John Leech 
To mark International Women’s Day 2026, I was delighted to participate in The Doyle Collection Headshot Initiative. Raising funds for a great cause. Running simultaneously across hashtag#London, hashtag#Dublin, hashtag#Cork and hashtag#Washington D.C. We had the opportunity to book a slot and have headshots captured by a professional female photographer Here is yours truly, Anne-Marie Murphy … Read more
Throughout District 71, women continue to shape the future of Toastmasters through leadership, mentorship, and a commitment to personal growth. One such leader is Clésia Mendes, Area 48 Director. Clésia currently supports more than 190 members across six clubs in the Manchester area and surrounding communities. In her role as Area Director, she works closely … Read more
Half a year after my first wife died tragically, I was invited to share in starting a new Toastmasters club – Bromley Speakers – in 1992. Still traumatised by my bereavement, my short- term memory was shot. Speech making helped me to get over that. Then I learned about the International Speech Contest and rushed … Read more
I left a Toastmaster’s club because I felt unfulfilled. However, I did not want to leave Toastmasters. I mentioned to some toasties who were friends that I was thinking of setting up a club in my own locality. All of them said they were in and would help. I sourced a location and found the … Read more
I am alive today because of the friendship I received during my illness from clubs around the world.Three years ago, I was struck down with a spinal abscess. I was in a coma for a month in the main hospital for five months and in the rehabilitation ward for a further four months. During that … Read more
Toastmasters is very fortunate to have Michele Blackwood. I’m very fortunate to have Michele as a fellow toastmaster at Dundee. Why, because Michele isn’t just someone who does the donkey work of keeping a club running; she elevates it. Michele is a steady hand behind the scenes, a competent person in times of uncertainty, and … Read more
On the evening of 15 March, our club in District 71, Area 16, Division C was due to hold its International Speech and Evaluation Contest at 7.45 pm. Shortly before the meeting began, we received news that our Vice President Education, who was also acting as Chief Judge, had been involved in a car accident … Read more
In November 2025, Dundee Toastmasters successfully delivered a Speechcraft programme for international ATM company NCR Atleos at their UK offices in Dundee. The programme was led by Michèle Blackwood (Pathways Champion Div S) alongside fellow members Caroline Cooper, Claire Downie (Club President) and Julia Martineau (Area 43 Director). Participants were provided access to Speechcraft online … Read more
Building Our New Corporate Toastmasters Club: A Journey Worth Taking Over the last 18 months, I’ve had the privilege of successfully chartering a brand new Toastmasters corporate club where I work. Toastmasters at the BBC’s first official meeting took place on 21 October 2025, but the road to that moment was anything but simple. It … Read more
The Rose Conference Continues to Bloom You will not be surprised to know that the work for the Rose Conference continues apace. First we sold over 100 tickets before our Valentines Day Golden Ticket Draw which was won by Anita Howard. This could not have gone to a more deserving winner as Anita is a … Read more