Dil M. Limbu

Meet A Toastmaster: Sharon Andrews

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Treasurer and Poet

Photo of Sharon Andrews

County Communicators


Why have you joined Toastmasters?

I have joined to gain confidence in speaking or presenting to an audience

What is your Toastmasters journey?

I joined since the beginning of the pandemic and worked from home. Therefore my experience has been all via MS Teams and Zoom. This has given me lots of top tips for creating a good on-screen presence.

Why should anyone take on a leadership role in Toastmasters?

I took it on as a challenge. My job is as an administrator and I was asked if I would take on the treasurer role. As I am not confident with finance I took it on as a challenge. What I found is more confidence in my own abilities. I also enjoy the committee meetings and the fellowship I get with the team

What is your next challenge?

I am preparing a speech that lasts 18-21 minutes. This is the longest one to date as typically they have been 5-7 minutes. This will be a challenge for sure. My speech is about becoming a published poet and is part of the Level 5 Presentation Mastery path in Pathways.

Poem by Sharon

I joined County Communicators
To learn to be a better orator
To practice proficient presenting
And when I started attending
What I found was this:
It is a meeting not to be missed
A group of like- minded individuals
Fine tuning phrases and syllables
A bevy of uplifting folk
Sharing thoughts and the occasional joke
An oasis in the midweek mayhem
In other words an absolute gem
A chance to develop self- esteem
In the supporting arms of a dream team
We all provide well considered feedback
Evaluations that keep us on track
Many roles with which to practice
Lots of hints and marvellous tips
And lastly a point I have to recommend
You will come away having made new friends

The Great 2022 District 91 Gavel Race

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8 Gavel with letters

The race is on! From December 8th, 2021, eight gavels will be racing around 171+ clubs in all eight Divisions throughout District 91, by any means necessary.

  • Which Division will be the first to get their gavel around all of their clubs?
  • Which Division will use the most creative means of transport between their clubs?

No idea what we are talking about?

Think of the tradition of the Olympic torch, travelling through the major cities of the countries taking part in the games. Spreading the word and building excitement around the event.

Now, consider our wonderful District 91. Made up of eight Divisions spanning the south of the UK, from Deal to Cardiff and from Southampton to Ludlow.

What is it?

Between December and March, eight gavels will attempt to travel between all of the clubs in each of the Divisions. When a gavel arrives at your club, it will have its photo (or a video) taken, with members proclaiming

We are District 91!

before it is swiftly forwarded on to the next club. The goal is for the eight gavels to have visited all of the clubs and circled back to each Division Director before March 31st 2022.

There will be a prize for:

  • The most creative mode of transport between clubs (we mean really creative, think Mission Impossible, James Bond or Fast and Furious for example), judged by the District leadership team and awarded at the District Conference on 6-8th May 2022.

and

  • The first Division to have successfully moved the gavel around all of its’ clubs with documented evidence and photos!

Let your imagination flow. Upload your photos and videos to Conference Director Debbie Williams district91conference2022@gmail.com as soon as you have them.

We will be charting the progress of the Great 2022 District 91 Gavel Race.

Good luck!