Author Archives: jcallagh

Maidenhead Speakers Club – Monday 19 May 2014 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, JOHN CALLAGHAN Never Mind the Width… Feel the Quality! From the outset, Doreen Gowing our “unsung hero” and Sgt@ Arms opened in lyrical fashion – obviously trying to catch the grammarian’s eye early on. Following the AGM and the appointment of the new committee, President Jacqui HoganContinueContinue reading “Never mind the width…”

Maidenhead Speakers Club  – Monday 30 September 2013 WITH GUEST BLOGGER, JOHN CALLAGHAN Top speeches. Top humour. Top evening! The Humorous Speech and Table Topics contests on 30 September were packed – several toastmasters deep! Which is always a good sign of a lively club where the members want to stretch themselves. Never mind “never mind theContinueContinue reading “Lights, Contest, Action!”

For various reasons it’s been a while since I have attended a meeting of Maidenhead Speakers Club. Some things change. Some stay the same! Okay the changes were mostly restricted to some new format T M badges. Stays the same pretty much covered everything else. Not that that’s a bad thing – far from it!ContinueContinue reading “A Prodigal Tale”

A big thank you to Maidenhead Speakers and their friends. The last outing of the KC Comedy Club in High Wycombe threw up an unexpected challenge. Because of various circumstances four out of five of the stand ups booked didn’t turn up. This would normally spell disaster and throw any gig into complete panic andContinueContinue reading “Maidenhead Speakers save the day”

Toastmaster visits the Inner Wheel Club: take me to your spokes-person! Mell Shepherd in her role as Social Secretary recently gave a talk to the the Inner Wheel Club of Burnham about Toastmasters, and gave an entertaining demonstration speech – a practice run of her speech contest entry – that was very well received. AfterContinueContinue reading “Toastmaster visits the Inner Wheel Club: take me to your spokes-person!”

  Last night, Thursday 17 May, saw the first gig for the KC Comedy Club at Magnolia Park, a private club in High Wycombe. Several members of MSC were there to enjoy the proceedings. Keith Clarke (MSC member) opened the evening to a lively crowd of over 70 comedy enthusiasts looking for a good entertaining night out. They were notContinueContinue reading “Maidenhead Speakers members perform at the KC Comedy Club”

Shirley and the Slug I’m going through a real grungy stage with my speeches at the moment,  a bit like a teenager trying to figure out her own style , it won’t be long before I start wearing DMs, heavy makeup and get my eyebrow pierced!  What an improvement I hear you say!! But thatContinueContinue reading “Shirley and the Slug – The Inside Story!”

It was obvious my speech title should be E=MC2. The Toastmaster announced the title and at that moment, before the introductory applause, I heard a murmur and stirring from the audience. Was it trepidation or anticipation? I wasn’t sure. I opened by reassuring the audience that by the end of the evening they would haveContinueContinue reading “E=MC2 (and S2I=ACB)!”

After a few last minute changes and despite a number of blank slots still to be filled when the doors opened at 7.00pm – with encouragement from Jacqui Hogan as Toastmaster of the Evening and Helen Elliot as General Evaluator, all the roles were covered by 7.30pm in time for a prompt start. The energyContinueContinue reading “Maidenhead Toastmasters Meeting: Monday 14th May 2012. Energy and Entertainment!”

Maidenhead Speakers Tall Tales Contest announced – Oh Hell!  Experienced Toastmaster Ian Rees took the trophy at the Maidenhead Speakers Tall Tales contest held at the Bird in Hand at Knowl Hill on Saturday 28 April; the occasion coincided with the annual club dinner which was well attended by around 50 Maidenhead Speakers and guestsContinueContinue reading “Oh Hell! Its the annual Maidenhead Speakers Club dinner…”

A good showing for Maidenhead Speakers in the recent Area 21 International Speech and Evaluation Contest, with first and third places. Congratulations to Chris Boden and Mell Shepherd. The contest was held on 14 April in Windsor, ably chaired by Maidenhead Speaker, Ben De Candole. All speakers were winners and standards were very high. Chris BodenContinueContinue reading “Area 21 International Speech and Evaluation Contest – How did we do? Quite well actually!”

It was an honour for fellow Toastmaster Mell Sheppard and I to be asked to give a speech at Club President Mary Fraser’s local event, celebrating International Women’s Day in March.  It’s an annual event, which Mary and colleagues have been running for several years now, where members of the women-in-business networking community Success Network,ContinueContinue reading “Men are from Mars Women are from Maidenhead Speakers Club”

It was the first Maidenhead Speakers Club meeting of 2012, well attended with over thirty members and a sprinkling of welcome guests. The new starting time of 7:30pm created an extra buzz of energy from the outset.  Losing fifteen minutes from the available setting-up time, meant that everyone pulled together with one goal in mind:ContinueContinue reading “2012 Starting as we mean to go on!”

Following a recent invitation to speak at the Rotary Club of Burnham Beeches, Mell Sheppard and Julie Farrell picked up the gauntlet. Those who attended the Speakers Club on 12 December were treated to a dress rehearsal of a brilliantly written and expertly delivered double act. We heard back this report from John at theContinueContinue reading “An invitation from the Rotary Club of Burnham Beeches”

Our club night’s theme was motivation but Amanda Bouch, Toastmaster of the Evening (28.11.11), didn’t use it for introductions, but as actions.  Before the evening, she encouraged the speakers and key role-holders to give of their best. Table Topics Master, Nick Bailey chose to use the theme for his topics, which led to stimulating andContinueContinue reading “Sharing your own motivation inspires others”

Maidenhead Speakers Club Presents… calling it quits can be a laughing matter! From time to time we’ve all had enough of the job, the stresses and strains and the petty frustrations. But have you ever thought about crafting the perfect resignation letter? Where you tell your boss what you really think of him? In exquisiteContinueContinue reading “Speech Contest 12 September: Humorous Speeches and Table Topics”

USING NOTES (Delivered for an education session at Maidenhead Speakers Club on 24 Jan 2011) I want to say something about using notes. Not bank notes, notes for speeches. I will cover a few general points first, then deal in turn with the material on which I write my notes, creating notes and finally usingContinueContinue reading “How to Use Notes Effectively”

Love Sweet Love After that initial smash hit Music groups can often struggle with that “difficult second album”. Well clearly Toastmasters is not like the music business! I was recently lucky enough to catch Julie Farrell giving what was only her second speech project at MSC on 24 January.  Julie gave a compelling and thoughtContinueContinue reading “Love Sweet Love: Best speech 24 January 2011”