Chris Arning

The Laughing Toastmaster: Team Player? Depends on the Team

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The Laughing Toastmaster: Are You a Team Player? It Depends on the Team! A new illness is sweeping through the corporate world causing havoc and creating what experts call ‘angry job desertion’. ‘I quit! You know why they call it teamwork? Because it’s a lot of work!’ Known as TPSD (Team Player Stress Disorder), symptoms include shortness … Read more

Autumn Contests & 2023 D91 Conference News

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District Conference 2023

Hello, it’s Diane Richardson here, your Program Quality Director,

I am delighted to say that the District 91 Conference has been booked for the weekend of 6th and 7th May in Central London. I cannot divulge where it is going to be yet, but I think you’ll be excited when you find out. As always it is going to be a smorgasbord of great talks, seminars, and of course the District Contest finals. If you attended last year, you’ll know that this is an event not to be missed!

Whether or not you have attended this conference before, you should know that a tremendous amount of work goes into organising it.

We are still looking for volunteers to help with the conference team. We are looking for a Finance Manager, a PR Manager, and a Sponsorship Manager urgently. Other vital roles such as a Registration manager and IT manager will be needed soon after.

Just a taste of the benefits members of the last conference team gained can be found in these two examples from 2022-2023 Area Director Bonnie Wong and Division Director Rose Nakibirango.

If you are inspired to join the conference team, please contact either Angelie Bharwaney on angeliebharwaney@gmail.com or myself on diane@d91toastmasters.org.uk

Bonnie Wong, D29 Area Director

Rose Nakibirango, Division K Director

Club Officer Training

After a few late entries I am pleased to say that 125 clubs in the District now have 4 or more club officers trained.

However, I would ask every Club President to check that all the correct number of officers trained are shown on the club Dashboard, before the end of October as records cannot be updated after the 31st October and despite the best efforts of everyone occasionally someone is missed.

Pathways Workshop Tips

On Sunday 16th October Massimo Guadagnino, this year’s Pathways Champion and his team will be running a webinar on how to get the most from your Pathway’s journey. The Pathways Champion team have lots of creative ideas and suggestions on how members can gain the most from their Pathways experience. They will also be explaining how you can start your Pathways’ journey within a day or two of joining a club. If you are a new member or a member who has yet to start a Path, then this is a great first step to start your pathways journey. Experienced members will also learn lots of useful tips on how to complete some of their level 4 & 5 projects. To register for the webinar please click on the link below  https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89058848593?pwd=YVRUN2laZ204RGFobkRKZ05oQTAzdz09

Diane Richardson,

Program Quality Director, 2022-2023

Renewals and Forex $-£

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From the Desk of the District Finance Manager

It is a pleasure to inform that our Q1 Financial Activities were all completed on time – the signoffs of our 2021/22 Year-End Accounts and Year-End Audit, and the DEC/Council-approved 2022/23 Budget was accepted by WHQ on 28th Sep.

We are now into Q2 of the Toastmasters calendar. I trust most Club’s bank signatories and accounts have been transferred over to the new Treasurers and Club Officers now have a good grasp of their budget in their Club Success Plan. Club Reserves have grown for many during the pandemic. As clubs return to face-to-face meetings, be mindful that venue hires and refreshment costs will now be incremental to zoom licenses and other costs that came in during the pandemic.

A quick scan of the renewals on 1st Oct, suggests to me that more renewals are yet to be captured. Making the situation more even challenging is the impact of the recent mini-budget announcement which plunged our currency to almost parity against the US dollar; a Sterling Weakness not seen since 1984.

With a weakening Sterling and with renewals not coming in as strong as they should be, an “MOT” on your club finances at this point may be prudent.

  1. Why not re-visit your 2022/23 Club Budget/ Plan and re-validate the membership dues collection forecast to understand better the cash inflow expected for the rest of the Toastmasters Year?
  2. Re-assess all your club commitments, especially those recurring ones such as Zoom subscriptions, Meet-Ups subscriptions, etc. What about sharing the licenses with another club in your Area as often, club meetings do not clash on the same day/time
  3. Re-forecast your cash outflow, specifically those that are denominated in US Dollars, as this will now inevitably cost more with a weaker Sterling e.g., Membership Payments to TMI, Zoom Licenses, etc.
  4. Perform some sensitivity analysis on the number of members (new & retained) and on the US$-denominated expenses to see what your end financials will could be
  5. Use a simple worksheet (example shown) to create better clarity of your club’s financials

A quick sense-check will provide you with a better insight into your club finances; hence allowing you to take the necessary interventions where required, to ensure that your club remains financially sustainable for this year and beyond.

Eddy Quah
District Finance Manager

District Director: Thoughts on our late Queen

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Rupa Datta on how she was inspired by Queen Elizabeth II

I write this month’s piece (originally written for the September newsletter) in a rather pensive mood.

Like the vast majority of you, I’ve only known of HM the late Queen Elizabeth as our Head of State, a woman in leadership and someone whose life was devoted to service from a young age. I’m sure as time passes there will be more reflections and parallels and for someone who was present in different ways for different people, there will be different takeaways.

Last month, at the Toastmasters International convention in Nashville, I had the honour to carry the flag of the United Kingdom during the opening ceremony. It’s hard to describe the thoughts that went through my head when the decisions for allocations of flags were being made and what it was to participate in such an event that really demonstrated the diversity of our organisation.

Given the events of the last two weeks, the whole event feels much more poignant right now.

As we near the time where we are decide on renewing our continued commitment to Toastmasters, our clubs and our personal growth, I can’t help but draw some parallels:

  • Service

The third of our Core Values. We associate 70 years of her reign as a lifetime dedicated to service as she pledged in her speech on her 21st birthday in 1947. In many ways, she was unprepared to take on the role when she did yet did so with grace throughout her reign.

At Toastmasters, we have opportunities to serve everywhere and a safe space to fail from time to time as we are students of leadership and communication. There are opportunities available right now for you to contribute in your own way. This could be within your club or beyond. Just reach out and ask the question – rupa@d91toastmasters.org.uk How can I serve?

  • Lifelong learning

As above, our late Queen spent a lifetime learning her role probably had many mentors throughout her time, and no doubt became a mentor and counsel to others along the way. We may never again see the depth and breadth of experience that one person attained in one leadership position.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have met some incredible Toastmasters who have been with the organisation for decades (I was 2 when one of my mentors and guides joined the organisation!) You may have read it before, and I seem to be reading it a lot at the moment as someone I met last month is posting this quote by the first female to join Toastmasters and a past International President, Helen Blanchard:

‘If you get out of Toastmasters all there is to get out of Toastmasters, you’ll never leave Toastmasters.’

  • Stability

Change is a constant fact of life. We witnessed during the pandemic the extent to which our Toastmasters community was a source of stability for many our our members. As one era ends, and we enter another, for some of us knowing that we have that club meeting to attend every week with a supportive group of people can be an important anchor.

Having the option to renew every 6 months, also gives us the opportunity to review our goals and growth – it’s ok if it may be time to explore a different club or even ‘go beyond your club’.

I have different goals to when I joined Toastmasters in February 2016. Some of what we are witnessing this month, we have never seen before and may never see in our again in our lifetime – the formalities and different types of speeches. Different roles in Toastmasters give you that too – I reflect again having chaired a formal business meeting for District Leaders earlier this month and will be chairing another one for our District and Club Leaders at the end of the month.

I hope you continue your membership with us…and contribute some small steps to help our community grow to 5000 by the end of this Toastmasters year.

“It’s worth remembering that it is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change.”

HM Queen Elizabeth II

Rupa Datta

District 91 Director, 2022-23

Presidential Citation: Andy Hammond

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The photo shows Andy receiving his award from former Toastmasters International President Richard. E. Peck at the Toastmasters International Convention in Nashville, Tennessee last month. Andy shared about his interaction with TMI who had written the following:

The original email notification stated:

It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been selected to receive the Presidential Citation, which will be presented to you at the 91st International Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. This award is presented in recognition of your outstanding achievements in representing the goals and ideals of Toastmasters International and is one of Toastmasters’ highest honors.

The wording on the plaque reads:

For outstanding and continued contributions to Toastmasters International’s organizational growth and excellence.

The citation as read out at the Hall of Fame started with:

Andy has a gift for bringing people together during difficult situations and times.

They went on to list some of my roles, which I have added to as follows:

Andy has been a member of Toastmasters since 2001. He was Division Governor in 2005-2006, a Pathways Guide and Pathways Chief Ambassador from 2016 to 2018, District Director in 2018-2019, a Board Committee member in 2019-2020 and a member of the International Leadership Committee from 2020 to 2022.

Congratulations once again for your great achievement, Andy!