Author Archives: ChrisB

The final meeting of the Toastmasters year took place on the 24th June. This was the last meeting with the 2012-13 committee and Steve Cann welcomed everyone for the final time as Serjeant at Arms (thank you Joyce for the spelling pointers on that). Steve thanked everyone for their help this year and I thinkContinueContinue reading “The End is the Beginning”

In the penultimate meeting of this Toastmasters year, Sergeant at Arms Steve started as he so often does with a story – a ghost story, but without any ghosts. It was a nice walk nonetheless. President Nick delivered some slightly sombre news about a couple of club members in difficulty before moving to the moreContinueContinue reading “Meeting Round-Up for 10th June”

Monday the 20th May saw the holding of the Annual General Meeting. The old committee gave their reports and the committee was officially elected. Details of all the official type goings on will be circulated by our wonderful secretary in due course. As part of the AGM, Nick recognised some of the longer serving membersContinueContinue reading “AGM Night (With Speeches of Course)”

With guest blogger (and GE for the evening) Sandra Davidson. The evening started off with our Sargent at Arms Steve Cann welcoming us and telling us about a recent visit he had to a blue bell wood.  Blue bells are Steve’s favourite and I was reminded of how much I like them too. Our PresidentContinueContinue reading “Monday 13th May – A revealing evening”

The meeting on the 8th April was started by Mell, standing in as Sergeant at Arms and she spoke about the weekend’s Area contest where she and Julie competed. Mell thanked everyone for their support and feedback in the lead up. Both she and Julie did the club proud. Steve Cann was Toastmaster of theContinueContinue reading “Schools, Stories and Socks”

Courtesy of Area Governor Amanda Bouch Contest season brings out the best in us … Not only do the contestants challenge themselves to prepare a stunning speech, but also the audience is amazing – such generosity of spirit and applause to encourage the speakers.  Everyone was caught up in the brilliance – and on Saturday 6ContinueContinue reading “Stunning Speeches at the Area 21 Contest”

The first official meeting of Maidenhead Speakers took place on the 7th March 1983. So that makes March our 30th anniversary month! It was fitting therefore that stand in President for the evening was Norman Rhodes, the founder of the club. He opened the meeting with the happy duty of presenting a badge to ourContinueContinue reading “30 Years of Speaking Brilliance”

With guest blogger, Steve Cann. Monday March 11th saw the first big event of the year on the Maidenhead Speakers’ calendar – the International Speech & Evaluations Club Contest, and we were in for a memorable and eventful evening. Unusually tie-wearing Speech Contest Chair Steve Cann started with a warm-up exercise involving some amusing fridgeContinueContinue reading “Contest Night!”

With special guest blogger Julie Farrell. The 25th of February meeting had a Chinese theme, in honour of the recent Chinese New Year.  Toastmaster for the Evening, Anita Li, explained the significance of the stacks of oranges that can be seen in Chinese homes at this time of year – they represent gold, because ChineseContinueContinue reading “Chinese New Year in Maidenhead”

With special guest blogger Mary Fraser. Despite it being a cold, snowy evening with a serious drop in temperature, there was a very warm welcome from Nick Bailey (Club President) at Maidenhead Speakers club and Toastmaster of the evening, Ben de Candole on Monday evening. Ben highlighted the importance of a smile when giving aContinueContinue reading “11th February Meeting”

With guest blogger Steve Catchick – Division H Governor. President Nick Bailey opened the evening, welcoming no fewer than 6 visitors, before handing over to Toastmaster of the evening Monica Horten. This was to be no ordinary meeting. Monica introduced the theme of the evening, which would feature an evaluation workshop by our own, andContinueContinue reading “28th January – Evaluation Workshop”

Maidenhead’s 2013 got underway on the 14th January with a rousing and very well attended January meeting. Sandra Davidson led the evening as Toastmaster and set about asking people about their new years resolutions. Her advice was that you are far more likely to achieve your goals if you both write them down and tellContinueContinue reading “2013 Underway at Maidenhead”

The final meeting for 2012 was great success. Jacqui organised the whole evening and as well as a fine selection of food and drink (provided by members) we held a balloon debate. In the debate each participants had to take on a character and then explain why they should be allowed to stay in theContinueContinue reading “End of Year Festive Meeting – All about balloons”

Another night of high quality speeches! This time four out of five speeches were advanced, three being humorous. Richard Davies was TME and brought along his very popular humour. He asked us to reveal the courses we had been on. Sandra Davison won best speaker. She explained to us that she is learning to playContinueContinue reading “28th November – Baboons in Space!”

It’s already November and there are just a few Toasty meetings left in 2012. So we made the most of it on the 12th November. John Callaghan led the evening’s frivolity with style and a smile, welcoming and introducing our wonderful speakers. The night started with Steve Catchick giving a report on the Conference inContinueContinue reading “Dreams and Stories of November”

At the Club meeting on Monday 12th November, there was a surprise presentation by Division Governor Steve Catchick. At the District Conference in Cork the preceding weekend, Steve had been given an award to pass on to our club’s most distinguished member.         For 27 years Norman Rhodes has been making up the ribbons andContinueContinue reading “Special Presentation to Norman Rhodes”

Some tips on dealing with nerves before a speech from Julie Farrell.   How do you feel just before you give a speech?  Do your knees shake?  Does your heart thump in your chest?  Do your thoughts drive you crazy with messages of impending doom? Here’s something that’s really helped me to deal with nervesContinueContinue reading “Observe the Nerves”

With special guest blogger Amanda Bouch. Gerard Pillai as Toastmaster for the evening put together a powerful meeting for the 5th Monday in October.  With 3 speakers and their evaluators, we had time for an extended Table Topics session run by Yohan McDonald and evaluated by Nick Bailey.  The theme was ‘passion’ and that encouragedContinueContinue reading “October 29 Meeting – small group, but we packed a punch!”

With special guest blogger Steve Cann: A lively evening at Maidenhead Speakers started guest Sgt at Arms, Mell Sheppard, enthusiastically welcoming us and getting us all in good spirits with her Groucho Marx story. Then President Nick Bailey reminded members about some important areas of club policy and etiquette. Our Toastmaster of the Evening was Julie Farrell – ever-confident and exuburant,ContinueContinue reading “First Timers Make an Impression – meeting 22nd October”

The second part of the Autumn contest season saw the battle of table topics. Jacqui as organiser and contest chair managed to cajole 9 willing contestants into putting themselves on the line. She posed the question “What is your favourite household chore and why?” Responses were many and varied. From watching TV, playing with childrenContinueContinue reading “Contest Night II”

So you think giving a speech at Toastmasters is a challenge? Try making people laugh. In a contest. Seven game Maidenhead members did just that on Monday the 10th of September. The annual humorous speech contest saw members doing their best to raise a chuckle or two from the crowd. Steve Catchick chaired the evening andContinueContinue reading “Contest Night I”

Maidenhead meeting on the 20th August, with guest blogger, Division Governer Steve Catchick. The meeting was opened very enthusiastically, with Steve Cann, as Sgt at Arms, before handing over to President Nick Bailey. Nick’s first duty sadly, was to inform the club of the death of new member, Oliver Helguson. Oliver had only joined recentlyContinueContinue reading “Cards, Hotels, Boers and Cakes”

In the Toastmasters universe July represents the start of a new year. So it’s a new President and new committee, but the same top quality meetings at Maidenhead Speakers. Last Monday the 23rd July saw Karen Szulakowska steer us through an Olympian themed evening of speeches, topics and evaluations. This Olympic warm up event sawContinueContinue reading “Getting in the swim of an Olympic new year”