February 2016 District 71 Newsletter Toastmasters International

TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL

NEWSLETTER District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events District 71 February 2016 CONTENTS:-

Reflections on their roles from the District Leadership Team: District Director; Program Quality Director; Club Growth Director; PR Manager; Administration Manager; Finance Director; Immediate Past District Governor District Highlights Limerick Riverside Conference District 71 Competition Members’ Articles

DISTRICT 71 – UK and Ireland

DISTRICT 71 DIRECTOR – Kevin Lee

District Director – Kevin Lee Fellow Toastmasters The First Six Months Welcome to the District Newsletter. We are now half way through the Toastmaster year so it is time to take a look at our priorities and ponder whether these are meeting our purpose.

As I write, 324 educational awards have been registered in District 71. Against a club base of 174 clubs, that’s about two awards per club. We welcomed Clane Toastmasters (Area 28, Division D), the eighth club to charter. More importantly, 172 out of our club base of 174 are in good standing with TI. Your Division Directors are working hard to build a one-day conference around the Division finals. This will give all members more value for your ‘day-out’ with Toastmasters this Spring.

Talking about purr…iorities, Graham Frost and the Black Cat Crew pulled off a purrfect Conference in Wyboston Lakes in November 2015.

As Club Officer Training progresses, more clubs are achieving the five goals needed to be a Distinguished Club. Congratulations to Dublin 18 for being the first club to attain nine DCP goals, placing them firmly in line to be President’s Distinguished. Following closely with eight DCP goals is Glasgow Club. Another 10 clubs have registered seven DCP goals, paving the way to achieving Select Distinguished. These clubs and any others that register five or more DCP goals by 29 Feb will be entered into a draw by Michael Collins, our Program Quality Director. The top prize is a full set of 15 Advanced Manuals. Well done all!

In terms on what we need to work on, 55 of our 174 clubs are below charter strength (20 members). A healthy membership base makes life easier for all members. The District Mission is to ‘…support all clubs in achieving excellence’ and a healthy membership base is part of this.

This is our priority. Red Skelton, our Club Growth Director, is challenging all clubs to recruit five members (new, dual or reinstated) between 1 Feb and 31 Mar 2016. Clubs that achieve this will be recognised by a ‘Talk Up Toastmasters’ ribbon from TI and be awarded an Advanced Communication Library Set, containing all 15 Advanced Manuals, from the District.

So, why not invite a lapsed member back as a guest?

Toastmasters is a unique experience. Where else are the users and the providers of a product/service the same people?

Where else are the vendors also the customers?

The best way I can think of our Toastmasters clubs is to imagine a fireplace. On a wet, windy, winter's day, the warmth of the fire draws everyone to it. In the same way, the warmth of our clubs draws in members and guests. Yet, in order to keep the fireplace going, stoking the fire is a priority. It is up to all who huddle around to take turns stoking the fire. In the same way, all members are encouraged to actively take on meeting roles.

Understanding each member’s perspective is vital. The youngest members around the fireplace are praised when they add a twig or two to the flames. In time, they will learn how to start a fire or chop the firewood. Likewise, we show our newest members how to call a meeting to order or take on the role of Timekeeper. In time, they will become speech evaluators or represent our clubs at the Area contest.

As we enter the contest season, I urge every member to rethink about the purpose of your membership in Toastmasters and talk to your VPE or mentor about how they can help you achieve it. Make your Area Contest or Division Conference a priority. Support our fellow Toastmasters in their contest journey. You will gain a different perspective.

Together, we can be Distinguished!

Kevin J Lee, ACS, ALS District Director District 71

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NEWTTER Fellow Toastmasters

District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events Program Quality Director – Michael Collins

District 71 February 2016

Mid-year Training in Sunny Spain Tapas bars, 20°C temperatures and Rosita greeted me in a Barcelona hotel in early January.

Midyear Training for the District Trios (District Director, Program Quality Director and Club Growth Director), of Regions 11 and 13, was in Barcelona this year. Any attempt of mine to explain the geographical boundaries of the Regions would surely omit some countries, so let’s just say that some delegates had to fly over 10 hours, towards the setting sun, to get to the venue.

So what justifies sending the District Trio on a 2-day training trip to Sunny Spain for a long weekend in January? What was the agenda like and more importantly what did I really learn? The agenda included sessions on Communication and Conflict, Elect for Success, Organisational Updates, District Budgeting and many facilitated breakout sessions within our peer groups.

Toastmasters International CEO, Dan Rex opened the morning session in a relaxed intimate atmosphere and spoke of challenges and perspective. “One of the biggest problems”, he said, “was past leaders”. If they are not busy they will evaluate you, waiting for you to do something wrong. He said, “As leaders it is your job to implement the District strategy which supports the District Mission, however you want, not how they did it”.

I was relieved to hear that other districts have many challenges similar to District 71. But I sometimes wonder how an organisation which has communication as fundamental to its very existence, can have communication issues.

Adhering to election procedure policy is fundamental to the integrity of the organisation. In fact, TI deemed 3 District elections last year as void - they had to get involved because of election ‘irregularities’.

The policy documents surrounding election of District Officers, just like the policy documents surrounding Speech Contest rules, are freely available to all members. You could argue that many of the policies are overkill, but adhering to the policies ensures fairness and transparency across the organisation. And I can think of other organisations that could learn from us.

As you move up the food chain of District Leadership, there is a higher expectation of excellence in training delivery. And don’t get me wrong, the training was good, delivered by competent International Directors and Region Advisors. But, as I look around our own District, I know that we too have some of the best trainers right here.

The balance between maintaining non-profit status, in which we do not pay speakers or trainers, and attracting the cream of the crop into our organisation, will always pose a challenge. In everything we do maintaining the core values of the organisation, including respect for all members who give of their time in a voluntary capacity, is crucial.

Was mid-year training worth it? In a word, yes. And we have since tailored some of the sessions and delivered them at the recent *DOT#2 training. Even though the training is focused on our role in Toastmasters, many of the soft skills are transferable to other aspects of our lives, in dealing with people and, well, communicating. Surely that is what Toastmasters is all about?

Will I meet up with Rosita again? Who knows!

Michael Collins -

Program Quality Director

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NEWSLETTER

TO District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events Fellow Toastmasters

ASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL District 71 UK and Ireland And Events District 71News UK and Ireland News And Events Club Growth Director – Red Skelton District 71 February 2016

I LOVE my job! Fellow Toastmasters, as I sit here thinking about the first half of the Toastmaster Year, I get excited and can’t wait to see how the second half of the year develops. We, as a District, have done an outstanding job so far and I am confident that we will reach our goal of being a Distinguished District. Which level of Distinguished will depend on everyone in District 71 and I will explain how.

As regards new clubs in the District, we have chartered eight clubs in the first half of the Toastmaster year. With a total of 180 paid clubs, we are currently ranked second in Region 11 and seventh in the world! That is fantastic and an achievement that we all can be proud of. The District also has 16 prospective clubs that are in various stages of chartering. There are an additional 10 clubs that are meeting but have not yet submitted their application to organize paperwork to Toastmasters International. To the members of our District that are involved in building these new clubs, Thank You! There is a lot of work and time that goes into building a new Toastmasters club and again, Thanks!

I hear you asking how you could get involved in helping the District in its quest to become a Distinguished District. The easiest thing you can do is to introduce the benefits of Toastmasters to new members, and seek out those members that have left your club and try and help them back. Ask why they left the club and if there is anything that you can do to persuade them to come back. Perhaps, a simple we miss you might be sufficient to bring them back into Toastmasters.

Another area that I am responsible is the Club Coach program. This program is available for clubs that are having a difficult time getting and retaining members. If any club’s membership falls below 12 or fewer members, your club qualifies for this program. Each club can have two club coaches and it is their responsibility to assist the club in membership building, bringing the club back to at least 20 members. Currently we have 13 clubs that are working with their coaches to bring back membership. The results have been very positive and if you would like to volunteer to be a club coach talk to your Area Director, Division Director or myself and let us know your interest.

Again, we can’t control what will happen in the future. But, I can guarantee you that I will continue working for each of you until 30 June to ensure we are Distinguished. My goal you may ask? Well there is only one thing to say, District 71 will be “President's Distinguished” come 30 June.

Red Skelton Club Growth Director C

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NEWSLETTER District 71 UK News and Ireland News And Events TO District 71 UK and Ireland And Events District 71

Public Relations Manager – Patricia O’Reilly

February 2016 When it comes to taking on a challenge I often think of that wonderful children’s book by Judith Kerr “The Tiger Who Came to Tea”. It tells the story of a tiger who arrives unexpectedly at the home of Sophie and her mother and invites himself to tea. You would expect Sophie and her mother to panic. But they’re not a bit fazed and they welcome the tiger into their home. Their reaction suggests that we should welcome challenges and not panic and run away from them.

Taking on the role of PR Manager was a challenge. But so was walking into my first meeting in Drogheda Toastmasters, doing my ice breaker, taking on leadership roles at club and district level, starting Balbriggan Toastmasters and being District Secretary last year. How much more challenging could the role of PR Manager be, I wondered? Well, I’m no longer wondering. This has probably been my most challenging role to date.

It didn’t start off too well. When setting up the incoming District Leadership Team on the website there were some hilarious results when Kevin’s mugshot was matched with Luanne’s name and Moira’s was matched with Michael’s name.

After lots of googling, late nights and glasses of wine, I gave in and asked the experts. If only I had called in the experts earlier – it was a technical issue. And all this before my year had officially begun.

But soon it was time to don the wellies and head off to the National Ploughing Championship to talk up Toastmasters. At the end of my stint, I was hoarse, my legs ached but I was also exhilarated and very, very grateful to every Toastmaster who gave up their time so willingly to take a turn manning or “womanning” the stand and talking up Toastmasters.

We’re not just good at talking up Toastmasters, we’re also excellent in District 71 at promoting our clubs. All clubs were challenged to run an open night with an incentive of very stylish ribbons in a very chic navy for any club that signed up a new member as a result. One of the criteria was to send me a sample of the club’s promotional material used. The creativity of the clubs in District 71 is impressive. The flyers and brochures were well thought out, had a clear message, great graphics, were cost-effective and they worked. We all lead busy lives and club officers and members put a lot of time and hard work into organising open nights. Thanks to all the clubs that took up the open night challenge.

The newsletter brings its own challenges. The banner has a life of its own and regularly wanders off and has to be cajoled into returning to its proper place at the top of each page. Sometimes articles have to be squished and squashed to fit the allotted space. As for photos and other visuals, well as Gerry French said in his winning humorous speech “don’t get me started”. I have mangled and distorted too many photos. That said I LOVE working on the newsletter and thanks to all who contributed articles.

I’m glad that I embraced the role of PR Manager because I have learned so much as a result. Every time it threw a new challenge at me I remembered Sophie and her mother. I welcomed it for what I could learn from it and I didn’t panic and run away.

Patricia O’Reilly – PR Manager

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TO District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events Fellow Toastmasters

ASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL District 71 UK and Ireland And Events District 71News UK and Ireland News And Events District 71

Administration Manager – Moira Beaton

February 2016

BEING THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION MANAGER

In 2004, I met Kevin Lee. When he told me he belonged to a public speaking organisation called Toastmasters, I thought, I can do that. After all, I was always the first in my class at primary school to volunteer to read aloud, and I even had my Public Speaker badge from the Girl Guides. How hard could it be to stand up on a stage and deliver a speech? That’s what I thought Toastmasters was about – part reading loud/part amateur dramatics.

At my first meeting of Glasgow Toastmasters, I was amazed. There was no stage; they met in a small room in a small hotel called The Wickets (there was a cricket ground nearby), and the room was packed with people greeting each other, talking, and laughing. The meeting itself was a revelation – more varied and interesting and much less serious than I expected.

When I was asked to stand and introduce myself, I wasn’t prepared for my reaction – my knees were shaking. Perhaps I wasn’t as confident at speaking in public as I had thought? That evening I joined the club and about a month later found myself accepting the role of VPE – my first major Toastmaster challenge. I had no idea what I was doing but I learned and the club has survived.

Toastmasters has thrown me many challenges, within clubs and Area 30, but when Kevin invited me to become the District Administration Manager (AM), I realised this would be my biggest challenge yet - I would have to step far outside my comfort zone. After about a week wrestling with the idea, I accepted with no idea what I was getting into.

According to the District Leadership Handbook, the District AM is responsible for minutes, correspondence and documents. In reality, the District AM is part-scribe, part-event planner, part-PA, and part-knowledgebase.

In June last year, I imagined I could gently ease myself into my new role, pretend I knew what I was doing, carry out some research and start officially on 1st July. Instead, I found myself organising the UK part of District Officer Training. My steep learning curve had begun.

Having to quickly get to grips with unfamiliar technology was one of the most daunting aspects of the role. In the past, Dropbox and I had been sworn enemies, I was only on nodding acquaintance with Constant Contact, and I had never even met GoToMeeting or GoToWebinar.

Now, after working with them over the past seven months, all that has changed. Dropbox and I have become firm friends; Constant Contact has become my ally when communicating with the District Executive (DEC) and Club Officers; GoToMeeting makes our twice-monthly DLT meetings a pleasure; and I have struck up a new relationship with GoToWebinar as co-organiser of the monthly online education sessions.

And that’s the wonderful thing about Toastmasters – if you want, you can be constantly challenged and learn new skills for which you never imagined you had the potential. Another bonus of being a member of the DLT is meeting members from Ireland and the UK at DEC meetings, District Officer Training and conferences, people you never knew existed.

However, I could not have navigated my role as District AM in the last seven months without the support of the other members of the DLT who have patiently answered my many emails, given advice and shared their knowledge of Toastmasters and its often-complicated workings.

Toastmasters was not what I expected it to be when I went to that first meeting in Glasgow eleven years ago but that’s part of the fun of Toastmasters, isn’t it?

Moira Beaton – Administration Manager

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TO District 71 UK and Ireland N

District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events Finance Director – John Cox District 71 February 2016

It was on a bright, sunny summer’s morning last year that Kevin rang me to chat - about the Robin Hood conference I thought – and happened to mention that the Finance Director role had still not been filled. I had, what I thought was the best excuse ever, for not offering to do the role – “but I’m not an accountant.” “Not necessary,” came Kevin’s rapid reply. I deliberated for a few more weeks, spoke to Joseph who was the outgoing financial wizard and in the end succumbed.

Toastmasters certainly throws you many opportunities to step outside of your comfort zone as well as plenty of leadership opportunities. So I thought “what the heck!” I’ve always taken an active interest in finance having spent many years running my own businesses. My accountant used to say that unlike many small business owners I always asked a lot of questions about our accounts. And making money for me, and my clients, has always been a keen interest of mine.

Being the Robin Hood Conference Director I took a close interest in both the budgeting and the conference finances to ensure that we were both able to keep costs down but to also put on a great conference that was exceptional value for money for delegates. That’s always the challenge – managing the costs but not at the expense of delivering a quality product. The more you can save the more you can put into product enhancement.

So what’s the Finance job like? Well first of all it has many titles – Finance Director, Finance Manager, District Treasurer – you name it, I’ve been called it! It also comes with three currencies – all our business is converted into euros but we also have a sterling bank account and deal in US dollars. It is run on a fairly sophisticated online accounting system where all financial transactions are posted, paid and reconciled with the bank statements. The District Director in conjunction with his/her team produces the annual budget for approval by TI in the USA – fortunately most of this had been done before I joined the District Leadership Team.

As well as the two main bank accounts we also have to manage a cashbox – used for Area and Division Contests and Conferences – and the District Reserve – the money that TI holds on our behalf that represents a proportion of our membership fees and past annual surpluses. The other main task – and in my view the most important one - is to pay the District Leadership Team – the District Exec, Division and Area Directors – their expenses.

So what’s been my experience so far? Well it’s a bigger job than I expected but an interesting one and certainly teaches you a lot about the running of this big organisation. It’s been an eye opener in the way that many officers use their own money to carry out their duties. Getting them to submit expenses claims and their contest and officer training accounts has been a challenge. Dealing with the USA has convinced me even further that we speak a different language!

But has it been fun? Not a word often associated with accountants! Well I’ve enjoyed attending the DEC and DOT meetings and getting to know all those committed and dedicated Toastmasters who keep this great organisation running.

I’ve enjoyed representing the District Leadership Team. I also love it when the accounts reconcile at the end of the month but some of the detail to get me there can be frustrating. Ensuring that we meet our budget is another challenge. But I do love a challenge.

Must go now as it’s the half-year and I have to get the accounts audited.

Enjoy your Toastmastering!

John Cox – Finance Director

TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL O District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events

NEWSLETTER ASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL Fellow Toastmasters

District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events District 71 February 2016

Immediate Past District Governor – Luanne Kent Is your club a Distinguished Club?

The mission of every Toastmasters club is to “…provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.

The Distinguished Club Program (DCP) is a fantastic tool by which we can measure our clubs’ success in meeting the Toastmaster Club Mission and that we’re providing a promised service to our members. The DCP contains ten goals that can be easily achieved through planning and support by the club leaders and encouragement of, and uptake by, its members. The program runs from July 1 to June 30th--and now is the time to review. So, let’s look at the goals and how you can help your club to be a Distinguished Club.

The DCP is divided into four categories, education, membership, training and administration.

Education - Six goals relate to educational awards (communication and leadership). Achieving awards indicates our members are completing manuals and receiving award recognition—our members are empowered. Club officers, review your DCP status and formulate a plan to achieve.

VPE’s and members, review where you stand towards completing your manuals-- work together to schedule speeches so awards can be achieved by June 30th.

Membership - Two goals relate to new members--who bring new vitality and ideas to our clubs and enhance the positive environment. Clubs can schedule an Open House event or a ‘bring a friend’ night. Members, even if a special event isn’t scheduled, why not bring a friend anyway—and let them too discover the benefits of Toastmasters?

Training – One goal indicates our club officers are trained and are thus better able to serve and support the club. Clubs need at least four club officers trained at two training sessions; the second session must be completed by February 29 th.

Club Officers, if you haven’t completed your training, please contact your Area Director for dates and possible make up sessions (you can attend training outside of your own area).

Administration –One goal relates to basic administrative duties, including on time payment of dues. Dues should be submitted by April 1st. New club officer info must have also been submitted to TI before June 30th.

Club officers, determine now who will register and pay dues. It is sometimes helpful for the officers to divide the payments, as it may be difficult for one person to cover the entire amount.

To be recognised as a Distinguished Club, clubs only need to achieve five of the ten goals (easy peasy). However, to qualify, a club must have 20 paid members, minimum. If fewer than 20 members, a net growth of five members is required. This is required since it is important to have sufficient members to fill the meeting roster and to create vitality in the club.

So, how’s your club doing …?

To see a history and current status of your club’s DCP (and other great information) click here (http://mikeraffety.com/DCPhistory.cgi) and enter your club number. To learn more about the DCP, click here.

Luanne Kent – Immediate Past District Governor

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NEWSLETTER * sdsdsd

District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events District 71 February 2016

DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTS

NINE NEW CLUBS - District 71 is very pleased to welcome the following NINE new clubs into the District from the 1st July to the date of going to press. In particular the District extends a warm welcome to the two newest clubs – Clane Address from ourGoogle DD Gabbers. Congratulations to all involved in setting up and chartering these clubs. We welcome Toastmasters and their members into Toastmasters and wish them many happy and productive Toastmaster years.

What happensDIVISION in Vegas stays in AREA CLUB NAME Vegas!

M 26 Google Gabbers D C District Highlights M D G Subhead S Sample Text G G

28 57 54 40 44 30 20 20

Clane Toastmasters DubSpot Toastmasters Voicematters – Vodafone Toastmasters Kiltegan Toastmasters Northampton Speakers Livingston Speakers Luton Speakers North Herts Speakers

SIXTEEN TRIPLE CROWN ACHIEVERS - Congratulations to the following members who achieved a minimum of three education awards since the 1st July to the date of going to press.

MEMBER Phil Bradley Subhead Jenny Gater Sample Text Peter Graham Brendan Haughton Ciaran Moore Tina Norbury Karen O’Donnell Ian Perry Mary Reynolds Burke, Mary T Subhead Burns, John Gerard Sample Text Craggs, Jane Dunn, Gerard William Killeen, William Lane, Barry Ridder-Patrick, Max

COUNT 3 3 3 6 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 7 4

AWARD CL, CC, ALB CC, CL, ALB CL, CC, ALB DTM, CL, CL, ACS, LDREXC, ACG ACG, DTM, CL CL, CC, ALB ACS, LDRECX, ACG, LDREXC ALS, ACG, ACG LDREXC, ACS, ALS ALB, ALS, DTM ALS, CL, LDREXC LDREXC, ALS, DTM ACS, LDREXC, ALS CL, ALB, ACB ALS, DTM, LDREXC, LDREXC, CC, ALB, CL ALB, ACG, ACB, CL

SEVEN DTM’s - Congratulations to the following who achieved a DTM since the 1st July to the date of going to press.

Brendan Haughton

Kevin Baggs

Mary T. Burke

Jane Craggs

Paul Egan

Barry Lane

Ciaran Moore

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NEWSLETTER District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events District 71 February 2016

LIMERICK RIVERSIDE CONFERENCE Strand Hotel, Limerick 13th to 15th May 2016 www.limerick2016.co International Speech Contest

Speech Evaluation Contest

Key Note: Mohammed Murad, Immediate Past International President and an officer on the Toastmasters International Board of Directors

Workshops, Bob Ferguson and let’s not forget the Limerick Competition – have you written your limerick yet?

Results of the Hemingway Challenge:- 45 entries received Outright winner: Cathy McCloskey, Phoenix/Tara Toastmasters with Thirty seconds-words spoken-heart broken Five runners-up in alphabetical order by surname:Michele Barad, Heart of England Speakers Sandra Losty, Lucan Toastmasters Tony McIntyre, Phoenix/Tara Toastmasters Maire Ros O’Rahilly, Dun Laoghaire Toastmasters Maura Ruddy, East Coast Toastmasters

He spoke, they listened, lives changed Put pen to paper. The end Wife returning. Need her clothes back Marriage, inheritance, easy come, easy go I always fancied wearing a wig

The rest of the entries are listed on the last page of this newsletter. A big thanks to all who entered and to the three judges.

DISTRICT 71 - NEW COMPETITION Below are 10 questions. The answers are all one word and are all contained in this Newsletter. Rearrange the first letter of each answer to get something we all gain when we join Toastmasters. Send just this 10 letter word to me patricia.k.oreilly@gmail.com, five winners will be pulled out of a “hat” and they will win a Toastmasters “prize”. Closing date midnight Sunday the 6th March.

What do all Toastmaster clubs strive to be by year end?

What Division is Dubspot Toastmasters a member of?

Michael Collins uses this word including variations of it 7 times in his report What does Kevin Lee compare Toastmasters clubs to?

One of the four categories of the Distinguished Club Programme How many new clubs in the District at the time of going to press?

What club was struggling in Spring 2015?

The first name of the outright winner of the Hemingway Challenge Red Skelton uses this word 4 times in his report What currency is all the District’s business converted to?

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Closing date: Midnight Sunday 22nd November 2015

District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events Caledonian Toastmasters: District 71

The benefits of speaking outside Club meetings

February 2016

Caledonian Toastmasters have delivered a series of educational workshops outside meetings, where our members gained speaking and leadership experiences and our clubs gained publicity. We meet on campus at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) and we support the University’s Common Good Strategy, a collaborative initiative that works to deliver social benefits. Recently we delivered an Effective Speaking workshop to 50 members of the GCU Graduate School and received excellent feedback from the participants with 100% recommending the workshop to others.

We next arranged a rehearsal and feedback session to support PhD students in their preparation for The 3 Minute Thesis Challenge. This is a national competition where students present their research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience and in an accessible and engaging way – sounds like an extended table topic!

Word of Caledonian Toastmasters was spreading and we were asked to deliver a Presentation Skills workshop to GCU students from The Enactus Society – a social enterprise that inspires students to make a difference to their local community. We asked our friends at Glasgow TM to join us at this session and again received favourable feedback.

Wherever possible, we ensured that our members who were involved in these workshops gained credit towards their goals in the Communication and Leadership tracks. We also displayed our TM Club banners and distributed leaflets to promote Toastmasters in Scotland. Several workshop participants have visited our Clubs and one has already delivered their Ice Breaker Speech.

There is an interesting connection between TMI and GCU. Professor Muhammad Yunus, University Chancellor, was the recipient of the TMI Golden Gavel Award in 2015, this is Toastmasters’ most prestigious award.

It has been a great experience so far and we’d encourage other Clubs to investigate speaking opportunities outside your Club meetings.

Jane Cameron DTM, Caledonian Toastmasters, Area 60 Division S (Scotland)

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NEWSLETTER District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events

District 71 February 2016

Carrick on Shannon Toastmasters

Once upon a time, (but not that fado fado, as we say in Ireland), a group of people in our town got together with the aim of promoting communication and listening skills, but not by texting, tweeting, twittering, face timing, skyping or even having recourse to a tablet, but by simply using our God given communication tools, our mouth, and our ears. A revolutionary idea? Maybe. The year? It was 2005.

Now I’m sure all this took a lot of planning, organising, delegating and decision making, all integral skills of a Toastmaster. But the committee of these revolutionaries won out. Smedley’s dream became a reality, and Carrick on Shannon Toastmasters was born.

Let’s fast forward ten years to 2015, my year as VP Ed. I think it was really at this stage that I understood the hugeness of what Toastmasters is. Today, I am proud to be President of a vibrant thriving club that incorporates all the qualities endorsed by Smedley, respect integrity, service and excellence. At each meeting, we are treated to a variety of around 25 voices, offering their own unique view on the world, 50 listening ears, 50 open arms, and 25 welcoming hearts.

I wish Smedley, if he was still around, could come and visit us. That particular day, we would call our 2 Failte Officers Sgt at Arms, and everybody, I mean everybody would beat the bell and do two minutes per topic, with add-ons galore. It is true that we have walked the Toastmaster’s road on good days and bad days, births (potential Toastmasters?), marriages (could we rope in the in laws?) and sadly deaths, all inevitable events that make up the richness of life. I think we have it all here in Carrick on Shannon Toastmasters, so, keep talking, keep listening and let’s let the art of conversation continue.

Anne Gill, President Carrick on Shannnon Toastmasters

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District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events District 71

Vox Populi Toastmasters is a thriving, progressive club whose focus is on

February 2016

relaxed professionalism. 2016 is our third successive year of dynamic female Presidents at the helm, with Deirdre McCabe currently in charge.

New members who joined through Meet-Up this year love the banter and fun at meetings. We value giving it a go, yet we also encourage high standards, having many contest winners in our ranks.

In order to further develop members' speaking skills we organise fun and interactive workshops to complement the Toastmasters program. In October, Cathal Quinn, former Voice Coach with The Gaiety (now with The Lir) gave a hugely successful class on Voice Projection. November and January saw excellent Debate and Improv workshops hosted by former President Maria Mac Mullan and actor Shane Nestor respectively.

We have three more great workshops lined up that may be of interest to outside clubs. All take place in Oil Can Harry’s, Dublin 2 at 7pm: Former Division 71 Contest Finalist, Fiona O’Meara, gives excellent tips on “Speaking With Clarity”, focussing on skills that help us get to the point. 13TH APRIL Experienced debater, Maria Mac Mullan, facilitates a fun workshop in debating skills. 11TH MAY Social Media professional, Gemma Shannon, gives an interactive presentation entitled “Twitter for Toastmasters”.8TH JUNE Email omearafiona@gmail.com if interested.

Find out more on facebook https://www.facebook.com/voxpopulidublin/ and read our blogs http://www.voxpopulidublin.com/new-year-new/ here!

Fiona O’Meara, VPPR Vox Populi.

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NEWSLETTER District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events SUPPORT NEEDED

District 71 February 2016

"Godiva speakers is a pre-charter club in the historic town of Coventry, West Midlands, Division East, Area 39. Almost ready to charter, Godiva are looking for their last few members. Like all Toastmaster groups, they have an inviting, friendly atmosphere and they have a casual approach which makes for a lively and fun evening! So come and visit Godiva Speakers, bring colleagues who are local to the area and help Godiva Speakers charter!!"

The club meets on the 2nd, 4th and 5th Tuesday in the evening from 7:30 to 9:30. It is at the Cherry Tree Club, 82 Lythalls Lane, Coventry, CV66FT

Tanya Barad – Godiva Speakers

TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL

NEWSLETTER

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District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events District 71 February 2016

A Tribute by Sligo Toastmasters to Mary Burke who, sadly, passed away not long after receiving her DTM and the following accolade from her club. An inspiration to us all. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam – may she rest in peace.

This evening we have the perfect opportunity to pay tribute to an exceptional Toastmaster. Mary Burke is about to reach the pinnacle of Toastmaster awards in being granted DTM, Distinguished Toastmaster.

To those of you unfamiliar with the awards system, you must achieve competent communicator, advance communicator: bronze, silver and gold… as well as the competent leader manuals in order to achieve a DTM. Mary has worked in schools inspiring young people, she also mentored a new club in Derry which is chartering this week.

Mary is a shining example of what a Toastmaster should be. At club meetings when I see her talking to a new guest, I know that they will be getting a perfect introduction to the club. When she is chatting to other members at a meeting she conveys kindness and encouragement. I always know that people are “in good hands” when they are with her. She gives wonderful advice.

Her evaluations are a masterclass in encouragement, astute observation and constructive suggestions.

Mary has had her own adversity in life. What did she do? She mined it, digging deep until she found at the bottom of the deepest pit, lay gold…. the gold of human compassion and empathy. Mary weaves this gold using her keen intelligence and wry humour into real jewels of wisdom.

She is an inspiration. Congratulations Mary.

TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL

NEWSLETTER District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events District 71 February 2016

Much as public speaking is the number 1 fear, practice makes perfect and public speaking builds confidence, it encourages you to voice your ideas and take advantage of the influence you have.

Throughout history people have used the power of public speaking to make a difference.

Public speaking develops negotiation skills, decision making, networking, pitching presentations and even inspiring and motivating; engaging the audience with conviction. While the nervousness that comes with speaking in front of a crowd may never entirely disappear, public speaking teaches you how to deal with your fears and turn any weakness into strengths.

A great leader of the past, Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “All great speakers were bad speakers at first. Confident, charismatic leaders weren’t born that way.” Brian Tracey advises, “Communication is a skill that you can learn. It's like riding a bicycle or typing. If you're willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life.”

Many say that listening is more important than talking and some may think listening may be a lost art, but developing your skill set as a public speaker, develops your listening skills too.

Furthermore it will give you experience in applying your abilities as a researcher and critical thinker, sharpening your mind. In Stephen Covey’s highly acclaimed, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People he talks of “sharpening the saw,” what better way to do so than by developing your skills as a public speaker?

So What’s the Opportunity? What is this “club?”

The development opportunity comes through joining Toastmasters International. Although I have been on several expensive and excellent presentation skills courses, I have always found a brief course doesn’t develop the skills set that needs to be habitual for the greatest long term benefit. By joining a club though, the opportunity to practice develops the skills set over a period of time which becomes habitual. Toastmaster’s Clubs normally meet once a fortnight and are available throughout the world with many in the UK. With a membership of over 300,000 worldwide, countless personal examples of enhanced careers and enriched skill sets in the membership magazine, the value of the membership is evident. Membership involves working through a comprehensive and well-structured syllabus covering a variety of speech topics and leadership skills to earn an internationally recognised qualification. At only around £60 per 6 months I doubt there is a more cost effective personal development opportunity.

So as Branson says, “Opportunity favours the bold. If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later! The right opportunity could change your life for the better; so ensure it doesn’t pass you by.” One of our club members says, “Better to say I am glad I did than I wish I had.” So internet search your local club who will no doubt, welcome you warmly. http://toastmasters.org James Leckie – Heart of England Speakers

TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL

NEWSLETTER District 71 UK and Ireland News And Events District 71 February 2016

Media helps Scotland club to treble membership

Inverness Toastmasters was struggling in the spring of 2015, with membership having dwindled down to only 7 paid-up members at the end of March. A number of members had relocated out of the Highlands, so the Inverness club's loss was other clubs' gain.

A concerted effort to promote the Club, principally using social media, has generated an influx of 14 members, trebling the total membership to 21. "We did some brainstorming as a committee, to identify audiences we could target. We've concentrated on highlighting the benefits of becoming a more confident speaker," noted Laura Bruce CC, VP Membership. A member since early 2014, Laura is the 2014 Division S Table Topics Champion. "Personally, I have benefited greatly from Toastmasters," she said. "What I wanted people to understand, particularly if they had heard me speak at a business function, was that this is a learned skill, and that Toastmasters was key to helping me to become that confident speaker."

A public relations professional, Laura was keen to use a range of free tools to raise the Club's profile, and attract new members. She wrote an article for a local business magazine, providing tips for constructing a powerful presentation, and signposting Toastmasters as a place to develop speaking and presentation skills. "I received a lot of positive feedback from that item, so it's obviously made an impact."

Reaching business people by tapping into our networks was key to growing the membership, Laura said. "Three of us are members of the Highland Business Women's Club. They hosted a "speed-networking" event a few weeks later, and our Past President, Isla Cruden, spoke about Toastmasters to the group. She asked if attendees would like more information about the club, and they agreed. We harvested their email addresses, and created a contact list. We then emailed them an invitation to our next meeting, and a number of them attended. We kept sending them invitations to each meeting, via Eventbrite, and our persistence has paid off. Seven HBWC members have now joined Toastmasters!"

"We have also used our Facebook page to raise the profile of the club, creating Facebook "events" for each of our meetings, and making an effort to take photos at every meeting and to share them on Facebook. The photos have really gotten people to engage with our page. Members share the photos with family and friends, and so we are reaching an audience we wouldn't have otherwise."

Having a physical presence at a Highland business exhibition was the brainchild of club President Gill Shaw. “Highland Spotlight is a one-day show for local businesses in the Highlands,” she said. “It's organised by the Chamber of Commerce, and attracts a few hundred visitors each year. We knew it would be a useful place get some exposure, and to make the most of it, we organised an Open Night the following evening. We handed out invitations to the meeting, and a handful of people came along. Those that weren't able to attend are at least now aware of when and where we meet,” she said.

Making sure guests feel welcomed has been important. “When guests arrived, we made sure to greet them warmly, and explain how the club works. We tried to always emphasise, particularly during the introduction to the meeting, that Toastmasters is a safe place to develop your skills. People arrive with some trepidation, they may have had a bad experience, speaking and it has made them very fearful of doing it again. We want them to know that even if they 'fall', we will be here to catch them!" The club also made it simple to join, with BACS details and membership forms handy at each meeting.

Doing all this has taken a lot of time, Laura admits, but the payoff has been worth it. "Things were looking pretty bleak back in the spring," she noted, "But we knew that if we applied sufficient effort in the right areas, we would attract members. Once people come along, and get a flavour for the club, it's not a difficult sell. At £90 a year, joining Toastmasters is probably the least expensive professional development you can do, so it's a no-brainer, really."

The push to grow membership has had unexpected benefits for the Inverness club. "One of our new members, Cheryl, manages a business facility. She generously offered their conference room as a free venue for our evening meetings. Not only do we now have a top-class venue, we also have a bit of money in the bank we can invest in our Club."

Laura Bruce

Hemingway Challenge Entries Mary McDaid Paula Hine Simon Scriver Philip Carey Trevor Fisher Ann Ruane Celine McDaid Eddie Dunphy Tanya Barad Tanya Barad Charlene Shongo Ted Mellamphy John Dale Brenda Nestor Anne Doherty Maureen McCowen Joe Bishop John Kendall Mary Stewart Dean Caron Michele Barad Peter Battrick Peter Battrick Jonathan Noble Rowan Pavlovic Ian Perry Edmund McKay Edmund McKay Edmund McKay Edmund McKay Belinda Naylor-Stables Penny HaywoodCalder Penny HaywoodCalder Julie Dawtry Tim Kelley Kayleigh Smith Michael Sheehan Ismael Mulanda Joyce Savage

Married. Four grandchildren. Still in love Expectantly born, excelled life, died fulfilled Topics? Please don't pick me. Damn Lone life, decisive moment, prison bars Buildings trembled, walls collapsed, we survived Dearest friend, it worked, luv Ann Pawnbroker's shop, engagement ring, note attached Entered competition, didn't win, enough said Smiling at life, she drifted away She fleed, petrified for her life She feared public speaking, until Toastmasters The kissing of the Blarney Stone Man, bike, ford, stone, water,wet Photograph me, human at eight months Six words? Six minutes. …Totally Toastmasters Nervous speaker, joined Toastmasters, communicating competently!

Got DTM, what next, start again?

I came, saw, fought and loved Low ebb, high tide, that's life Back in 2015, climate change climaxed Lonely, she made some new friends Deep space mission, no return ticket Talented athlete; victorious! blood tests failed Davis solicitors, tears flowed, they embraced Numbers came up, searched the bin Six words, I need one - love Born, died, happy Easter, happy Christmas Wanted; new bodyguard, preferably bulletproof He composed, hearing nothing he wept I woke up, to be continued …

Mountain top, view planet, see soul For sale: acceptance speech, never delivered Words for sale, one careful owner Maladjusted child, psychopathic journey, awe-inspiring outcome Fear leads to the dark side They came … we danced until morning Darkness swept the light away forever!

Born Kenyan, raised English, Ismael Mulanda Olde England, George comes, dragon dies