Meet A Toastmaster

Indra Sikdar – Distinguished Toastmaster

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Indra Sikdar - Distinguished ToastmasterIndra Sikdar is currently President of Harrovian Speakers Club. He completed both the Communication and Leadership Tracks of the Toastmasters International Educational programme in March 2015. This means he has achieved the accolade of Distinguished Toastmaster. The Distinguished Toastmaster award is the highest our organization bestows.

We asked Indra Sikdar – Distinguished Toastmaster what achieving this award means to him.

Q: what have you gained by taking the time to complete the Toastmasters Communication and leadership tracks?
A: By completing the Toastmasters Educational Programme I have gained a lot of confidence and I find myself much in demand for both paid and voluntary work. I’ve learned about the power of team effort. It’s helped me with my career as I am a better team-player; a better communicator, and a better networker. Overall it’s helped me to get more done!

Q: What have you gained from your membership personally?
A: When I first started in Toastmasters I found it difficult to make firm friendships and to connect with others. But now having practiced the Toastmasters techniques I have nurtured a lot of good friendships which in turn makes it easier to succeed in life.

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Peter King Voice of Wales. Rest in Peace

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Peter King Voice of WalesIt is with deep sorrow and great sadness that the Voice of Wales Toastmasters Club informs you of the passing of Peter King.

Peter died suddenly on Sunday 11 January 2015.

Along with his wife, Anne, Peter was a stalwart member of the Voice of Wales Toastmasters Club and they both served as Officers. He was not only appreciated within our Club but was thought of with great affection. Only recently he took the role as General Evaluator at our first meeting of the year with quiet humour.

All of us who knew Peter will remember him fondly, and our thoughts are with his wife and family at this very sad time. The funeral was at Cinderford on 28 January.

We will miss him greatly. Rest in peace Peter.

Martin Berry DTM

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Martin Berry 2014Martin Berry became the first person to achieve the ultimate accolade of Distinguished Toastmasters in our newly formed District 91(UK South). He is interveiwed by Bob Nisbet, DTM on our new member website.

Here are some quotes (read the full article at http://d91toastmasters.org.uk/articles/)

Before Toastmasters: I never guessed the speeches would be so personal, so entertaining, educational and often funny or uplifting. It was as good as going to the theatre.

Biggest thrill: the Woking Speakers’ Christmas Panto, “The Wizard of Niz”. which I wrote and directed for my HPL Project. It was an amazing experience to watch the players perform my words so brilliantly, and even better, the audience laughing their socks off. I just thought to myself: “They like it, they like it!! “.

Who was responsible for getting Martin to a Toastmasters club? The one and only Doug New!

Martin Berry, Distinguished Toastmaster

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Martin Berry at work

Bob Nisbet DTM interviews Martin Berry DTM (Camberley Speakers, Farnham Speakers). Martin is the first person in our new District 91 (UK South) to complete both the communication and leadership tracks and become a Distinguished Toastmaster, the highest award bestowed by Toastmasters International.

Q: How long has it taken you to reach Distinguished Toastmaster?

A: I went to my first Toastmasters meeting on 4 Oct 2005. I still have the agenda! I joined about a month later and did my first ever speech on 12 Jan 2006. My DTM plaque arrived in September 2014. So about nine years.

Q: Why did you first come to a Toastmasters meeting and why did you join?

A: My friend Doug New had been raving about Toastmasters and kept nagging me to go along. I told him quite firmly I wasn’t the least bit interested in hearing a load of stuffy speeches. Eventually he made me an offer: “ If you agree to come along just one time, I’ll pick you up from your home, drive you to the meeting, buy you a pint afterwards, and then bring you back…if you don’t like it I’ll never bother you with it again.” Of course, I loved it. I never guessed the speeches would be so personal, so entertaining, educational and often funny or uplifting. It was as good as going to the theatre.

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A Toastmasters Journey – Controlling my stammer

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Brian Skelton September 2014

May 2005 I attended a 3 day course with the Starfish Project, a non – profit making organisation which helps people who stammer. Among other things I was taught a breathing technique which helps me in controlling my stammer. It will not make the stammer go away but it gives me control over something which has controlled me since I was a young boy.

On that course I met Barry Rix who has become a really good friend of mine. Barry is a member of Toastmasters International who helped start Chelmsford Speakers Club in January 2007. I went to the first club meeting. I will always remember that night. I was asked to introduce myself and struggled to say my name. I thought “I can’t go back after that!” I’m really happy that I did not give up.

My Icebreaker speech was on 7 February 2007. Winning the best speaker ribbon was amazing. It is still framed and hanging on my wall at home.

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