Guest Blog from Meeting 17th Feb 2015
I wasn't able to make the meeting this week but Peter Billingham kindly agreed to write a guest blog about the evening.
Thanks Peter for a wonderfully written and energetic post, I am going to have to up my game to follow that next week and it makes me even more sad that I didn't go now..
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“The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps - we must step up the stairs.” Vance Havner
It takes effort and courage to speak in public.
It takes effort and courage to speak in public in front of total strangers.
It takes effort and courage to speak in public in front of total strangers on a subject that you know little about!
That, even so, is the vision of Toastmaster International. Toastmasters is a safe place where people can learn. It's a safe place to experiment and develop public speaking skills. While that may be the vision, unless you are willing to say, “I’m glad I did,” rather than “I wish I had,” you will stay at the bottom of those stairs. Heart of England Toastmasters demonstrated once again that if you are willing to take that effort, search out that courage, then you will be rewarded with a higher view on life.
Sickness, half term and holidays decimated the numbers this week. Four regular members and two guests had a fascinating night of speeches. As seems the norm taking roles as you enter the room was in full flow. Multitasking members were doing an amazing job of stepping up the stairs.
Two prepared speeches filled the first half with inspiration, motivation and challenge. Ian Boddison took us on a life journey from a dark, dim and dingy morning. He then led us to his entrepreneurs life by way of making candles. His ice breaker, ‘The Road To Here,’ was structured, animated and powerfully delivered for a first speech. We look forward to hearing more from Ian in the future as he tempted us with possible future subjects. “Don’t Let Go of The Dogs’” was the enduring cry from Claude the French Musher to Peter Billingham. Peter told of escapades being dragged across Lapland’s frozen tundra in freezing Finland. Using photos and video Peter shared his story with enthusiasm and spark.
Suzanne Nash evaluated first Ian and later the Table Topics sessions. With a sharp eye for detail and an acute ear for style, Suzanne showed what an accomplished evaluation should look like at Toastmasters. Following a brief evaluation by Linda, the whole group then evaluated Peter’s speech giving excellent feedback and suggestions for improvement.
Steven Hawking once said, “If time travel is possible, where are the tourists from the future?” Not daunted by the challenge of time travel to the past or the future, Peter asked Table Topics speakers to choose their journey of choice. Some, at times, awkward and probing subject titles produced a stockpile of special speeches.
It's the hallmark of Heart of England Toastmasters, a wonderful, entertaining and educational evening.
It would help the club move forward if people would use the website at www.d71.org. To let us know attendance and request roles in advance make the night run smooth. Peter has produced a simple guide on how to operate the website. If members would start using this system, it would benefit the club.
Thanks Peter for a wonderfully written and energetic post, I am going to have to up my game to follow that next week and it makes me even more sad that I didn't go now..
.
“The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps - we must step up the stairs.” Vance Havner
It takes effort and courage to speak in public.
It takes effort and courage to speak in public in front of total strangers.
It takes effort and courage to speak in public in front of total strangers on a subject that you know little about!
That, even so, is the vision of Toastmaster International. Toastmasters is a safe place where people can learn. It's a safe place to experiment and develop public speaking skills. While that may be the vision, unless you are willing to say, “I’m glad I did,” rather than “I wish I had,” you will stay at the bottom of those stairs. Heart of England Toastmasters demonstrated once again that if you are willing to take that effort, search out that courage, then you will be rewarded with a higher view on life.
Sickness, half term and holidays decimated the numbers this week. Four regular members and two guests had a fascinating night of speeches. As seems the norm taking roles as you enter the room was in full flow. Multitasking members were doing an amazing job of stepping up the stairs.
Two prepared speeches filled the first half with inspiration, motivation and challenge. Ian Boddison took us on a life journey from a dark, dim and dingy morning. He then led us to his entrepreneurs life by way of making candles. His ice breaker, ‘The Road To Here,’ was structured, animated and powerfully delivered for a first speech. We look forward to hearing more from Ian in the future as he tempted us with possible future subjects. “Don’t Let Go of The Dogs’” was the enduring cry from Claude the French Musher to Peter Billingham. Peter told of escapades being dragged across Lapland’s frozen tundra in freezing Finland. Using photos and video Peter shared his story with enthusiasm and spark.
Suzanne Nash evaluated first Ian and later the Table Topics sessions. With a sharp eye for detail and an acute ear for style, Suzanne showed what an accomplished evaluation should look like at Toastmasters. Following a brief evaluation by Linda, the whole group then evaluated Peter’s speech giving excellent feedback and suggestions for improvement.
Steven Hawking once said, “If time travel is possible, where are the tourists from the future?” Not daunted by the challenge of time travel to the past or the future, Peter asked Table Topics speakers to choose their journey of choice. Some, at times, awkward and probing subject titles produced a stockpile of special speeches.
It's the hallmark of Heart of England Toastmasters, a wonderful, entertaining and educational evening.
It would help the club move forward if people would use the website at www.d71.org. To let us know attendance and request roles in advance make the night run smooth. Peter has produced a simple guide on how to operate the website. If members would start using this system, it would benefit the club.
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