Allen Paul

Member Spotlight: Jill Segal’s Journey from Classical Music to Corporate Club Training Leader

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When our D91 PDQ, Debbie Williams, asked me whether I could do her a favour I jumped at the chance … as long as that chance was something I had not yet done within my 15 TM years of experience. Debbie knew her target and that I could handle the role which I discovered had the rather grand title of Corporate Club Officer Training Lead!  

Well, the only formal training I ever had was as a barrister and I never practiced it! Which is strange as I feel that I have done pretty well in life reinventing the wheel for myself – everything I have done is without a formal qualification.  Instead, I have had curiosity, passion and persistence. I wouldn’t say that always works but the failure that inevitable cropped up in my life only bolstered the persistence and built in resilience as well.  

So, when I champion Toastmasters it is not only living proof that curiosity, passion and persistence can work for me but from my perspective I have seen very many other people who have been transformed by pushing themselves outside their comfort zones and changing the path of their life.  

Which brings me back to why I was someone who could enjoy putting together the Corporate COTS. I have been in the classical music world since the 1990s and part of what I did when I was an agent, looking after the careers of international concert artists, was promoting and producing concerts in many London venues as well as a few abroad and a small number of orchestral tours. Added to that, with a second passion being theatre, I produced a couple of plays on the London fringe. Now, in the immediate present, I am very involved with the production of a multi-concert music festival in Italy. Curiosity, passion and persistence still prevail. 

 

Stepping Into the Second Half: Training, Tools, and Triumphs

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Time moves fast, and as we move into the second half of our Toastmasters year, there’s a lot on the horizon to prepare for and celebrate! Here’s an update on upcoming training, new tools, recent contests, and some important updates on club incentives. 

 

Club Officer Training Round 2: Strengthen Your Leadership Skills 

Round 2 of Club Officer Training (COT) is just around the corner, offering a valuable opportunity to refresh your skills, exchange ideas, and prepare for the second half of the year. The training period starts on 1st November 2024 and ends on 28th February 2025.  Attending COT sessions is an invaluable step toward club success. Let’s come together, learn, and prepare for a strong finish to the year.  All details will be posted in the district91 calendar.   

A lot of work goes into arranging club officer training, and we’re pleased to offer specialized sessions just for our corporate clubs. Behind the scenes, someone has been working tirelessly to tailor this training for corporate club officers. Please join us in welcoming the District 91 Corporate Club Training Lead, Jill Segal, who has been instrumental in crafting a relevant and impactful program for our corporate clubs. Jill’s dedication and insights will make a meaningful difference for our corporate club officers this year.  Read further about Jill here. 

In the meantime, please see below details of Corporate Club Officer Training taking place next month.   

 

 

New Base Camp: Elevate Your Pathways Journey 

In major news, Toastmasters International recently launched the newly redesigned Base Camp platform, which brings an improved, streamlined experience for all members working in the Pathways program. The updated platform allows for smoother navigation, making it easier to track your goals, complete projects, and find resources as you progress. If you haven’t had a chance, log in to explore these updates — your learning journey just got even better! 

 

Celebrating Club-Level Contests: Congratulations to All! 

A heartfelt congratulations to all clubs who have held their Humorous Speech and Table Topics contests so far. We’ve seen some fantastic speeches and quick-witted responses, highlighting the talent and skill across our district. Thank you to every participant, judge, and contest official who made these contests possible. Now, as we move to the Area and Division contests, we invite everyone to show their support by attending and cheering on contestants as they represent their clubs. 

Club Success Plan Incentive: Update and Apology 

I’d also like to extend my sincere apologies for the delayed notification regarding the incentive for submitting Club Success Plans. I understand that many of you have been eagerly awaiting this announcement, and I regret the hold-up. Unfortunately, some of the information is incomplete, which has prevented me from finalising the list of winners. Please know I am working to resolve this and hope to make an announcement very soon. 

 

District 91 Conference 2-4 May 2025 

Please save the date and register your interest now to stay updated with the latest news, ticket details, and opportunities to attend or volunteer at the D91conference! 

 

Advanced Event Registration for the District 91 Conference 2-4 May 2025

Thank you all for your continued dedication and patience as we work to make this an outstanding year for all our clubs and members. 

 

Here to serve 

Debbie Williams 

Program Quality Director, 2024-2025 

District 91 

From Milestones to New Horizons: October Reflections with District 91

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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!

Renew, New Beginnings, and Celebrate! – A September Message from the Club Growth Director

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As we wrap up September, things are getting real! From membership renewals to launching new clubs, we’re in the final stretch of an exciting and crucial month for District 91.

1. Renewals – Let’s Cross the Finish Line Together!
The clock’s ticking, and renewals are front and center. This is the time to ensure every member of your club stays on board for the next Toastmasters journey. A quick message or personal call can make all the difference. Think of it as giving your fellow members a friendly tap on the shoulder to remind them of the amazing growth they’ve experienced—and what’s still to come! Let’s push for that 100% renewal mark and make sure no one misses out on another incredible year of learning and leading.

2. New Beginnings – Toastmasters @ Markel
Now, for some exciting news! We’ve officially launched Toastmasters @ Markel—our newest club in Div K3🎉 It’s a testament to how we continue growing and spreading the Toastmasters spirit. Let’s help this new club hit the ground running and show them what the Toastmasters family is all about.

So, here’s to a final push in September! Let’s renew, let’s grow, and let’s celebrate every win, big or small.

Warm regards

Seema Menon, DTM
Club Growth Director, District 91, 2024/25
07957549427

Debate Is Not Yet Futile – But Only Just

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It has been 10 years since Paul Carroll banged the gavel for the first time at 104 London Debaters in September 2014. At our 10th Anniversary Debate Meeting on Tuesday the 10th of September 2024, it was our 10th President, KB, who banged the gavel and called the 33 attendees to order amid streams of bunting and clinking glasses.

After welcoming the gathered flock, and tempting them to stay for cake after the meeting, our current President promptly handed over to our Immediate Past President, David Sexton, to Chair the Table Topic session.

David had a whole slew of Presidential and political topics, from election colleges in the US and age limits on Presidents via the relative merit of the Parliamentary system vs. the Presidential system, to funding for political parties and whether Larry The Cat should be made Prime Minister. Phil’s assertion that it would be rude to make the 1% unhappy had the crowd tickled pink, but it was William who gave the audience paws for thought with his advocacy for a purrfect feline prime minister, and so he won the Audience Prize for Best Table Topic speaker by a whisker.

All debate positions at 104 London Debaters are assigned, so debaters do not necessarily express their personal opinions. (And we are not biased in favour of cats).

During the break, the club served free drinks to all members and guests, and with glasses refilled, President KB handed over to one of our founding members and former Presidents, Joann Walsh, to chair the 10 year anniversary Presidential Debate.

For this special meeting, debate itself was under debate with the motion This House Believes That Social Media Renders Debate Futile, Online and Offline.

Before the debate 5 voted in favour, 18 against with 6 abstaining. After a debate with a plethora of claims, grounds for claims, warrants, claims of fallacies, logical deductions, anadiplosis, and a bravura summary from club founder Paul Carroll, the motion was defeated but with a substantial swing to the Proposition, with 14 in favour, 16 against and 2 abstaining.

Congratulations to the Opposition for defeating the motion – thank goodness, debating was not voted futile at a debating club – but also very well done to the Proposition for winning the swing.

Paul Carroll also won the Audience Prize for Best Debate Speech with his summary for the Proposition.

After President KB closed the formal proceedings, we then transferred our attention to the cake, and our founder Paul had the honour of cutting the club’s birthday cake.

We also had 15 vegan chocolate muffins baked especially for the club on the baker’s day off, by Norwegian Baker’s Jessika Hagerup (William’s ex-wife), and donated them to the club with best wishes for another 10 years of free speech and good quality debates.

Paul Carroll, co-founder of the club, cutting the birthday cake.

The 10 presidents are (in chronological order):
Paul Carroll
Dorothea Stuart (not present)
Joann Walsh
Lo Luong Lo
Christopher Walker
Oliver Kurer
Renata Bailey-Sokol
William Hagerup
David Sexton
Kristina Bhuller