But the big news is that Bloomsbury Speakers has retained the Division C (central London) International Speech contest trophy for a second year – why wouldn’t you want to visit and join such an amazing club?

Keep reading for the full story.

We are the champions!

After a brilliant club contest night back in February, our members Swarajit and Freddie progressed to the Area C2 round of the International Speech and Evaluation contests respectively to face the champions of four other neighbouring clubs. Swarajit won the International Speech contest and Freddie placed second in the Evaluation contest, but both progressed to the third round against the winners of the three other areas in Division C (central London). At the division contests in April, Freddie earned an amazing second place in the Evaluation contest and Swarajit placed first in the International Speech contest, repeating Matt’s feat from last year and keeping the trophy in the club for another 12 months!

Swarajit then progressed to the District 91 (UK South) final of the International Speech contest in Bristol last weekend, while Matt also got a last-minute call to represent us in the Table Topics final after placing second in Division C last autumn.

While Swarajit didn’t place in his contest, Matt impressively placed second in the Table Topics final. Congratulations to both for making it as far as the final eight from among some 3,000 other members in the district!

The International Speech contest was won by Dan Magill of Croydon Communicators, who now continues to the regional finals against district champions from the rest of Europe.

Have you ever wondered what goes on beyond our club meetings?

Sure, our club meetings are awesome with amazing speeches, evaluations and impromptu table topics twice a month, but have you ever wondered how Toastmasters operates beyond that?

Well the contest story above, gives a clue – Bloomsbury Speakers is part of Area C2, which is part of Division C, which is part of District 91 and Region 10 of Toastmasters International – an organisation that’s 100 years old this year!

Although almost everyone joins a Toastmasters club like ours to improve their public speaking skills, the leadership and networking opportunities in Toastmasters are immense. At this weekend’s District 91 conference in Bristol we elected a new council to lead and represent all clubs in southern England and Wales.

But it all starts with your club’s own leadership committee, and we’re looking to fill positions on the Bloomsbury Speakers committee for the year July 2024 to June 2025.

Want to improve your leadership skills?

As with speaking, Toastmasters provides a safe and friendly environment in which to practise and develop your leadership skills, starting with the positions on your club committee.

We’ve already received interest from members for some of the roles, but here’s a full list of each of them and what they involve.

• President (currently Swarajit) – responsible for the overall success of the club, supporting other committee members in their roles, opening and closing every meeting and much more!
• Vice President Education (currently Andrea) – responsible for putting the programme together for each meeting along with keeping track of the educational progress of individual members and the club as a whole.
• Vice President Membership & Mentoring (currently Matt) – converts guests into happy members, ensuring new members have all the information they need when they first join, assigning a mentor to each new member and monitoring their relationship.
• Vice President Public Relations (currently Ernest) – responsible for raising the club’s profile and attracting new guests e.g. via social media.
• Secretary (currently Peter) – responsible for club administration, particularly with regards to decision making e.g. by taking minutes at committee meetings.
• Treasurer (currently Michael) – responsible for the club’s finances, paying dues on behalf of members to Toastmasters International and making sure members pay their renewal fees to the club on time.
• Sergeant at Arms (currently Indi) – in charge of logistics (e.g. meeting venues) and club socials.

You can also see the Toastmasters Club Leadership Handbook for more information.

If you’re interested in taking up any of the above roles for the year ahead, please speak to the incumbent member, or Swarajit, to find out more.

Time to get social

It’s not just about education for us, Toastmasters love to have fun and socialise too. A couple of our neighbouring areas in London are planning a Toastmasters picnic social in Battersea Park on Sunday, 2^nd June, but everyone is welcome and a few of us Bloomsbury Speakers members might just tag along!

Get yourself to one of our upcoming meetings

Due to the bank holidays, we’re meeting on two Mondays in a row in May, and there’s a change of venue for the first one.

• Monday, 13^th May from 6:45pm at The City Pride
• Monday, 20^th May from 6:45pm at The Union Tavern

Our June meetings are then on the 10^th and 24^th, both back at our usual venue The Union Tavern.

We’re clearly irresistible!

Since the last newsletter, we’ve had two former members return to the club (Helen and Alefiyah) and two new members join (Lei and Anil) – so why not come along and see what you’re missing out on?

We can’t wait to see you there!

The post We’ve done it again! appeared first on Bloomsbury Speakers.

Yep, we’ve tried something new there. Does calling our collective ‘Bloomers’ work? Or does it make us sound like we collect vintage underwear for a living?

Either way, it’s a new year, so we’re standing by it (for this newsletter, at least!).

And because it’s a new year, we want to start by reminding you that whether you’ve been to Bloomsbury Speakers a thousand times or you’ve signed up for our newsletter but never attended a meeting – everyone is welcome.

The perfect place to improve your public speaking skills.

As soon as you step through the door, you’re in a warm, supportive environment that allows you to practise performing speeches.

And the best part?

All feedback is constructive.

We don’t do unhelpful criticism – vital if you’ve lost confidence speaking in front of a group or you’re a first-time speaker.

So, if you’re a former member or guest, come to one of our meetings this month and see for yourself.

2024 – an exciting year ahead!

If you can’t stomach eating the last of the Celebrations, leave 2023 behind and celebrate the exciting events lined up in 2024.

Check out how great the start of the year is:

•  29^th January 2024: Your Words Can Inspire – writing an inspirational speech that connects, with Freddie Daniells

Ever wondered what it takes to write an inspiring speech that could take you to the finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking at the Toastmasters International world convention in August?

Then this workshop will help you understand how to:

• Choose a message
• Structure your speech
• Create the right type of content required

You’ll also learn foundational lessons useful for speakers of all levels, whether speaking in Toastmasters, at work or in your community.

And with the help of Freddie Daniells, you’ll learn from the best.

Freddie has attended five World Championships, was a judge in the 2013 finals, and has provided speech mentoring and advice to District Champions, semi-finalists and finalists in the World Championship of Public Speaking.

He’s also a professional speech coach, having worked with companies like Google, Hewlett Packard, Ernst & Young and many others.

Join us on 29^th January 2024 and take your first step toward becoming a more inspiring speaker.

Date: Monday, 29^th January
Time: 6:45pm-9:15pm
Venue: The Union Tavern, 52 Lloyd Baker Street, London, WC1X 9AA (Map)
Price: £5 or FREE for members of Bloomsbury Speakers

Book your ticket

• 26^th February 2024: International Speech and Evaluation contests

Freddie’s workshop leads nicely into the first round of the International Speech contest itself, which starts at club level and culminates at the World Championship of Public Speaking.

Our club contest night on 26^th February will consist of both the International Speech and Evaluation contests:

• The International Speech contest

This event involves giving a 5–7-minute speech on a topic of your choice.

The timings are more important than in a regular club meeting because speaking for less than 4½ minutes or more than 7½ minutes will mean you’re disqualified – but the timing lights will guide you.

To be eligible, you must be a paid club member and have completed Levels 1 and 2 of your educational Pathway.

• The Evaluation contest

All contestants evaluate the same speech, with a mystery speaker invited to give a speech, after which the contestants are escorted from the room and given five minutes to write up any notes.

At the end of the five minutes, you’ll be called back into the room to deliver your 2–3-minute evaluation.

You need to speak for at least 1½ minutes and no more than 3½ minutes; otherwise, you’ll be disqualified.

All paid members of the club are eligible for this contest, regardless of your progress in Pathways.

The winners of each contest will represent Bloomsbury Speakers in the next round, facing the winners from the other clubs in our area.

Please let our VP of Education Andrea know if you’d like to take part.

Oh, and good luck!

• 3^rd-5^th May 2024: District 91 conference

2024 is the centenary year of Toastmasters International, and District 91, which represents clubs in the south of the UK, will be marking this milestone with a weekend of workshops, networking and speeches in Bristol.

This event will also include the finals of the Humorous Speech, Table Topics and Evaluation contests, as well as the fourth round of the International Speech contest.

Don’t miss out; early-bird tickets are available now at a reduced rate.

Book your ticket

Celebrating awesome Bloomsbury Speakers!

In November ’23, our members Andrea and Matt competed at the Division C (central London) finals of the Humorous Speech and Table Topics contests.

This being the third of four possible rounds, the competition was tough, and they both did an excellent job, with Andrea placing 3^rd in the Humorous Speech contest and Matt coming 2^nd in the Table Topics contest.

Nice one, Bloomers!

Get yourself to one of our upcoming meetings.

As usual, upcoming meetings and workshops will take place at The Union Tavern.

Here are the all-important dates for your diary:

• Regular meeting: 8^th January 2024 at 6:30pm
• Regular meeting: 22^nd January 2024 at 6:30pm
• Your Words Can Inspire (workshop): 29^th January 2024 at 6:45pm

And here’s what’s lined up for February:

• Regular meeting: 12^th February 2024 at 6:30pm
• International Speech & Evaluation contests: 26^th February 2024 at 6:45pm

Venues for February’s meetings will be confirmed soon.

As always, you can book on Eventbrite or Meetup to receive a handy reminder nearer the time. And, don’t forget, our regular meetings and contests are always FREE to attend for guests.

Oh, and before we go, here’s a snap from our Christmas social last month – it was a joint event with the other clubs in our area, but Bloomsbury Speakers definitely had the biggest turnout.

And why wouldn’t we?

We’re blooming marvellous!

This month’s newsletter was edited by Matt at Indelible Think.

The post Does this sound terrible? appeared first on Bloomsbury Speakers.

So, if you have aspirations to be the next World Champion of Public Speaking, make sure you’ve completed all the required speeches and roles in time to be eligible for the contest in the spring! Use easy-Speak or contact our VP Education Andrea to book yourself in for our upcoming meetings.

What’s in this newsletter?

• Contest results
• Division C conference – Saturday, 18^th November
• Christmas social – Wednesday, 6^th December
• New members
• Next meetings

Contest results

In September, we held our Humorous Speech and Table Topics contests. Our club champions, Andrea and Matt then went on to face the winners from the other clubs in our area, with Matt winning the Table Topics contest and Andrea placing second in the Humorous Speech contest. Both now progress to the next round at the Division C conference (see below).

Division C conference – Saturday, 18^th November

The Division C conference plays host to the third round of the Humorous Speech and Table Topics contests, as well as educational workshops on communication and leadership. Please go along and support our club champions Matt and Andrea who will be competing against the other winners from around central London.

Date: Saturday, 18^th November
Time: 10am-4:30pm
Venue:The University of Law, 2 Bunhill Row, EC1Y 8HQ
Price: From £3.41 (online) up to £16.96 (in person, including lunch)
Booking: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/public-speaking-conference-table-topics-humorous-speech-division-finals-tickets-743154905327

Christmas social – Wednesday, 6^th December

This year, we’re having a joint Christmas social with the other clubs in our area, including Experience French and Goldman Sachs. Save the date!

Date: Wednesday, 6^th December
Time: 6:30pm onwards
Venue: Mikkeller Brewpub, 37-39 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QL

Meanwhile, here are some photos from our night out at Electric Shuffle last month.

New members

We’ve been delighted to welcome some new members to the club since the new Toastmasters year began in July. If you haven’t met them yet, be sure to say hello to Jen, Freddie, Minerva, Athena, Ihor and Josh who have all been playing an active role in our meetings.

We’ve also welcomed returning members Anastasia and Rupert – it’s great to have them back!

If you’re a former member or guest and are curious to see how we’re doing these days, you’re very welcome to come along to one of our next meetings – see below.

Next meetings

Our November meetings will be at our current regular venue The Union Tavern on the 13^th and 27^th. The venue for our December meeting on the 11^th is yet to be confirmed, so keep an eye out on our website and social media for the details.

As always, you can book ahead on Eventbrite or Meetup to receive a handy reminder nearer the time.

The post Club newsletter – November 2023 – Contests and socials appeared first on Bloomsbury Speakers.

What’s in this newsletter?

• Humorous Speech and Table Topics contests – 25^th September
• Club social – 28^th October – Electric Shuffle!
• Pathways is changing
• A new World Champion of Public Speaking
• Next meetings

Humorous Speech and Table Topics contests – 25^th September

Our annual Humorous Speech and Table Topics contests will take place on Monday, 25^th September.

The Humorous Speech contest involves giving a 5-7 minute speech with added humour. The humour may arise from a funny original story, or from jokes embedded within the speech, but a humorous speech is not a stand-up routine or series of one-liners. As with any other speech, a humorous speech should have a topic, structure and purpose, but credit is also given for the audience’s response.

The Table Topics contest works just like regular Table Topics in club meetings except every contestant is given the same topic. Contestants wait outside the room until it is their turn to speak, and the topic will be read out to them just before they are introduced on to the stage. They then have 1-2 minutes to give their response. The best thing is that it requires no preparation at all!

See the Toastmasters contest rulebook for more information, as well as the ballot forms for the Humorous Speech and Table Topics contests to get a better idea of how contest speeches are judged.

Both contests are open to all paid members of the club, so everyone should take part, even if you’re new. It’s a great way of pushing your speaking skills to a higher level and the winners will go on to represent the club at the next round, so let our VP Education Andrea know if you’d like to take part!

Club social – 28^th October – Electric Shuffle!

After a successful summer social at Bloomsbury bowling lanes back in June, our next event is planned for Saturday, 28^th October – which coincides nicely with the club’s own birth-week – so please save the date in your calendar for another fun-packed evening!

We’ll be playing Electric Shuffle near London Bridge, followed by food and drinks at the same venue. Contact us to confirm your attendance and for details of how to pay.

Date: Saturday, 28^th October
Time: 6pm onwards
Venue: Electric Shuffle, London Bridge
Price: £13 per person
Booking: info@bloomsburyspeakers.org.uk

Pathways is changing

Toastmasters International is updating its Pathways educational programme. As well as moving to an improved online platform next year, the 11 existing paths are being streamlined into six:

• Dynamic Leadership
• Engaging Humor
• Motivational Strategies
• Presentation Mastery
• Persuasive Influence
• Visionary Communication

Any paths you’ve already started will continue in the existing system and a new learning experience called Explorations will give you more flexibility in what and how you learn.

See the Pathways Updates and Education Programmes FAQ pages on the Toastmasters International website for more information.

A new World Champion of Public Speaking

As we enter a new contest season this month, the previous one has just drawn to a close with the World Championship of Public Speaking (WCPS) which was held at the Toastmasters International convention in The Bahamas last month.

Jocelyn Tyson from New Jersey in America was crowned World Champion for her speech “Have you been there?” Watch it now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEmawDu17AU.

Next meetings

Our workshop on 4^th September will be held at one of our old venues, The City Pride.

After that, we return to The Union Tavern for our regular meeting on the 11^th and the contests on the 25^th.

Our October meetings will also be at The Union Tavern on the 9^th and 23^rd.

Book ahead on Eventbrite or Meetup to receive a handy reminder nearer the time.

The post Club newsletter – September 2023 – Contest season is upon us appeared first on Bloomsbury Speakers.