Taking on a leadership role in Toastmasters is more than just a title—it’s an opportunity to:

• Develop Confidence: Leading a team, making decisions, and managing challenges will strengthen your confidence and resilience.
• Enhance Communication Skills: As a leader, you’ll learn to motivate and inspire others, a crucial skill in any aspect of life.
• Learn Valuable Leadership Lessons: From delegation to teamwork, serving as a club officer provides hands-on experience in skills that are transferable to your professional and personal life. You will also learn so much more about what happens in our organisaiton – it really is international in the true sense of the word!
• Make a Difference: Your leadership can help shape the future of your club, creating a positive and supportive environment for all members.

Ask your current committee about their experiences, the challenges they’ve faced, and the rewards they’ve gained. You might find that leadership is the perfect next step in your Toastmasters journey. And just to be clear –  If you aspire to lead District 91 one day, then serving as a club president is a mandatory requirement!

So, as we move into this season of renewal, I encourage you to ask yourself: Where will your next step take you?

I am writing my newsletter article on the train on the way home from a day in London. On the train two friends are talking about a presentation one of them have to give tomorrow. I have heard how the person in question hates talking in front of crowds and wishes he could do it on line. His friend has replied and said ‘Mate, I wish we were still in lockdown and I don’t have to speak to people unless I have to’.

When I arrived at Waterloo this morning I watched a nervous young woman who had difficulty looking up from the floor ask the guard for information about the train she was looking for. And then when I got to University I was asked to take part in a small bit of filming for a promotional video. This didn’t involve me talking but did involve me having a chat with the Student Association manager who was to feature in the footage. When we got talking it turns out that she was aware that one of our clubs meet at the University and had heard of Toastmasters International. In less than 12 hours today I have seen two examples where Toastmasters could help people in every day life and then spent four hours sitting in one of our club venues. What is my message? Quite simply, that we don’t have to look very hard to find every day examples of where the Toastmasters experience can help us or indeed effect our day. I didn’t have the opportunity to speak to the two friends on the train or the person at the train station  – but I wonder what amazing transformation we could have seen if they became members. Thank you to the clubs across our district that offer our life changing program to our members week and week out.

Outside of the public speaking side of Toastmasters there of course is the leadership opportunity. The deadline for stepping up for one of our elected roles for the 2025/26 program year is fast approaching. Being a District officer is such a rewarding experience. Being a Division Director and then serving this year as your District Director has been such a wonderful and fulfilling experience and if you are in two minds as to whether to step up to serve for next year – please just take that leap of faith and do it.

Details on what you need to do to apply for a Division Director or trio role can be found here – https://d91toastmasters.org.uk/members/leadership/elective-roles-2025-2026/

If you have any questions about this process please either contact myself or Andy Hammond our District Leadership Committee Chair?

Oh by the way – have you bought your conference ticket yet……….. its going to be incredible!

Yours in service

Steve Vear
District Director 2024/2025

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

October Reflections – 4 months in 

We are now approaching the end of the first four months of the program year, the clocks have gone back and the leaves are on the floor as autumn sweeps across the country. Time is indeed the fire in which we burn, but we have so much to be proud of within District 91. 

Over the last four months our District Leaders have been trained, we have held both District Executive Committee meetings and our first council meeting. The club growth team under the leadership of Seema Menon has chartered 3 new clubs and are working up so many leads its difficult to keep up! Our hard-working Area Directors have provided club officer training for committee members, contests are in full swing, now at the area level and many clubs have also seen their Area Director complete the first of two formal club visits for the year. Alongside this, we can all now enjoy the new Pathways Base Camp, with 403 members already achieving an educational award this year. If that wasn’t enough, we have also provided weekly webinar training, celebrated several special club events and have started scoping venues for our 2025 District conference. 

Distinguished Toastmasters 

While talking about educational achievements, I wanted to pass my own congratulations to David Lynch from Microsoft who has recently become a Distinguished Toastmaster and also to Past District Director Pedro Casilas and previous Area Director Christine Wallach who have both achieved a second DTM. Many congratulations to all of you for a fantastic achievement.  

100 Years of Toastmasters 

All the success we enjoy in District 91, and the witnessing of life changing development would not have been possible if it was not for Dr Ralf C Smedley who 100 years ago this week created our wonderful organisation. I have been watching some of the celebrations going on across the globe, which brought back some of our own 10- and 100-year anniversary’s at the Bristol conference back in May. We will have the opportunity to celebrate 100 years of Toastmasters once again at the upcoming Division contests so please do come along and join us for a glass of fizz!  

Don’t forget that there is fantastic way to honour the memory of Dr Smedley with the plus one pledge. This is designed for encourage each member to sponsor a new member into a club. I am sure we all know that one friend that needs that supportive push. I am hoping to do exactly that for Farnham Speakers in November. This is not my club of course but is the one much closer to my friend! A little while ago, I purchased a couple of copies of the special commemorative edition of the Toastmaster magazine. The first person to show me a screen shot of your profile, showing you have sponsored a member this year as part of the plus one pledge will be sent this special edition as an extra thank you for your efforts.  

Division K – Help Please 

I am sorry to have to tell you that owing to work and personal commitments, this together with the juggling of vacancies in the Division has meant that Sabrina Achi has stepped down as Division K Director. I would like to thank Sabrina for all her efforts since becoming Division Director and wish her well. 

In order to continue to support the clubs in Division K in the way we would like, and to ensure that the burden of responsibility does not fall to a select few, I would really love to hear from anyone interested in taking up one of the Area Director vacancies or indeed would like the opportunity to be considered for the Division K vacancy. You do not need to have been a member for a minimum time or indeed have served on the committee. If you have a desire to serve and are keen to learn, please do get in touch with me. 

As we continue on in our goal to inspire our leaders and members, to be distinguished or better and to inspire our members to go beyond the agenda, I want to thank you every single member for continuing to make District 91 a very special place to lead.

Here is to another 100 years of Toastmasters!