Author Archives: Steve Cann

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 22 June 2015 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, TONY Following the customary introductions from Sergeant at Arms Paul and Club President Julie, our Toastmaster of the Evening Grant commenced proceedings with the theme of ‘firsts’,  in recognition of the number of people undertaking Toastmaster roles for the first time this evening – which included pretty-much everyone taking onContinueContinue reading “A Celebratory Night of Firsts!”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 8 June 2015 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, JOHN First time TME (Toastmaster of the Evening) Rajeev is a man who exudes gravitas, and he used this to full effect marshalling a full complement of speakers to deliver a well-run evening – and rousing the audience to show their appreciation of what proved to beContinueContinue reading “Maidenhead Expects…”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 18 May 2015 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, CHRIS Sergeant at Arms Paul opened the evening with a good reminder that “many hands make light work” – in relation to the setting-up of the evening.  There’s always lots to be done to set up the meeting to ensure a smooth-running and punctual evening is enjoyedContinueContinue reading “Superheroes of Maidenhead Speakers!”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 27 Apr 2015 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, CLIVE After the usual rousing start by our Sergeant at Arms Paul, he handed over to our Club President Julie – who was greeted by a full house of 40 members, plus several guests. She told those who had been unable to attend all about the recent Division Contest – theContinueContinue reading “Leaders of the Future”

by Steve Cann A wonderful night was had by all from MSC as members and special guests enjoyed a memorable evening of dining & tall tales – held amongst the backdrop of  the historic Norden Farm Centre for the Arts long barn restaurant in Maidenhead. Club President Julie kicked off proceedings (with glass in hand) by proposing a toastContinueContinue reading “MSC Annual Club Dinner & Tall Tales Contest 2015”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 30 Mar 2015 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, CHERYL This week’s meeting was extra-ordinary – extra because it was the third meeting in March, but by no means ordinary as were treated to speeches from a renowned international speaker, a member on the edge of completing her CC manual, and a surprise double act! Sgt atContinueContinue reading “Extraordinary Meeting!”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 23 Mar 2015 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, NICK This week’s meeting had a new members’ feel – what with one icebreaker (the first speech every new member completes from their manual), two second speeches, and a first evaluation. Following his amazing performance as the warm-up speaker at the Area Contest last weekend, Sgt at Arms Paul openedContinueContinue reading “A Five-Star Evening of Speeches”

by Steve Cann Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 23 Feb 2015 Last Monday saw the staging of the 2015 International Club Speech & Evaluation Contest &, on another well-attended night, everyone present was in for an evening of high-quality speeches, not to mention some fun group activities! Club President Julie welcomed new member Honor to the club,ContinueContinue reading “Club International Speech & Evaluation Contest 2015 in full, with pics”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 9 Feb 2015 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, GERARD There was a sense of purposefulness at MSC on Monday evening, since the meeting was all about TIMING. After a humorous welcome by the Sgt@Arms Paul (who gave plenty of advance notice to other members that in a few months club roles, including his, would beContinueContinue reading “Time is Precious…”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 26 Jan 2015 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, LORRAINE Our second meeting of 2015 and it was buzzing! The meeting room was full of energy for another well-attended meeting of Maidenhead Speakers’ Club – it was almost standing room only!  Sgt at Arms Paul Aherne kicked off proceedings with his humorous, easy manner & handedContinueContinue reading “It was Buzzing!”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 12 Jan 2015 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, MARY It was a wet night. Rain danced on the pavements. Different coloured umbrellas surged towards the light of St Luke’s Hall. Woolly-hatted folk jostled for prime position to sign up for the first MSC meeting of 2015. As Doreen Goring (VPM) continued to sun herself inContinueContinue reading “Rain, Resolutions & Ribbons”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 24 Nov 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, IAN It was a chilly walk from the car on Monday evening, however, once I opened the door onto a Maidenhead Speakers Club meeting-in-preparation, the climate changed! Familiar faces, warm smiles and a reception desk ready to take your details and offer advice. TME Lorraine had doneContinueContinue reading “Maidenhead Speakers À La Carte”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 10 Nov 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, NICK Tonight was another educational and entertaining evening at Maidenhead Speakers Club. The evening started with an amusing introduction from our Sergeant at Arms Paul, who admitted to being drugged up – medically speaking of course! Our smiley Club President Julie warmly welcomed us and took good careContinueContinue reading “Remember, Remember the Tenth of November”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 13 Oct 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, STEVE On a cold & gloomy October night, Club President Julie immediately injected some warmth & sunshine (following Sgt @ Arms Paul’s energetic introduction) as she invited us all to ‘make our own sunshine’ right here this evening at Maidenhead Speakers. And we certainly did! She welcomed guestsContinueContinue reading “Maidenhead Speakers – & it’s about Time!”

Burnham Park Hall – Saturday 27 September 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, MELL Saturday 27th September saw the second round of this exciting contest take place at Burnham Park Hall, with the four speakers in each Contest would battling it out for the opportunity to represent Area 21 in the Division Finals next month. Maidenhead Speakers has aContinueContinue reading “Area 21 Humorous Speech & Table Topics Contest 2014”

Maidenhead Speakers Club  – Monday 23 September 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, STEVE St Luke’s Community Hall last night was the stage for the 2014 MSC Club Humorous Speech & Table Topics Contest, & a fun-filled evening was had by all! Paul made an excellent debut as Contest Chair, instantly gaining some laughs from the audience by telling usContinueContinue reading “Club Humorous Speech & Table Topics Contest 2014”

  Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 8 Sept 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, MARY Club President Julie opened the meeting and warmly welcomed everyone. She welcomed back club member Chris, back from his success at competing at the International Speech Contest in Kuala Lumpur. Maidenhead Speakers’ Club is very proud of Chris and his TM achievements to date. TMEContinueContinue reading “‘Impeccable’ Night at MSC”

What I Did on My Holidays A special blog by Chris about the 2014 Toastmasters International Convention in Kuala Lumpur, & his participation as one of the finalists The Toastmasters International Convention. You may be wondering what it’s all about. A few weeks ago I joined around 3000 other dedicated and intrepid toastmasters in Kuala Lumpur,ContinueContinue reading “What I Did on my Holidays”

  Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 11 Aug 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, JULIE FARRELL This week’s Maidenhead Speakers Club meeting was fun, energetic, and inspiring – as always! TME Jacqui Hogan stepped in at the last minute, and did a great job of running the evening. Jacqui has been a member for over twelve years and hasContinueContinue reading “Fun, Energetic & Inspiring”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 28 Jul 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, GERARD P Another great night at the Club. As always, a good turnout, with guests including the New Division Governor Bob Nisbet and Justin McCarthy, a former member of MSC. Club President Julie Farrell reminded us about the Toastmaster Promise – something we shouldContinueContinue reading “Mid-summer MSC”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 14 Jul 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, STEVE CANN July is always a special time as we hail the New Toastmasters Year in, and at MSC we are no different as we greeted new committee members & of course a new Club President! Sergeant at Arms Paul Aherne was in good spirits &ContinueContinue reading “Meet El Presidente!”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 30 Jun 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, ERIC ELLIOTT This was an auspicious night at MSC, what with it not only being the final meeting of our Toastmasters year – but also an evening of ushering in the new President, and looking back over a successful twelve months! But more of that toContinueContinue reading “It’s Better to Travel…”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 23 Jun 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, PAUL AHERNE On a hot humid July evening (with temperatures more akin to a mid-summer in Mississippi than Maidenhead) the faithful few gathered for an evening of sweaty heat, but stimulating speeches. Whilst the heat did keep the numbers down, the gusto of our Sergeant atContinueContinue reading “Sizzling-Hot Speeches at Maidenhead Speakers”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 9 Jun 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, JACQUI HOGAN Bang on the dot of 7:30pm, Doreen Gowing, our Sgt@Arms,  tried to catch us out with the chairs facing another direction, but everyone rose to the challenge. Change is good! After President Jacqui Hogan handed over to the Toastmaster of the Evening Monica we found out that this was toContinueContinue reading “Scouting, Storytelling and the EU!”

Maidenhead Speakers Club -Monday 12 May 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, RICHARD DAVIES President Jacqui Hogan opened the meeting with the fantastic news that the District 71 International Speech Contest had been won by Maidenhead Speakers Club member Chris Boden. Chris will now compete in the International Speech Contest final in Kuala Lumpar against the restContinueContinue reading “A Night of Celebration!”

Originally posted on Division H, District 91:
Dun Laoghaire… it’s only taken 5 months for me to be able to read and pronounce the name of the place and I can finally spell it! Over 300 toastmasters from across the UK and Ireland gathered at the Royal Marine hotel by the sea in Dun Laoghaire. Toasties…

Originally posted on Division H, District 91:
Saturday the 26th of April dawned bright and sunny. The Areas had selected their best and they were gathering in Capel for the showdown… Well, it wasn’t quite like that, but it was an awesome day. The morning started with two truly inspirational workshops, the first on Leadership by…

by Steve Cann A fun night was had by all at MSC at Burnham Park Hall as members and special guests enjoyed an evening of dining, Tall Tales and the celebration of 30 years of the club (since chartering back in April 1984). Special guests included Division Governor Vanessa King, and not to mention ourContinueContinue reading “MSC 30th Anniversary Club Dinner & Tall Tales”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 14 Apr 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, LORRAINE HAMILTON Another 5-star evening at St Luke’s Community Hall from the Maidenhead Speakers’ Club meeting. It never fails to deliver! Sergeant at Arms Doreen Gowing opened the evening with a wistful tail about sawing a tree – with her wise words to let the saw doContinueContinue reading “Informed, Invigorated & Inspired”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 24 Mar 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, SAM BILLINGTON Monday 24th March saw the 2014 International Speech & District 71 (as Toastmasters stalwart Joyce was happy to remind us) Evaluation Contest come to MSC. The theme of the evening seemed to be questions, with questions asked over the course of the night including: ‘AreContinueContinue reading “Club International Speech & Evaluation Contest in Full, with Pics!”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 10 Mar 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, NICK BAILEY Wow what a fantastic evening! This has probably been the best evening I have seen at Maidenhead in a long time. Steve Catchick stepped in at the last minute, and organised a very slick evening with 5 speakers – and we finished before timeContinueContinue reading “A Slick Night of Speeches!”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 24 Feb 2014 With Guest Blogger, STEVE CANN With the recent flooding in our region now starting to diminish, SAA Doreen Gowing opened our meeting in cheerful fashion as she paid tribute to the ‘Dunkirk Spirit’ of communities that had joined together to overcome the recent devastatthey as they endeavor now toContinueContinue reading “The Spirit of the Speech”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 13 Jan 2014 With Guest Blogger, GERARD P 29 members braved rain and temperatures of 5 degrees above freezing (not to mention the floods in Berkshire) to attend  Maidenhead Speakers’ Club’s first meeting for 2014 – choreographed expertly by TME Mary Fraser. TTM Monica H led a carefully thought-out topicsContinueContinue reading “A Soggy (but Happy) Start to 2014 at MSC!”

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 9th December 2013 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, STEVE CANN There was festive fun in the air for the final Maidenhead Speakers’ Club meeting of the year as, unusually, we had a meeting with NO prepared speeches… but there were of course speaking opportunities aplenty for all our merry members! Sergeant at Arms Doreen Gowing gotContinueContinue reading “Festive Fun at Maidenhead Speakers Club!”

Maidenhead Speakers Club  – Monday 25th November 2013 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, MELL SHEPPARD Baby, it’s cold outside… but fortunately for Maidenhead Speakers Club, the performances are always hot!!! Ok, Ok, I know I sound like Bruce Forsyth… let’s see how they got on in training….. We opened bang on time with Sergeant at Arms, Doreen Gowing,ContinueContinue reading “Baby It’s Cold Outside…”

Maidenhead Speakers Club  – Monday 14th October 2013 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, M. ZAHID AZIZ I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask, “Mother, what was war?” (Eve Merriam) Monday’s meeting had a Remembrance Day Theme and it was certainly an evening to remember. Sgt at Arms Doreen Gowing kicked the meeting off inContinueContinue reading “A Night to Remember!”

Originally posted on Division H, District 91:
I have fallen so behind in posting, I’m so sorry everyone! It’s been crazy, but fun, so here’s a summary of what I’ve been up to and a small sample of the amazing things that are happening in Division H. On the 19th of October we had the Divsion…

Maidenhead Speakers Club  – Monday 28 October 2013 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, Yohan mCDONALD Doreen Gowing opened another splendid evening of high class speeches as Sergeant at Arms, sharing her dismay at losing a fence panel in the recent storm! Julie Farrell stood in for Jacqui Hogan as President and warmed everyone up with some ‘o-fence-sive’ humour… which gotContinueContinue reading “Blown Away by Speeches”

Originally posted on Division H, District 91:
On 14th October I paid a visit to Maidenhead Speakers Club, and what a night! Packed seats, packed agenda and packed with lots of learning. The meeting was opened with a warm and friendly greeting from the Sergeant at Arms, Doreen, she then handed over to club president Jacquie,…

Contestants, members and guests from Area 21 all assembled on a warm and bright October Saturday morning at Burnham Park Hall in Bucks for a fun-filled and lively Area Humorous Speech and Table Topics Contest – showcasing the best of the Area’s wit and spontaneous speaking skills! Contest Chair and Area Governor Mark Emanuelson kicked off proceedings inContinueContinue reading “Area 21 Humorous Speech & Table Topics Contest… in Full”

Maidenhead Speakers Club  – Monday 23 September 2013 With Guest Blogger, STEVE Cann Monday’s meeting had an autumnal air about it (what with it being two days since the equinox), and we certainly saw some seasoned performances tonight. Sgt at Arms Doreen Gowing kicked the meeting off in inspirational fashion, asking ‘Is it better to know, orContinueContinue reading “Reaping a Harvest of Excellent Toastmastery”