Meeting Report for 11 August 2014

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Written by Svetlana

Introductions

Our President Jo opened the meeting with a traditional informative introduction about the Toastmasters movement and introduced the Toastmaster of the evening Kate, who is an advanced member of the club.

Kate’s theme of the day about favourite games of our childhood set a very humorous tone to the evening as we laughed imagining for a second how our fellow toastmasters were growing into who they are now. Some of us could hardly remember those games or, on the contrary, remembered and had our own memories of them. This added one important and light-hearted connection to each of the functionaries of the evening. Michelle, the Timekeeper, introduced her role by reminding the audience of the timing rules. Swarajit, the Grammarian, announced the word of the day “frivolous” and explained his role as a Grammarian.  

Prepared speeches

Robert named his No.1 Icebreaker speech “Stages of Life” and delivered it with lots of humour, beautiful language and lots of personal stories.

Tracey gave her Speech No. 4 “A Diamond is Forever” about diamonds, which are so precious and lasting that they are used as tokens of love and devotion although history of diamonds has been marred by wars and crimes. Quite recently manufacturers entered an agreement with the UN to certify diamonds before selling them.

Rebecca delivered her speech No. 4 “Popping Up”, which was devoted to her first experience of surfing in Devon in winter and an important advisory announcement to those of us who would like to repeat her endeavour.

Peter F delivered his Speech No. 9 “Is There a Solution to Violence?” It seemed like Peter was still seeking answers to the main topic of his speech, therefore, bringing it to individual level helped him make the speech relevant to every person. He called upon us to start working on the ways to cope with anger.

Guest introductions

Svetlana, Sergeant At Arms of the evening, greeted guests with a very warm welcome and moderated their introductions. David Marks, the Area Governor, visiting Bloomsbury Speakers, greeted the audience and said it felt good to be introduced among the fresh blood, which keeps the Toastmasters community vibrant.

Evaluations

Carrie evaluated Robert’s Icebreaker speech commending his authenticity, natural commanding presence, charisma, dry sense of humour. Her recommendations were mainly to make pauses to indicate to the audience where he expects them to laugh, and also to improve the structure. A big commendation was that Robert did not use notes.

Svetlana evaluated Tracey’s No.3 Speech “A Diamond is Forever” and commended her for strong opening, which was the title of the speech, for good structure, content, cool manner, and calm voice. Speech made an impression due to the main contrast between lasting love, romance, and devotion, of which diamonds have become a token, and trail of wars and atrocities, which for decades accompanied manufacturing and selling of diamonds.

Helen evaluated Rebecca’s No. 4 Speech “Popping Up” commending her for delivering very vivid speech, usage of triad, anaphora, epistrophe, choice of words, phrases, impeccable grammar, and modulating her voice. Her advice for Rebecca was to avoid beaver, evaluated Janet’s No. 10 speech by highlighting best practice, describing the speech as innovative and relevant, a model of structuring to implant ideas in the memory of the audience and commending Janet’s use of effective eye contact.

Ahmed, evaluated Peter’s No. 9 speech “Is There a Solution to Violence?” commending the topic, the structure, and the content, history, Peter’s ability to connect with the audience bringing the wide topic to an individual level of how to cope with anger in order to stop and to prevent violence in the world. Ahmed recommended Peter to call for action, to project more power, to provide more emphasis.

Table Topics

Emily moderated the Table topics session offering impromptu speakers questions around summer holidays.

British people are notorious for behaving badly abroad. How would you change that?  James reflected on the question and suggested that we work hard and there is no need to amend, to ameliorate, or adapt that behaviour in any way. He would recommend that we feel free to let ourselves completely go, relax, go crazy, make new friends, and come back refreshed and energised to devote ourselves to our career, families, and social life.

Living in such fantastic place we don’t need to go abroad for summer holidays. Do you agree with that?  Tracey agreed, and she gave examples of amazing time she spent in Lake District, Devon, beaches in Southend and Brighton, and provided a thorough description of the attractions in those places.

How would you sell London as a touristy place to people who never came to London? Helen said London was a place to get really close to your fellowmen in transport, you don’t need to worry about sunblock; you can walk through the streets and enjoy wonderful London atmosphere; you can experience the entire world’s climates in one day; you experience all different accents and languages and cultures, and flavours.

What would be the worst destination with the exclusion of war zones? Our guest Nadir changed the question to “the best destination” and talked about his home country Uzbekistan, about people’s hospitality, sunshine, if you have money to pay for the flight.

If a benefactor offers you £20,000,000 upon condition that you never go on holiday would you accept it? Peter argued that in the face of such offer he would re-evaluate the purpose and the need for holiday and realise that life is actually much more comfortable, serene, and enjoyable without holidays, and yes, he would accept the offer and find a multitude of ways to chill without going anywhere for holidays.

Who would be the worst celebrity to spend your holiday with? Our guest Karl changed the question and said, his best celebrity choice would be Robert de Niro. And also, because he was in love with the whole world it would be difficult for him to find a person who would be worst choice to spend the holiday with.

Table Topics Evaluation

Femi’s evaluation of Table Topics not only contained commendations and advice but was also quite entertaining due to his enthusiastic, colourful and humourous manner of speech.

Conclusion

Grammarian Swarajit delivered a report on how the word “frivolous was used as well as figures of speech. As way of advice he noted speeches, which had too many fillers.

Cat K from Excalibur Speakers provided a thorough and inspiring general evaluation, which was received with lots of attention as it contained advice on the improvement of quite a few areas by functionaries and evaluators.

Awards

The best prepared speech award went to Peter for his No. 9 speech. Best evaluator award went to Femi, who evaluated Table Topic speeches and best impromptu speech award went to Helen.

Next meeting

Our next regular meeting will be held on Monday, 18th August upstairs at The Clerk & Well pub, 156 Clerkenwell Road, EC1R 5DU. Doors open at 6:30pm.

August Newsletter – Contest Season is Coming (and Other Dates for your Diary)

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Hello and Welcome to the August Newsletter!

It’s holiday time – indeed I’m writing this having just returned from a week enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Lake District.  A break from your usual routine can provide the perfect time to plan your next speech (unless like me you’ve spent your holiday in a house with six members of your family so there has never been a quiet moment!).  But spending time on the plane, the sun lounger or sitting at a cafe watching the world go by can get the creative juices flowing and this month there’s a great reason to make time to think about your next speech… the Humourous Speech and Table Topics Contests are approaching!  There will be more on that throughout this newsletter.

If you don’t have time to read the whole newsletter, you can skip to the bottom for a short summary of the main points.

What’s happened since the last newsletter?

We had two meetings in July which were full of new challenges for our members. Rufina, made her debut as Toastmaster and two of our newer members – Emma and Egor –  took on the role of Topics Master for the first time.  Additionally Janet officially became a Competent Communicator by completing her N0 10 speech in which she gave us 10 excellent reasons to speak up and speak out.

What’s planned for August?

We have two meetings in August – on the 11th and 18th (the second of these has been brought forward a week from our usual 4th Monday slot due to the Bank Holiday on the 25th).  It’s a month full of speeches from newer members with an Icebreaker from Robert on the 11th and Emma, Emily, Faith Rose and Egor giving No2 and No3 speeches on the 18th.  As of writing, we are still looking for a Grammarian on the 18th so do sign up on Clubplan if you are available to take this role.

Dates for your Diary

Monday 1st September – we will be hosting our humorous speeches and improvisation workshop on Monday, 1st September. The workshop will be led  by Gayna Cooper who finished second in the UK & Ireland with an impressive speech which many thought was worthy of winning (borrow the DVD if you haven’t seen it).  The workshop is on Eventbrite so register there if you would like to attend. Link:  Humorous Speech & Improvisation Workshop

Monday 8th September – we will be hosting the Bloomsbury Speakers Humourous Speech and Table Topics contests.  Members should already have received an email from Bloomsbury Speakers outlining how to enter (sign up on Clubplan!) and some tips on preparing.  Whilst we want to see as many eligible members as possible enter the contest, in order to have a successful contest we also need non-competing members to:

  • judge contests at other clubs so we can ask their members to judge at our contest.  To be a judge you need to have completed six speeches – there are contests organised throughout September at various London clubs eg Clerkenwell Speakers’ contest is on Wednesday 17th September.
  • help our VPE Helen with organising the judges and the paperwork both before the contest and on the night itself.
  • take a role on the evening – contest chair, vote counters and timekeepers are all needed
  • be enthusiastic audience members at our contest!

Let’s everyone get involved to make this the best ever Bloomsbury Contest!  If you could be a judge at another club’s contest or can spare even a couple of hours to help Helen with our contest organisation please contact her at education@bloomsburyspeakers.org.uk

Events at Other Clubs

Saturday 16th August – Excalibur Speakers  are holding what promises to be a lively event at Speakers Corner with lots of audience participation. Sign up at http://www.meetup.com/Excalibur-Speakers/events/194578212/  and don’t forget your picnic!  NB Swarajit is VP of PR of Excalibur this year so can provide further details on this event.

Tip of the month: Contact your Mentor today!

Mentoring is an area of the club’s offering which is underused by many members and mentor / mentee relationships often peter out over time through no fault of either party. However, the benefits of the mentoring relationship for both the mentor and mentee are well worth giving it another shot. Your mentor can provide you with advice and ideas for your speeches and roles and tailored feedback based on individual goals that you’ve shared with them.

From the perspective of the mentor, while the experience of helping your fellow members can be very productive and rewarding in itself, you can also claim credit towards your competent leadership award which, once completed, will entitle you to discounts on your future membership renewals.

It’s often easier than you think to work with your mentor. If you live or work close to each other then perhaps you could meet up over lunch somewhere locally. If not, you can meet immediately before or after one of our regular meetings or other events. Failing that, why not take advantage of some of the modern technology at your disposal, such as Skype video calling?  However you decide to communicate, the benefits are there for the taking.

Who should initiate contact?
It doesn’t really matter which one of you initiates contact, but this month’s tip is aimed at mentees in particular to contact their mentors since one mentor can have several mentees while most people will only have one mentor, which means each of you onlyinitiating contact once.

How do I contact my mentor?
If you don’t have their contact address, the easiest way to get in touch with any other member of the club is via the e-mail icon next to their name on ClubPlan.

What if I don’t have a mentor or know who my mentor is?
Simply contact James (VP Membership and Mentoring) and he will let you know who your mentor is. If you don’t yet have a mentor then he can also help you find one and put you in contact with each other.

How do I contact James?
You can contact him directly at mentoring@bloomsburyspeakers.org.uk.

 

Key facts – just the stuff you really need to know

  • Contest Season is coming!  Get involved as either a Contestant, a judge at another club, a functionary on the night or a contest organiser!  The Humourous Speech and Table Topics contest is on Monday 8th  September – sign up on ClubPlan to enter or be a functionary.
  • To get judges we need to send judges to other clubs – contact Helen at education@bloomsburyspeakers.org.uk to help choose the funniest speech at another club.
  • As prep for our contest there’s a Humourous Speech Workshop on Monday Sep 1st at the Clerk and Well.   The workshop is on Eventbrite so register there if you would like to attend. Link:  Humorous Speech & Improvisation Workshop
  • Our regular meetings in August are on the 11th and 18th  – we still need a Grammarian for the 18th August
  • Events at Other Clubs: Saturday 16th August – Excalibur Speakers  are holding what promises to be a lively event at Speakers Corner with lots of audience participation. Sign up at http://www.meetup.com/Excalibur-Speakers/events/194578212/
  • Tip of the Month: Contact your mentor today.  If you don’t have one and would like one, contact James our VPE  at mentoring@bloomsburyspeakers.org.uk.
  • Contact membership@bloomsburyspeakers.org.uk if you’re interested in becoming a member.

Meeting Report for 28 July 2014

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Written by Tracey

Introductions

Jo, current President of Bloomsbury Speakers, welcomed all guests to the meeting and explained that all members – whether old or new – attend meetings to improve their skills.

Jo then introduced the evening’s Toastmaster, Bronia.  She explained her role and described Bloomsbury Speakers as a fun club. In her view, the most important part of public speaking is listening and providing feedback.   She introduced her theme for the night which was “What is your favourite number?”  She used functionaries’ and speakers’ responses of their favourite numbers while introducing them to the audience. She then introduced the night’s functionaries.

Michelle fulfilled the Timekeeper role, explaining her responsibilities as Timekeeper and the importance of completing speeches on time.   She demonstrated the use of the traffic lights system, which signals timings for each speaker and recommended this role to new members starting out in Toastmasters.

Bronia then introduced Stella, the Grammarian for the evening. Her word of the day was “mantle” which refers to a responsibility passed on from one person to another. Her role was to watch out for fillers and note exemplary use of language and rhetoric in all speakers and to report on those at the end of the meeting.

Prepared speeches

The first was a No. 7 speech presented by Barnaby entitled “Malady”. Barnaby informed the audience of the facts and effects of cancer. He highlighted its prevalence in society and how the disease affects the body, as well the families of cancer suffers.

The second speaker, Hari, in his advanced speech entitled “A Mate, a Meal, and a Memory” told the audience an anecdote about his culinary disappointments when visiting a health-conscious friend in Norfolk.

Renars, the third speaker, delivered an advanced speech on rock climbing.  Renars’s passionate speech was about the logistics of rock climbing. He told the audience about the pressures involved, and how the skills gained benefit other areas of his life.

The final speaker was Svetlana, delivering her speech No.7 entitled “Make it Shine Your Way”. Her speech focused on personal growth and achievement of happiness. She provided guidance on coming to terms with the past and achieving happiness through gratitude.

Evaluations

Peter F evaluated Barnaby’s No. 7 speech “Malady”. He commended his extensive use of facts and emotive language. Peter recommended that Barnaby improve the volume of his delivery.

Helen evaluated Hari’s advanced speech, praising his use of similes. She felt Hari exuded the confidence of an experienced speaker and recommended he use all his speaking time when delivering speeches.

Swarajit evaluated Renars’s advanced speech, commending his voice projection and stance. Swarajit commented that Renars used an exemplary informative style, despite the speech’s objective to persuade. He noted that Renars could improve his eye contact and include props to illustrate his points.

Tracey evaluated Svetlana’s No. 4 speech. She praised her unique use of metaphor, imagery and language; and use of triads to end her speech. She also commended her novel introduction and pace. Her recommendation was that Svetlana could improve her introduction by stating the theme of her speech.

Table topics

Egor, the Table Topics Master introduced his theme on mathematics.

  1. Peter L was asked “What is your favourite mathematical operation?”
  2. Elena was asked “Should we get rid of roman numbers?”
  3. Rhianna was asked “Where she would take a mathematician on a date?”
  4. Callum was asked “why there are so few female mathematicians?”
  5. Yoko was asked about a mathematical problem she had faced.

Kate, the Table Topics Evaluator, gave a balanced and encouraging evaluation of all speakers. She commented on the effectiveness of pauses and silence during impromptu speaking.

Conclusion

Grammarian Stella’s report contained some useful recommendations on language use, after which General Evaluator of the evening Joy from Clerkenwell Speakers provided a thorough and concise report.

Awards

Closing the meeting, President Jo handed out the awards based on the audience votes:

  • Best Table Topic Speaker was awarded to Rhianna
  • Best Evaluator was awarded to Kate
  • Best Prepared Speech was awarded to Hari
  • The President’s discretionary award went to Stella for her role as Grammarian

Next Meeting

Our next regular meeting will be held on Monday, 11th August, upstairs at the Clerk & Well pub, 156 Clerkenwell Road, London, EC1R 5DU. Doors open at 6:30 pm.