District Director

From a Triple Crown to the Chair of the District Council

When I became a Toastmaster back in 2010 I was immediately sold with the idea of what the organisation was about, through the wonderful welcome and induction I received from my club Wessex speakers in Winchester. I very quickly set myself some objectives to work through my competent communicator manual and unlike a lot of members also got through my competent leader manual at relative pace. Within a year of membership I had also managed to achieve my advanced communicator bronze award.

I decided that I wanted to understand more about the organisation I joined and I remember going to a divisional speech contest early in my membership. This sticks in my mind because it was the first time I met Past International Director Jean Gamester. To my utter surprise my name was called out by her when she was on the stage and I was presented with something called a Triple Crown. Although the award was unexpected and very nice, I remember driving home thinking even at that point I wasn’t sure what it really meant to be part of an organisation as big as Toastmasters International.

In the couple of years that followed, I remember going to the conference in Swindon, one in London near to the Tower of London, one in Gatwick and when I was serving as Division Director I stepped up to become logistics chair for the Mayflower conference in Southampton. I remember vividly the thank you speech that Vanessa King DTM gave when she prepared to step down as District Director and remember thinking how proud I was to be involved with such an amazing group of people. Somehow I still feel tired when I think of that conference, but it holds memories I will always cherish.

It feels very strange therefore, to be less than a week away from our conference in Heathrow where I will chair the annual business meeting as District Director. The conference team under the leadership of Debbie Williams and Bolu has done an amazing job to put together such an exciting agenda. At the time of writing we are sold out of our Gala Dinner and VIP tickets. As you will see from Debbie’s article – there is still time to buy day tickets!

So…. If you want to build memories, spend time with friends, maybe even make some new friends, then you need to come along and be part of the fun.

You will not regret being helped to see how big and impressive this organisation is – but most importantly how impressive the talent and members are that we have here in District 91.

Buy your ticket today – and maybe one day you will be inspired to become the District Director too….

Yours in service,
Steve Vear

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