Summer Edition | July 2026
District 71 Monthly Newsletter
Leading Together
Table of Contents
Leading Together:
Three Years of Success and the Journey Ahead
Steve campion
District Director
If there’s one thing worth celebrating this month, it’s what we’ve achieved together.
Congratulations to every club that earned Distinguished, Select Distinguished, President’s Distinguished or even Smedley Distinguished status. Well done to every club that welcomed new members into our Toastmasters family, and to every new club that joined our community. Every one of those achievements represents people giving their time, encouraging one another and helping others succeed.
I’m equally proud that District 71 has once again been recognised as a Distinguished District, for our third consecutive year. That isn’t the result of one team, one leader or one initiative. It’s the result of hundreds of volunteers working together, often behind the scenes and always with a shared commitment to helping members learn, grow and achieve their goals.
Dr Ralph Smedley, the founder of Toastmasters, reminded us that “We learn best in moments of enjoyment”. It sounds simple, but leadership doesn’t always feel enjoyable. It can be demanding. It can be uncertain. Sometimes it asks us to step well outside our comfort zone. However, I’ve found that those challenges become far more rewarding when we face them together. Supporting one another, sharing ideas, celebrating successes, and occasionally laughing at ourselves along the way. It makes even the toughest leadership journey one worth taking.
That belief shapes how I hope we will all lead this year. I don’t see leadership as standing at the front with all the answers. I see it as helping people discover their own strengths, removing obstacles where we can, and creating opportunities for others to succeed. When clubs succeed, members succeed. When members succeed, our District succeeds, and we grow a community that transforms people’s lives.
Thank you for everything you have already contributed to District 71. Together, we’ve built something of which we can all be proud. Now let’s build on that success by creating a District where every member feels supported, more people discover the life-changing value of Toastmasters, and every club has the opportunity to thrive. After all, leadership isn’t about walking in front. It’s about making sure nobody has to walk alone.
Steve Campion
District Director
P.S. If you haven’t seen my new year’s video, you can watch it here.
District Announcements
Set Your Club Up for Success
Speech contests for 2026-27
Club Incentive: The Growth Giveaway
Featured Articles
Five ways to create a growth club
Club Officer Training in Division H
The Rose Conference 2026: Where Confidence Bloomed in Tralee
Achievement Recognition
Celebrating Corporate Toastmasters in District 71
Section: Celebrating Corporate Toastmasters in District 71 We have a vibrant community of over 20 Corporate Toastmasters Clubs in District
Capital Communicators in Edinburgh celebrating achieving Smedley Distinguished
Capital Communicators in Edinburgh celebrated achieving the Smedley Distinguished status award with Zara’s grandmother’s chocolate cake at our Tuesday meeting,
Stevenage Speakers – Becoming Club President at 21 and Area Director at 22
Joanna George joined Stevenage Speakers in 2023, when she was early on in her apprenticeship scheme, and since then, has
Toastmasters ResultMind Online Officially Chartered
Building Confidence, Communication Style and Community Across Borders We are excited to announce the official chartering of Toastmasters ResultMind Online
James Finnegan – D71 Toastmaster of the Year
District 71 proudly recognises James Finnegan as Toastmaster of the Year 2026, honouring his dedicated and distinguished service to members
Featured Events
Be the catalyst: Club Sponsor Training
14/07/2026 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Are You Ready to Build Something That Lasts? Become a Toastmasters Club
ROSE Unplugged
21/07/2026 @ 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm – 🌹 ROSE Unplugged is back! Join host Eileen Hopkins as she catches
Club Officer Connect Timetable
18/07/2026 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Saturday 18th July 2026 10.00-11.00 https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/oTTAADaTRYuRmbke3KB03A Thursday 23rd July 2026 19:00-20:00
Poet in Residence
Benita Nwulu
Poet in Residence
A new Toastmasters year often begins with goals. We promise ourselves we’ll become better speakers, better leaders, perhaps even better poets. But after the excitement of a new beginning comes a quieter question.
What happens when there’s no script, and the applause is on mute?
I’ve been discovering that what happens in the silence is louder than what happens on a stage. This poem is about making a promise before anyone is watching and quietly keeping it.
No matter what shape the year takes!
Taking Residence
I walked weary,
An inner storm with no cover.
In the distance, I saw a bench,
Draped across it, a coat.
Both inviting.
A place to sit and be embraced,
Both silent.
The coat, still warm, had me wonder.
Who was here?
Would they be back?
I would keep it warm for them.
My hands, reaching for invisible hands
That once lined its pockets,
Found a notebook.
The pages blank, again silent,
Also inviting.
My weary head, foggy, unable to think,
But somehow my hands kept writing.
I take residence in this seat,
And promise to keep writing.
The coat bears a label marked “Poet.”
I promise to keep it warm
Until the next hands line its pockets.
Read our Bonus Poem This Month –
To go or not to go, that is the question. by Jennifer Howlett
Podcasts
From the Editor’s Desk
John Leech
D71 Newsletter Editor
June marks the end of one year and the beginning of another, and the view from the editor’s desk is a good one. I am afraid you will need to put up with me for a few more months at least.
There is plenty to be proud of at District level. Distinguished status achieved. A new District Leadership Team ready to go. Poetry written and celebrated. A Toastmasters meeting held on a remote island off the Antrim coast. Anniversaries marked. If you wanted evidence that this community is alive and well, this edition has it in abundance.
Thank you to everyone who contributed a story, sent a photo, or passed on a piece of news this year. The newsletter is only as good as what comes in, and what came in was genuinely worth reading. As we move into the new programme year, I want to build on that. Next month’s edition brings a number of changes to the format and content — the start of a new year felt like the right moment to raise our game a little further.
On a personal note, my thanks to Stallone and the outgoing PR team. So many good friendships formed, and I truly believe the best relationships are built by those who are in the trenches beside you. I am equally excited about the team that has assembled for this year — a real sense of building and momentum. Whatever your aims and plans for the year ahead, I hope you achieve them and keep finding your voice.
Here’s the link to submit content again, in case you need it:
https://forms.d71toastmasters.org/share-news
John Leech
D71 Newsletter Editor