Brighton & Hove Speakers Club

Toastmasters International, where leaders are made

Public Speaking

A new day, a new year, a new opportunity

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A new day, a new year, a new opportunity
A new day, a new year, a new opportunity

Fellow Toastmeisters,

Happy New Year. The sun is shining, the days are getting longer and we’re looking forward to a busy few months at B&H Speakers.

Membership Drive – Taster Event – 25th January 2017

Next week will be a normal meeting but with one fewer speech giving time for the Toastmaster to explain to guests the various aspects of the club. We’re trying to get the word out that all guests are welcome.

Members can help:
• Repost the social media links below.
• Invite guests – Tell your friends and colleagues.
• Volunteer for a role and prepare a short description of the role as you will be asked to present this.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1023764111100656/
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/4378151/4378151-6225347159798087681

Fees
Fees are under pressure because of the price hike by Toastmasters International last year and the fall of the pound against the dollar. We are therefore raising joining fee from £ 16 to £18 and will review semi-annual fees in March.

Speakathon – 8th February 2017
There are currently many people trying to book speaking slots. This happens from time to time and we alleviate the pressure by holding a Speaktahon with extra speaking slots. The first meeting of February will be a Speakthon.

B&H Speakers Contest – 8th March 2017
We will hold an International Speech Contest & Evaluation Contest on the 8th March. All members are welcome to enter.

Area Contest – Saturday 25th March
Winners of the B&H Contest can go forward to the Area contest which B&H peakers will also be hosting and we will welcome members from other clubs in the South East.

Members can help – We need VOLUNTEERS:
• To give the target speech for the evaluators
• To help with a workshop to be presented in the morning prior to the contests in the afternoon

Pathways – The new education program

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The Toastmasters International education program has been revamped and is coming soon. Rebranded Toastmasters Pathways it offers a modern, flexible and interactive way to grow your skills. Members will be buy without prescription able to participate using printed materials or online. Pathways better reflects real world communication scenarios and offers ten different learning paths and more than 300 new competences. Learn more about it by viewing this video.

A Return Ticket to Bromley, Trees, Colour and the Importance of Feedback

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B&H Speakers ClubA Return Ticket to Bromley, Trees, Colour and the Importance of Feedback. Extraordinary speeches last night and one of them an Ice Breaker. Thanks to our guests Phil & Steve for taking part in Table Topics and congratulations to Alan, Phil and George for Best Speaker, Best Table Topic speaker and Best Evaluator.

Next meeting is the Taster on 25th January. Tell your friends!

A New Year’s Resolution You Can Keep

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Free 2017 Taster
Free 2017 Taster

This post is from 2017 – what a yawn! We have a new taster meeting coming up on 23rd January 2019. Check it out here.

Brighton and Hove Speakers Club is the ideal place to work on your fear of public speaking or hone the skills you already have.  We will be holding a Free Taster Session at The Courtlands Hotel in Hove at 7pm on Wednesday 25th January 2017. The meeting will follow the normal structure but have less speakers giving time for the Toastmaster to explain to guests what is happening. The idea will be to have members speak as usual but also allow guests to gain a good understanding of what the club offers.

Guests will be free to just observe or, if they wish, take part in the impromptu speaking section of the meeting known as Table Topics.

Just turn up on the night or for more information contact us first.

After the meeting you are welcome to join us in the bar or at a local pub.

Proof of the existence of Santa and the yuletide tale of Selfish Jack

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Proof of the existence of Santa and the yuletide tale of Selfish Jack

Yehaaaa!!! A stupendous Christmas meeting! Proof of the existence of Santa and the yuletide tale of Selfish Jack. Two accomplished Christmas speeches and some creative table topics. Thanks to our two guests who took part. Congratulations to Ben for winning Best Table Topic. Thanks to Ricky for meticulous and speedy execution of the Toastmaster role and for preparing and running a fantastic quiz in the pub afterword. Great venue and good to see some old faces.

We have no more meetings for the rest of December so have a festive hiatus from good speaking and join us again on Wednesday 11th January 2017 for the first meeting of the new year.

Christmas in England and the December President’s update!

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ChristmasFellow Toastmasters,

It’s cold, it’s dreary, it’s damp, the trains are on strike and the high streets are mayhem! It’s Christmas in England and the December President’s update!

First welcome to Dee who joins the committee as Sergeant at Arms. S@A involves setting the room up each week and handling requests for projectors etc. If you have a speech with any special requirements. Dee is the man to contact.

Xmas Meeting / Social
Next week is our Xmas meeting and social. We’ll have a short meeting in the hotel and then be off to The Cricketers where Ricky will host a pub quiz. Guests, friends & relatives are all very welcome.

2017 Membership campaign
In January we will be having a Free Taster Session on the 25th January. We’ll advertise beforehand and hope to get new members spurred on by New Year resolutions. If you have any friend who may be interested. Please pass the word.

Competitions
B&H Speakers will run a speaking contest in early March and then host the Area contest later in March. Winners can take part in high level contests and may eventually go on to the USA.
If you would like to take part you might want to start planning now.

Remember to join us on Facebook and / or Linkedin

Dates for the calendar:
Wednesday 21st December 2016 –       Xmas meeting / Social
Wednesday 25th January 2017 –          Free Guest Taster Session
Saturday 28th January 2017 –              Club Officer Training
Wednesday 8th March 2017 –               B&H Speakers International Speech Competition
Saturday 25th March 2017 –                  B&H Speakers hosting the Area Competition
Saturday 9th April 2017 –                       Division contest
4th to 6th May 2017 –                              District contest & Conference

Uluru, Wine Wednesdays, Power Poses and a Wonderful Life

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It's A Wonderful Life
It’s A Wonderful Life

Uluru, Wine Wednesdays, Power Poses, Legacy and a Wonderful Life. A cracking meeting last night. Thanks to all the speakers and to those who performed roles. Congratulations to Kay for Best Speaker and Pat for Best Evaluator and special congratulations to our two Ice Breakers Laura and Hanna. Also thanks to Dee who is to become our new Sergeant At Arms. Next meeting is the Christmas Special on 21st December – Guests Welcome.

The Debate

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Feminism
Feminism

A very successful debate last night at B & H Speakers. The Motion was “The values of feminism are essential for the future of the UK” and the debate seemed to swing on the definition of Feminism. The motion was carried with only one person voting against. Thanks to Jez and Barry for proposing and opposing and to all the others who contributed. Also thanks to all those who took part in Table Topics.
We intend to have another debate in the new year. Remember, the next meetings are 7th and 21st December.

Three CC2s, a CC8 and a Parliamentarian Award

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Parliamentarian Award
Parliamentarian Award

Stonking good meeting last night! Thanks to our guests for attending; you are always very welcome. We had three CC2’s with great examples of organising speeches. Also a CC8 with Jez doing what he does best: Video! Congratulations to Vivienne (Best Speaker), Barry (Best Table Topic) and Andy (Best Evaluator). Thanks to Dee for his innovative approach to Table Topics.

Also big congratulations to David Sutcliffe who, as a Toastmasters Parliamentarian for our District, was given a special award for his work helping make District 91 the 4th best in the world! – Yeha – We must be doing something right.

Win/Win, Tolerance, Gardening and Wild Animals

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Wild Animals
Wild Animals

Win/Win negotiation, Tolerance, Gardening to Yoga and a very imaginative speech on wild animals. Another fab meeting last night.

Congratulations to Nigel for his excellent Ice Breaker speech; to James who won Best Speaker, Endrina for Best Table Topic and Jack for Best Evaluator.

Thanks to Dorothy and Gordon for coming all the way from Eastbourne and Gordon for stepping up and taking the Grammarian role. Roles like Grammarian are, in some ways, better real life experience than speeches as they involve interaction with the meeting. They help build confidence while on stage.

We need roles filled for the club to function so check Easyspeak every weekend prior to a meeting and sign up for a role.

http://toastmasterclub.org/portal.php?marknow=0

If you’re new to evaluating don’t be daunted by the excellence of the speeches. We all need to start somewhere and everyone’s opinions are useful feedback.

We were a little disorganised with the equipment last night because we’re running without a Sergeant At Arms. Volunteers for this role would be welcome. (This could be a shared role)

Dates for the calendar:
30th November 2016 Debate
21st December 2016 Xmas meeting/social
14th December 2016 Area Christmas Evening Dinner,
Eastbourne
30th January 2017 Club officer training
5th to 7th May 2017 District 91 Spring Conference,
Southampton