District Leadership 2022-23

Select Distinguished and Signing Off For Now

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Select Distinguished

A thank you to you all for your hard work and dedication during the past 11 months.

This has meant that the district has already 77 Distinguished clubs, thus becoming a Select Distinguished district for club quality this year. With a month still to go we may become Presidents Distinguished or even Smedley Distinguished if another 16 clubs reach distinguished status or higher by the end of June. Presently, we are the district ranked first in Europe for the percentage of distinguished clubs and 6th in the world. If your club has still to become a distinguished and are wondering if it is worth it, I can relate my own personal experience as an Immediate Past President. I still remember the delight I had when opening a envelope from TMI with a Distinguished ribbon recognition which is now sewn onto the club banner as memento of the year.

This reflects well on the district 91 members who have successfully been doing speeches and then recording the speech completion in BaseCamp and their club officers completing the record keeping by recording their members’ progress in both BaseCamp and Club Central.

To the end of May as a district 721 members have achieved 1,121 Pathway Level awards. Eighty-four members have won a Triple crown so far this year again a testament to individual members’ hard work.

The Pathways team lead by Massimo Guadagnino are still looking to help clubs become distinguished this year by working with club officers to check data and if necessary, help them to “cleanse” data in preparation for the new year starting 1st July, helping clubs to start the new year in the best shape they can be.

The Year to Come

Since the District Council meeting during the District Conference, I have had the opportunity of speaking with Steve Vear who will be next year’s Program Quality Director. His plans for the year ahead are very exciting. These include continuing some of this year’s initiatives and others are brand new and very exciting! I look forward to him announcing them shortly and I know Steve is keen to share his ideas with you and to continue to serve clubs helping them with their continuous improvement as members take on new personal development challenges, such as doing their first HPL (High Performance Leadership) project or working on a new Pathway level and tackling projects they had not previously done similar to me when I gave my first ever 20 minute prepared speech as part of my third level 5 Pathway.

Whatever your aims are for the year ahead I hope that you exceed them and please remember happiness brings success; not the other way round!

Signing Off

Being the District 91 Program Quality Director this year, has been a great learning opportunity for me and I would encourage others who are thinking about taking on a leadership role in Toastmasters to grab the opportunity to develop your own leadership skills. Finally, I’d like to thank the others in my PQD team this year, Massimo Guadagnino, Jacqui Hogan, Rick Cooper, Julie Chapman, Nikita Parks, Nadya, Janet Alkema, Ken Essien and finally our Chief Judge Chris Walker.

I look forward to supporting you and your clubs next year as your District Director, with Steve Vear as PQD, Mo Dawodu as Club Growth Director, Valerija Slavina as Finance Manager, Nikita Parks as PR manager and Aayushi Jain as Administration manager.

Diane Richardson,

Program Quality Director, 2022-2023

Distinguished Clubs, Educational Awards, Contests

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Nearly Distinguished, Membership Recognition and Contests

Nearly Distinguished

Publication deadlines mean that I am drafting this article on the 30th April, rather than in May. It also means that as District we are “nearly Distinguished,” with 66 clubs having already passed the Distinguished milestone, we need two more to become a Distinguished district. When I look at the Toastmasters International dashboard, I also see that many other clubs are working hard to reach this goal and are tantalizingly close. I know from my three years serving as a club officer how difficult and how much hard work and planning is needed for a club to reach Distinguished or higher status. It is a great achievement and leading a Distinguished Club helps officers’ point to successfully running a team on their CV, to their employer or LinkedIn profile, hopefully meaning that members gain an economic benefit outside of Toastmasters. Please also remember that a member of the D91 Pathways Champion team can help club officers with data cleansing to ensure that clubs have claimed all or their DCP (Distinguished Club) points, just get in touch with me if you need this additional support.

Membership Recognition

On the City of London Toastmasters LinkedIn page, they recently wrote “receiving awards and recognition for our performance serves as a powerful motivator, inspiring us to continuously improve as speakers and leaders”. The text was accompanied by a video showing members having a great time being applauded by their fellow members as they received Pathways certificates from the Club President. This is one of the reasons why we ask clubs to register members on Pathways and to track their progress.

If you are a new member, don’t miss this great learning opportunity. Please do log-in to the Toastmasters website (toastmasters.org) and using the profile button to register on a Pathway. Choose anyone from the 11 on offer. If you need help deciding which one to choose, then to take the online quiz which matches your interests with a path. Registering and following the guidance in Basecamp will help you become a better speaker quicker than if you create everything yourself from a “blank page”.  I know when I am thinking about a design/communication problem I find it much easier to be creative when I have a brief to work to and it is the same for many other creative people. Using the training materials available in Basecamp will save a lot of time and effort, with the added benefit of making you a better speaker quicker.

Several clubs have said that they are concentrating on membership recruitment this year and not on Pathways recruitment. Unfortunately, this does not help clubs in the long term. An analysis of the last set of renewals shows that clubs with a high percentage of non-active Pathways members, are the clubs who lose most members when it comes to renewals. The help build membership clubs should have members who are fully engaged with Pathways and celibate their success in the same way City of London Toastmasters club do as its help with membership retention. If you are a new member, then please do ask your Vice President of Education or Membership to take you through the process of registering.

Contest Finals

The District 91 contest finals will be taking place during the annual conference between 12th and 14th May. We have 32 outstanding speakers competing all marshalled by four fantastic conference chairs. If you have not already done so, please purchase a ticket and support your Divisional finalist. Several past district finalists have said how they gain a great deal of confidence when they see familiar faces in the audience. To support your divisional champion either in person or online, please purchase your ticket at the D91 Conference website at https://conference.d91toastmasters.org.uk/buy-your-tickets-here/

Diane Richardson,

Program Quality Director, 2022-2023

Club Growth Newsletter – May 2023

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Eight Weeks to go: Let’s Finish Strong!

We are just eight weeks away from the end of the Toastmasters year, and I want to encourage you all to finish strong.

District 91 is currently sitting at an impressive number four in the world for member payments and with Select Distinguished status, which is a testament to the hard work and determination of all clubs in recruiting new members and renewing existing ones.

I am pleased to announce that we have welcomed almost 2000 new members since July 1st, 2022, and I want to extend a warm welcome to you all.

We’ve accomplished so much already, but there’s still work to be done when it comes to the number of paid clubs.

To ensure that we end the year on a high note, I would like to ask for your help in completing any outstanding renewals as soon as possible. Every renewal counts towards our overall success, and with your support, we can achieve our goals.

Additionally, if you or anyone you know is interested in starting a new club in the community or within your workplace, then please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. This is a fantastic opportunity to expand our reach and make Toastmasters accessible to even more people.

I want to share with you my top tips to help you finish strong.

1. Don’t give up on your goals. Even if progress has been slower than you had hoped, keep pushing forward and identify what you can do in the next eight weeks to achieve them.

2. Use this time to make a final push to bring in new members. Invite friends, family, and colleagues to attend meetings and experience Toastmasters.

3. Encourage members in your clubs to work together to achieve their goals and finish the year strong for added motivation.

4. While growth is important, it’s equally important to focus on the quality of your meetings and the experience your members are having. Ensure your meetings are engaging, interactive, and fun, and encourage your members to take on leadership roles and give feedback to improve the club experience. This will also motivate guests to become members.

Finally, take a moment to reflect on what you and your club have achieved this year so far, whether it’s a successful speech contest, a new member achieving their goals, or a great meeting. Celebrate your successes and use them as motivation to keep going.

To further motivate you, here is a reminder of incentives still to be won:

Net Growth 10

The first 20 clubs who, by the 15th of June 2023, achieve a net growth of ten new members from their 1st July 2022 base number will win £100 to boost their club’s funds. Will your club win?

Beat the Clock

Clubs adding five new, dual, or reinstated members with a join date between May 1 and June 30 receive a Beat the Clock ribbon to display on the club’s banner.

District 91 will offer an additional monetary incentive for unique new and reinstated members only of £30.

Phoenix Award

This is an award to any club that started the year with 12 or fewer members and throughout the same Toastmaster year built their membership to charter strength (20 members) by 30th April 2023. Three clubs were so close to achieving this award but sadly missed out on this deadline.

So, to give everyone a fighting chance, we are extending the deadline to 15th June.

Let’s use the next eight weeks to complete our goals and finish strong.  I look forward to seeing you at the finish line, I’ll be holding a virtual (sustainable and reusable) bottle of water for you for the final month in the next newsletter.  Let’s keep going and let’s win together!

Debbie Williams
Club Growth Director, 2022-2023

Club Growth Newsletter – April 2023

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First things first: Thank You!

As your Club Growth Director, I wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation for your dedication and commitment to growing membership numbers so far this Toastmasters year. I trust that this has made a difference to your clubs.  Your passion for learning, improving your communication skills, and supporting one another is truly inspiring, and it’s what makes District 91 such a special community.

I want to encourage you to continue spreading the word about Toastmasters and the benefits of membership. Your enthusiasm and willingness to invite guests to our meetings and events are crucial to our growth and success. Every person you bring to your club has the potential to become a valuable member of our community, and I thank you for your efforts in helping us grow.  We are in the final quarter of the Toastmasters year, and I encourage you to keep growing.

Here are my top tips:

  1. Host an Open House to showcase your club to potential members. Consider hosting an open house event that highlights the benefits of joining Toastmasters, offers guests the chance to observe a typical meeting, and includes opportunities for guests to ask questions and engage with current members. Be sure to promote your open house on social media and local community bulletin boards.
  1. Social media can be a powerful tool for attracting new members to your club. Share information about your club’s meetings, events, and activities, as well as testimonials from current members about the benefits they have experienced through Toastmasters.
  1. Consider introducing Toastmasters in your place of work. A corporate Toastmasters club can provide a range of benefits to both employees and the organisation including improved communication skills, increased employee engagement, professional development, networking opportunities, cost-effective training, and enhanced company culture.

I would encourage you all to review your current membership goals so that your club can finish the Toastmasters year as strong as possible.

Renewals are Open!

We’ve barely finished our April membership renewals and I ask you to start preparing for the October 2023 renewal period, Toastmasters International’s semi-annual membership dues will incur a small increase and will now be $60 USD.  This still represents great value for money and Toastmasters continues to be the best and most cost-effective way to become a confident communicator and inspiring public speaker or leader.

The price increase takes effect from 1st August 2023.

Incentives: Net Growth 10 Challenge

The Net Growth 10 challenge is an exciting opportunity for Toastmasters clubs to grow their membership and win a prize to support their club’s activities. By participating in this challenge, clubs can increase their membership and create a more dynamic and diverse club experience that benefits current and future members. So why not take up the challenge and see how much your club can grow?

The goal of Net Growth 10 is simple: to achieve a net growth of 10 new members from the club’s base number as of July 1, 2022, by June 15, 2023.

However, to meet the challenge criteria please note that. “Net growth” refers to the difference between the number of new members a club has gained and the number of members who have left the club during the specified period. So, for example, if a club had 20 members on July 1, 2022, and gained 15 new members by June 15, 2023, but lost 5 members during that period, their net growth would be 10, which would meet the challenge criteria.  If a club successfully achieves this net growth target, it will win a prize of £100 to boost its club’s funds.

The Net Growth 10 challenge can help support the club’s activities and initiatives. By attracting new members, clubs can benefit from fresh perspectives, new ideas, and increased diversity, which can all contribute to a more vibrant and dynamic club experience.

However, you have every opportunity to plan for this and submit renewals before the increase date.  Yes, the renewals window is open!

Talk Up Toastmasters

Talk Up Toastmasters is a membership-building program that takes place annually from February 1 to March 31 2023. The program is designed to encourage members to invite guests to their club meetings and promote Toastmasters to others.  During the Talk Up Toastmasters program, members are challenged to add five new, dual, or reinstated members to their club.

They say it’s good to talk, and the following clubs have achieved this award:

104 London Debaters

1st London Toastmasters

Basingstoke Speakers

Beckenham Communicators

Bloomberg London Toastmasters

Brighton & Hove Speakers Club

Bristol Central Speakers

Central London Toastmasters

Chiltern Speakers Club

City of London Toastmasters Club

Data Science Speakers Club

Epsom Speakers Club

Farnham Speakers Club

Holborn Speakers

Kent Speakers Club

Lloyds Banking Group Toastmasters

London Communicators Club

London Public Speakers

London Victorians

Society Speakers

The Speakers of Croydon Club

Trojan Speakers Club

Winchmore Hill Speakers

Woking Speakers Toastmasters Club

All the above clubs also managed to introduce 5 or more unique members to their clubs.  They will all receive an award of £30 and will be notified by email on how to claim their award. Congratulations.

Debbie Williams
Club Growth Director, 2022-2023

Club Growth Newsletter – March 2023

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Renewals Renewals Renewals

Please encourage all members to renew asap.  The deadline is 31st March 2023.

Some clubs experienced delays in their September renewals, so I encourage you to not leave renewals close to the final deadline.  Below are the winners of the early renewals incentive.  These clubs renewed 20 or more members by 28th February 2023.  Well done!!

All clubs will be notified by email with details about how to claim their £50 award:

1st London Toastmasters

Beckenham Communicators

Berkeley Square Speakers Toastmasters Club

Bloomberg London Toastmasters

BMS Uxbridge Toastmasters Club

Bristol Central Speakers

Bromley Speakers

City of London Toastmasters Club

Early Bird Speakers

Excalibur Speakers

Infineum Milton Hill Speakers

Kent Speakers Club

Lloyds Banking Group Toastmasters

London Cardinals

Microsoft Speakers Club

Oxford Speakers Club

Paddington Toastmasters

Riverside Communicators

Shilling Speakers

Thame Speakers

Trojan Speakers Club

Worthing Speaker’s Club

Member Self Pay

All club officers were recently notified about member self-pay.

Here is a general walkthrough of how a club might manage self-pay. First, the club officers should discuss this option with the entire club and vote on whether or not to enable this feature. If agreed, any current club officer can enable this feature for the entire club through Club Central. Once enabled, all members will have the ability to self-pay their dues through their My Home Page. Additionally, any current officer can also disable this ability for a specific member or leave it on for the whole club. Once members have paid their dues using Self-Pay, they will show as paid on the club roster. Note that World Headquarters is only accepting international dues at this time, and all club dues will continue to be collected and managed at the club level. If your club collects club dues, it is recommended that you discuss the process, of how best to collect these dues prior to or at the same time as renewal dues, with your fellow club officers. Once a process has been agreed upon, it should be shared with your entire club membership and included in your club policy.  Further details about self-pay are here: https://www.toastmasters.org/footer/faq/Self-Pay

New Members – the Road to 5000

Did you know that since July 1st 2022, District 91 has gained 1,348 new members?

A piece of additional news on our goal to achieve 5000 unique members by June 2023, we currently have 3904 unique members.  Well done to all clubs for achieving this.

Talk Up Toastmasters

Have you seen the latest Talk Up Toastmasters videos? Everyone’s talking up Toastmasters! Check out this link for more:

The Talk Up Toastmasters membership program is the chance to encourage your members to invite guests to a meeting where prospective members can learn about Toastmasters’ many benefits. Then add five new, dual or reinstated members with a join date between February 1 and March 31, and you’ll receive a special Talk up Toastmasters ribbon to display on your club’s banner.

In addition to the above, there is an additional incentive for the first 15 clubs that gains 5 new unique or reinstated members only. The award is £30.

Check out the incentives page here: https://d91toastmasters.org.uk/members/resources/incentives/

Debbie’s Top Tips!

  • Are all members making the most of their membership?In addition to club meetings, there are various training, webinars and leadership opportunities.
  • Are members not given the opportunity to participate as much as they’d like? Try a rotation method so that everyone gets a chance to fulfil all the roles at club meetings.
  • Does your club have a specific onboarding process for all new members? All new members should be enrolled in pathways asap after they join and are integrated into the club straight away.

And here’s a reminder of the Toastmasters’ Promises

As a member of Toastmasters International and my club, I promise:

  • To attend club meetings regularly
  • To prepare all of my projects to the best of my ability, basing them on the Toastmasters education program
  • To prepare for and fulfil meeting assignments
  • To provide fellow members with helpful, constructive evaluations
  • To help the club maintain the positive, friendly environment necessary for all members to learn and grow
  • To serve my club as an officer when called upon to do so
  • To treat my fellow club members and our guests with respect and courtesy
  • To bring guests to club meetings so they can see the benefits Toastmasters membership offers
  • To adhere to the guidelines and rules for all Toastmasters education and recognition programs
  • To act within Toastmasters’ core values of integrity, respect, service and excellence during the conduct of all Toastmasters’ activities

Debbie Williams
Club Growth Director, 2022-2023