When I joined Toastmasters, I approached the meeting roles the same way I approach most things.I studied them.Timer? Read the guidance.Grammarian? Read the guidance.Ah-Counter? Read the guidance.Evaluator? Read even more guidance, because I was absolutely convinced I was not qualified to tell anyone how to improve.Then I volunteered for the role, did my best, survived, … Read more
From freezing at Table Topics to Distinguished Toastmaster District 71 is delighted to celebrate Randy Ekakitie on achieving the prestigious Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) award – the highest educational recognition in Toastmasters International. Randy’s Toastmasters journey is a powerful reminder that confident speakers are not necessarily born that way – confidence is built through practice, feedback, … Read more
We are delighted to share that on Tue, 06 Oct 2026 we’ve held our very fist club-level International Speech Contest – a milestone moment for our community.A huge congratulations to our five contestants – Eniola, Wei, Mercy, Kang and Vinav – for their courage, enthusiasm and willingness to step onto the contest stage. Your energy … Read more
From a Covid-era idea to a much-loved District 71 tradition 16 August 2020. The world was in lockdown, Toastmasters meetings had moved online, and staying connected had never been more important. It was against this backdrop that the Sunday Leadership Series was born. The brainchild of then Public Relations Manager Elizabeth Jordan, the idea was … Read more
Congratulations to the 176 clubs that qualified for the Here to Stay award. To qualify, a club needed to renew at least 50% of the members it had on 1 July. The more members a club renewed, the more entries it earned into the prize draw. 100% renewed: 9 clubs (6 entries each) Castleknock Toastmasters … Read more
We held an improv workshop, led by local theatre company Stand Easy Productions to help us develop our impromptu speaking skills. The evening was both great fun and highly informative, giving us new ideas to take away and incorporate into our future meetings. The workshop was also valuable in generating interest in our club in … Read more
Three simple actions to help set up your club for success in this program year
Division D delivered Club Officers Training Part 1 (COT-1) at Kavanagh’s in Portlaoise on Saturday morning. 55 registered, 42 turned up. Some enthusiastic responses included:“Fantastic Div D COT today! I met new people and even learned something new.”“Today was a great day. The event was very well organised and the turnout was excellent.”The event was … Read more
Many remember their first Toastmasters speech. But do you remember your first Toastmasters committee role? As a first-time Vice President of Public Relations (VPPR) for my club, Chelmsford City Communicators, the responsibility initially seemed daunting. Thankfully, help was on hand through Club Officer Training (COT). Kalpana Ramesh, Division H Director, organised District 71’s first in-person … Read more
No Excuses Online Toastmasters Club is introducing a new initiative to recognise members who step outside their comfort zone and take on a meeting role for the first time. Members completing a role for the first time will receive a certificate recognising their achievement. The initiative is designed to encourage greater participation across the club, … Read more