HOW I BECAME A PROUD HONORARY MEMBER OF THE N A T.

1977 was a year of upheaval for the Dorn household. Having spent 5 years in Birmingham, Barry’s job moved us back to the London area, the housing market was in chaos, but we eventually found a house in Twickenham. Chris (11) moved his education forward by taking a place at Barry’s old school, Latymer Upper, in Hammersmith. Greg (9) went to the local school.

We began to catch up with friends, some of whom we had not seen for 5 years, and gradually life began to normalise. Our longstanding friends Sally and Martin Nicholls came for a drink one evening, and in the course of conversation Martin said that he was about to set up his own accounting business, and was looking for a ‘girl Friday’ – would I be interested? We settled on my giving it a ‘go’ and working a short day, so that I could take and collect Greg from school.

The business was quite busy, but Martin having had a long chat to his good friend Bryn Williams, decided that he would also become a toastmaster and ‘run’ the two jobs together.

I then had a double role to play, being a ‘girl Friday’, as well as booking Martin for functions, and in the process learning quite a lot about the role of a Toastmaster too. All very fascinating.

After a few years Martin, along with Bryn, Barry, and some of the other members of the NAT (most sadly now deceased) decided to create an intense training system for toastmasters. The idea being that there was a gap in the ‘social’ market for more, and better qualified toastmasters. Therefore, following the Spring General Meeting of the NAT in 1987, they formed a company called Toastmaster Training Limited (TMT). queries etc and got to know them all really well, plus attending various meetings to take notes etc.

My job then became to attend the TMT interview processes, meet, greet and relax those coming forward, and generally make myself useful, plus keeping the accounting business going too.

The training company was very successful, and some of the members reading this will remember their own training with TMT, albeit some time ago. TMT hired small rooms at The Institute of Directors for interviews, and I remember one person who arrived looking very smart, with a big smile on his face and I said, “Good morning, Mr Hunt, do sit down, and tell me what makes you interested in becoming a Toastmaster?” For years afterwards he used to tease me every time I saw him by saying with a cheeky grin, “Good morning ,Mrs Dorn”.

Life moved on, all seemed to be well and busy, and then in late 2004 everything changed, and not for the better. My brother (living in Canada) was diagnosed with mesothelioma (commonly known as asbestosis) and Martin was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus, so within the year my life changed dramatically. They died within three weeks of each other in July and August 2005. I was devastated.

At the NAT/AGM in the autumn of 2005 I was totally taken by surprise, when I had the privilege of being presented with a delightful brooch badge as the first female Honorary Member of the NAT. A most generous gift, apparently for the many hours etc which I had very happily spent assisting Martin with NAT business. I was both surprised and delighted and have worn it with the greatest of pride at every NAT function which I have attended since then.

Dear Members,

I would like to say a huge thank you to all the Members of the Association for the great honour which you bestowed on me at the AGM. When I said this has been the worst year of my life, the words were not lightly said. Many of you may not know that my only brother died just three weeks before Martin, so I feel as though my life has been turned upside down.

Martin was one of the most enthusiastic Members of the Association and it has been a pleasure and privilege to assist him with all the various offices which he has undertaken. I was totally in shock at the AGM, but absolutely delighted, to be made an Honorary Member and I wish to say thank you to all and assure you that I shall wear my badge with the greatest of pride.

Yours faithfully Janice Dorn

Once the interviews were over, and everything discussed between the interview board, time was booked at the University of Birmingham for three, two-day intensive courses spread out in January, February and March. Fortunately, from my point of view, it was not necessary for me to attend the courses, and I carried on running the office.

Whilst all this was going on Martin had taken on the double job of being both Secretary and Treasurer of the NAT. Consequently, my job meant that now I had a lot of contact with all the members of the association, for

There are now 6 honorary members of the NAT – who have all made huge contributions, in their own field, to the continued success of our wonderful association, and long may it last.

Janice Dorn.

As part of my service I offer couples before the day a review of speeches and make suggestions to improve them.

I’ll give a bottle of champagne to be presented at the AGM to the best solution as to how to reply to this Father of the Bride draft. You might send an email with advice or try to rewrite the speech. What other action might you take?

Please email the editor with your suggestion and he and I will decide the winner and publish the result in the next edition.

Paul Deacon

I’m J, N’s father and would like to welcome you all to this delightful venue. Thanks for coming today to witness the marriage of Mr and Mrs L.

1. N would like me to say a few kind words about her so this speech should be short and sweet?

2. N was no problem as a child, so it was with sadness we felt when she left home for Uni, mind you it was even sadder when she returned.

3. N originally thought about a career in nursing but when she attended the radiology department, they could see she wasn’t committed, they saw right through her.

4. N had a rethink and was soon employed in the care industry. She was soon taking the inmates on trips to the Isle of Wight and then to Paris where she left one of the parties on the Metro. Fortunately, they were able to track down the missing lady. She liked to take them out at every opportunity. One lady had a habit of screaming obscenities which was bearable in the street but a bit of a problem in the cinema. Time to change professions!

5. So it was to education in the prison service she turned. The highlight being an appearance on Gareth Malone’s prison choir programme at Aylesbury although N seems to have been banished to solitary confinement somewhere in the wings.

6. We were on holiday with our Australian friends when our son phoned to say there was another man in the house, Aiden, he thought his name was. He always drops his aitchies! Next thing we know Haydn has moved in. In all fairness he only stayed for two years!

7. He did at least request my daughter’s hand in marriage, I suggested he didn’t just take the hand.

8. Haydn tells me he had an interesting experience on his stag night. He went into a pub and the barman was serving a person with a head only. The customer ordered a Heineken beer, after one sip a torso appeared. Another sip and two arms appeared. Finally, another gulp and two legs materialised. He was so excited he ran out of the pub and was run over by a bus. The landlord turned to Haydn and said that chap should have quit while he was a head!

9. To finish on a traditional note, I hope you will both be as happy as my wife, and I have been.

10. Please raise your glasses and drink a toast to the happy couple.

Paul Deacon