Kate Fraser Smith

Celebrating Success & Encouraging Your Next Steps!

by

We are making incredible strides in our District’s educational achievements, and I couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of you. Your dedication to personal and professional growth is truly inspiring.

So far, we have accomplished:
✔ 320 Level 1 completions – a strong start for so many members.
✔ 193 Level 2 completions – building confidence and momentum.
✔ 134 Level 3 completions – sharpening advanced speaking skills.
✔ 104 Level 4 completions – demonstrating leadership in action.
✔ 57 Level 5 completions – true mastery in communication and leadership.
✔ 29 Pathways Mentoring completions – fostering a culture of support.
✔ 5 Distinguished Toastmasters (DTMs) – the pinnacle of achievement.

Our Distinguished Toastmasters include:

  • Pedro Casillas, DTM
  • Alistair J. Driscoll, DTM
  • David Lynch, DTM
  • Tim D. Patmore, DTM
  • Christine H. Wallach, DTM

Many congratulations.

Your Progress Matters – Keep Moving Forward!
I know that the education programme can feel challenging at times, but every project you complete is a step towards becoming a more confident communicator and leader. If you have completed a level but haven’t submitted it yet, now is the time. Your achievements not only help you grow but also contributes to your club’s and our District’s success.

If you are feeling stuck or unsure about your next steps, reach out to your mentor, your club officers, or fellow members. There is always support available, and every challenge you overcome brings you closer to your goals. Let’s celebrate every milestone, big or small, and inspire each other to keep progressing.

Be Part of the Excitement: Attend Division Contests
We still have five more Division Contests ahead, where the best speakers in our District will compete for a spot at the District 91 Conference. All Division Contest dates can be found in the District 91 Calendar: https://d91toastmasters.org.uk/members/news/calendar/, so be sure to check it and come along to support and be inspired!

District Conference : 2nd – 4th May, Radisson Red, Heathrow London
The District Conference is the highlight of the year, taking place from 2-4 May. This is your opportunity to connect with fellow Toastmasters, learn from outstanding speakers, and celebrate excellence in public speaking and leadership. The District Council Meeting will be taking place during the Conference on Saturday 3rd May.  Book your tickets asap so you do not miss out: https://conference.d91toastmasters.org.uk

Let’s keep pushing forward, setting goals, and achieving milestones together.

See you at the contests and conference!

Yours in service,

Debbie Williams
Program Quality Director, 2024-2025
District 91

Message from District Director – Teamwork

by

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

Toastmasters on the London Underground – A Dream Turned Reality!

by

What if improving your communication skills could change your career—or even your life? That’s exactly what we showcased with our Toastmasters awareness campaign on the London Underground!

A Campaign that created a buzz (10 Mar – 23 Mar)

This initiative started as a challenge—to explore new and innovative marketing ideas. From 10th March to 23rd March, our TFL Tube Campaign showcased Toastmasters across Bank, Brixton, Chiswick Park, Edgware Road, Holborn, Turnpike Lane, Waterloo, and Westminster stations. With my background in media, I had always been curious about advertising on the Tube but wasn’t sure if it was feasible within our limited budget. But here’s the thing about Toastmasters—we make things happen!

Our Goals:
1️⃣ Raise awareness about Toastmasters—a global organisation with 270,000 members worldwide and 175 clubs in the South of the UK.
2️⃣ Encourage more people to join and experience the life-changing skills Toastmasters offers—whether for acing a job interview, becoming a stronger leader, or speaking confidently.
3️⃣ Make our members proud of their journey through a Tube Selfie Contest!

How It All Came Together

To reach a larger audience and spread the word about Toastmasters, we created a small action team:
🔹 Hephzibah Emereole & Ramesh Halai from the club growth team led the groundwork, researching options and engaging vendors. I finalised station locations and negotiated a taster campaign with Dami from Global, securing first-time client discounts and ad extensions beyond 23March. It’s still there on the Bank Station if you’d like to take some more selfies.
🔹 Steve Vear believed in the vision and approved the budget, making this dream a reality!
🔹 Janet Alkema, Rob Dewing & I collaborated on the engaging webpage DitchTheNerves.com.
🔹 Diane Richardson designed eye-catching visuals.
🔹 Allen Paul crafted contest messaging and drove engagement on social media.

The Results: A Resounding Success!

📸 Districts across the world noticed the campaign and reached out to collaborate with us on the #DitchTheNerves initiative.
🌟 Our district members enthusiastically participated, taking Tube selfies and spreading the word.
📈 Sign-ups from non-Toastmaster members surged, and we kept them engaged with five emailers, sharing videos and interview tips collated by Janet.

What’s Next? DitchTheNerves-Live Webinar on 16th April & 14th May!

Our team is now working on DitchTheNerves-Live, a webinar designed for non-Toastmasters who engaged with us through the Tube Campaign and the Jobs Fair campaigns.

🎤 Hosted by experienced Toastmasters, HR professionals, and corporate club members, this panel discussion will:
✅ Share personal growth stories.
✅ Discuss interview do’s and don’ts.
✅ Provide strong takeaways to inspire attendees to join Toastmasters for their communication and leadership journey.

Look out for the social media campaign reaching out to wider audiences beyond London. Details will follow soon.

This campaign is a testament to what we can achieve together—helping more people find their voice and unlock their potential.

 

Announcements & Incentives

👥 Bring a Friend Initiative – Introduce four guests to your club and earn an exciting incentive from the district when they join the club!

🏆 Early Bird Renewal Winners Announced! Congratulations to our winners who renewed their membership early! Your commitment to growth is inspiring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warm regards,

Seema Menon, DTM
D91 Club Growth Director 2024-25

Leveraging Social Media for Personal Branding

by

Leveraging Social Media for Personal Branding: A Guide for Toastmasters
By Angela Afieghe, PR Manager, Toastmasters District 71 UK North & Ireland

In today’s digital age, social media has become an indispensable tool for building and enhancing personal brands. As PR Manager for Toastmasters District 71, I’ve seen firsthand how effective online presence can elevate one’s professional reputation and create opportunities for growth. Here are some key strategies to help you leverage social media for your personal brand.

  1. Define Your Brand Identity

Before you begin sharing content, take time to define what you stand for. Are you an expert in public speaking, leadership, or communication? Your social media presence should reflect your values, expertise, and professional goals. By aligning your online persona with your core strengths, you ensure that your audience recognizes you for what you excel in.

  1. Share Valuable Content

Regularly sharing content that showcases your expertise is a powerful way to establish authority. Whether you’re sharing insights from your Toastmasters experiences, offering public speaking tips, or highlighting your leadership accomplishments, each post is an opportunity to demonstrate your value. Remember to keep it engaging and relevant to your audience.

  1. Engage with Your Network

Social media is about highlighting your achievements and building relationships. Engage with your followers by commenting on posts, joining relevant groups, and initiating conversations. This helps establish a genuine connection with your audience and creates opportunities for collaboration.

  1. Consistency is Key

A consistent social media presence helps to solidify your personal brand. Regular updates through blog posts, LinkedIn articles, or Instagram stories, reinforce your message and make you more memorable.

By applying these strategies, Toastmasters can leverage social media  to grow their personal brand, connect with like-minded individuals and expand their professional opportunities. Social media, when used thoughtfully, is a powerful tool for personal growth and success.

 

Stepping Up Our Game: From Training to Triumph!

by

As we wrap up another successful round of Club Officer Training, I want to take a moment to applaud all the dedicated leaders who have invested their time and energy into growing their clubs. Your commitment to excellence ensures that our members receive the best experience possible. However, training is just the first step – now it’s time to put that knowledge into action.

One of the most important ways to drive club success is by ensuring that education awards are submitted promptly. Every completed Pathways level or achievement contributes to your club’s progress and helps move it towards Distinguished status or higher. Recognising members for their hard work not only motivates them but also strengthens your club’s overall performance. Let’s celebrate our members’ accomplishments and make sure they count.

With training completed and education goals in focus, it’s time to turn our attention to another exciting part of the Toastmasters year – speech contests!

Contests offer a fantastic opportunity for members to challenge themselves, showcase their speaking skills, and grow in confidence. Whether you are competing, judging, or cheering from the audience, your support makes a difference. As the competition heats up, we look forward to seeing members rally behind their Division champions at the District 91 Conference, 2-4 May at the Radisson Red Heathrow in London, where they will compete for the ultimate title of becoming District champions. Let’s show up in full force to encourage them.

But the excitement doesn’t stop there as the conference is more than just a gathering; it’s a chance to connect, be inspired, and take your Toastmasters journey to the next level. In addition to the District Contests, expect powerful keynote speakers, invaluable learning sessions, and a celebration of everything we have accomplished together. Whether you are looking to sharpen your speaking skills, grow as a leader, or simply enjoy an inspiring event, this is an occasion you will not want to miss.

Now is the time to get involved. Download the official conference Zoom background here and purchase your tickets, (there is also an option to pay in instalments), and spread the word!

Let’s fill the room and make this the most exciting and memorable event of the year.

Do not miss out, register today and be part of something extraordinary – further details are here: https://conference.d91toastmasters.org.uk

The Stage is Yours – see you there!

 

Yours in service
Debbie Williams, DTM
Program Quality Director 2024-2025
District 91