With only a matter of weeks to go before the end of the program year, I am sat here in almost disbelief that the year has gone so quickly. The recent conference at Heathrow was such a brilliant example of what can happen when District 91 comes together. It was a fantastic display of speakers and talent and of course congratulations are due once again to Toastmaster Dan Magill who took another important step to becoming the next World Champion of Public Speaking.
I want to personally and publicly congratulate Bolu and Debbie for their superb leadership in bringing such a wonderful event together. I know that not only did delegates find the program and networking inspiring but they also felt well looked after by such a dedicated and talented team. Well done and thank you to the two of you for all you did for making “The Stage is Yours” one to remember.
One of the biggest responsibilities that a District Director has is presiding over the District Council’s Annual Business Meeting. While it took slightly longer than any of us would have liked, I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to ensure that this important piece of governance was carried out with the level of professionalism we saw. Special thanks are due to my amazing District Administration Manager Janet, our technical guru Rob Dewing, Credentials Chair Rupa Datta and my talented Parliamentarian, Vanessa King. I still feel tired thinking about all the prep we had to do – but thank you for your service team.
The council pack that we publish ahead of the actual meeting is a wonderful chance for all district officers to reflect upon the program year and of course record important thank you’s. If you read the reports contained in that pack, you will see an important theme that shines through – the team spirit and an overriding sense of service to our members. If you have not yet read through them then I really would encourage you to do so.
For many members the highlight of the council meeting is the election of the incoming district officers. Thank you to everyone who stepped forward offering their service in our most senior positions and congratulations to everyone that was successfully elected, especially my dream team trio members Debbie Williams who will become our next District Director on 1st July and Seema Menon who becomes Program Quality Director. They, together with the lovely Lynne Cantor Gayor will form an amazing trio and I very much looking forward to supporting and championing them in my role as Immediate Past District Director.
Following the conclusion of the program year we will be holding a Hall of Fame to celebrate our year as Team 24/25. During this celebration we will also be revealing and presenting to name a few – Toastmaster of the Year, Area Director of the Year, Division Director of the Year and the special District Director award.
See you for one more time in the June newsletter.
Enjoy the sun – and remember, it’s just Toastmasters!
Steve Vear
District Director
Last Updated on 30th May 2025 by Allen Paul