This last meeting of the club was very special as we’re now a chartered club with Toastmasters International. Just over seven months after our first demonstration meeting, the vision of the club founders was fulfilled this month with club membership crossing the twenties strong. Many thanks to all that have helped us in making this achievement possible, ranging from our sponsor clubs, London Olympians, St Pauls Speakers and Connected Speakers. But also to fellow Toastmasters from all over London, that came in to do roles at our meeting in those crucial first few months.
The standard of our previous meetings was high and last time was no exception. The Toastmaster of the evening was our VP Membership Terry Pullin. Assisted by Edwin as timekeeper, Eleanor as grammarian (well done for your first time!) and Lindsay as vote counter.
Opening the speeches was an icebreaker by Natalie ‘You’re going where’. Recounting her journey to Malaysia as a music teacher, reconnecting with her passion for music following a stint of work in the fashion industry. The speech was filled with anecdotes including monkeys looking out into windows and crimson clad stewardesses on her flight from London. Following her was Rosie with her second speech from the Competent Communication manual ‘Talking Rubbish’. A very informative speech on the subject of waste in the UK, how much is produced every year and how little is recycled or reuse. VP Education Fahad, followed with his first speech from the Public Relations manual ‘The WWH of Public Speaking’ an address describing the benefits of Toastmasters and how the organisation helped change his life. The final speaker of the evening was by Sergey, with ‘The GROW Model’ used in coaching.
The evaluators of the evening were Florian, Magda, Marina and Joann. Topics covered included speech structure, vocabulary and using as much of the allocated time as possible. With the general elections fast approaching, politics was the theme of the table topics session led by Prateek for the first time (well done!). The questions asked were as diverse as “imagine yourself as Prime Minister for a day” or “What’s your take on marijuana legalisation?”. Eddie took up to the challenge of evaluating these topics, providing such recommendations as maintaining eye contact throughout a speech and avoiding hands clasping to show openness on stage. The glamorous Jane Houghton then closed off the meeting with her general evaluation.
The evening was finished off with a speech by founding president Florian Bay on the achievements on the past few months and objectives for the future. Chartering the club is merely the “end of the beginning” and the aspiration is for London Victorians to become London’s premier Toastmaster club. District leader Dorothea Stuart also gave the official club President ribbon to Florian to mark the occasion.
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