The London Speaker

Division L Contests - Saturday 14 April - Results

From Seema Menon, Cat Kipling & Nadine Wagner

What a wonderful Toastmaster afternoon we had! The level was very high and the toughest jobs of all must have been the judging!!!

In the Evaluation Contest we had 8 educational and uplifting evaluations and learned a lot from the different techniques being used! Fantastic!

In the International Speech Contest we were treated to 8 enlivening, inspiring and motivational speeches. Amazing!

Still, the judges decided and the results are:

*Evaluation Contest*
1 Chinkata Okpara (L9, Excalibur)
2 Coralie Frances (L61, Watford Speakers)
3 Elaine Kelly (L56, Deutsche Bank)

*International Speech Contest Division L*
1 Fabio de Sio (L47, LBS)
2 Salem Al-Damluji (L47, London Communicators)
3 Rebecca Carrera (L61, Watford Speakers)

We are proud that Chinkata and Fabio will be representing our Division L at the District 91 Contest! You can book your place to see them here: https://d91springconf.uk/

Chinkata said that he has been pleasantly surprised by the warmth and support, from all his club members. He added that "this has taken the form of insightful feedback, suggestions for improvement and just turning up to be there at competitions. It has also been great to meet and make new friendships with other toastmasters from many other clubs that I won't ordinarily have gotten to."

Fabio is still taken aback by this amazing experience! He said "I think the most important aspect is not only to win each contest but also the support of my club, without their feedbacks and their support it would have been more difficult. I'm happy to be part of the family toastmaster and I like the way I'm developing my speech every time I have a contest and my latest goal is to inspire people!"

Well, Fabio certainly did inspired those at the contest, we are pleased he will be able to carry his message to the District and we hope even beyond!

Special thanks goes to all the Contestants, our non-Toastmaster guests for attending, Andy O'Sullivan as Chief Judge and his team of functionaries, Helena Brewer and Florian Bay for their messages, Pedro Casillo and Florian Bay from the District Trio for attending, Freddie Daniels for opening the event, and last but not least to Sammy and his team from the LBS for letting us host the event in such a brilliant location.

Remember you can book for the wonderful contests, workshops etc for 5-6 May conference here: https://d91springconf.uk/

The Division L 2018 Spring Contests Team
Seema, Cat & Nadine

Division L is looking for your help!

From Nadine Wagner, Division Director Assistant, Division L

The Division L Contest will take place on Saturday 14 April from 1:30pm at the London Business School. We have 8 contestants in the International Speech Contest and in the Evaluation Contest.

Our Contestants are lined up, Chief Judge, Mystery Speaker, Contest Chairs as well. We need a couple of more helpers (mainly judges) and a bigger audience to support our contestants.

If you are available, please register here and please do ask around in your contacts. Non-Toastmasters also most welcome.

divisionl2018spring.eventbrite.co.uk/ 

Please note that in the morning Division C Contest will take place in the same venue, if you are available and want a Toastmaster filled day.

We look forward to seeing many of you next Saturday!

Your Division L Contest Team (Seema, Cat & Nadine)

Evaluation: what makes it work? Workshop 4 December

From Odile Facih, VP PR, Experience French

 

EXPERIENCE FRENCH is delighted to host Catherine’s evaluation workshop on Monday 4 December 2017. STARRING:  Catherine, as well as speakers, evaluators … and you !!!

 

Catherine Casale is a writing and applications coach with over thirty years of experience working with people of all ages and nationalities.  Learning, education, and communication are the focus of her professional, volunteer, and leisure activities.

 

After attending this workshop participants will have the mindset and tools to deliver evaluations that leave the speaker and the audience clear about what made the speech work, what could make it stronger, and why.  These are transferable skills that we can all use not only at Toastmasters but also in our everyday life.

 

THE WORKSHOP is OPEN TO ALL, the meeting will be in English.

 

Come and join us, and if you are not a member please don’t wait to let us know register on: https://www.facebook.com/events/1753940857973064/

 

When:Please arrive at 6:45 PM for prompt start at 7:00 on Monday 4 December

 

Where: Sky view Room. The City Temple Conference Center , Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2DE , London (Closest Tubes are Chancery Lane or St Paul)

Excalibur speakers presents Simon Bucknall - The Full Story

From Katya van Koten, President Excalibur Speakers

Unvarnished lessons from his journey to 2nd Place in the 2017 World Championships of Public Speaking

On 27 November 2017, Excalibur Speakers is excited to host a workshop presented by our member Simon Bucknall, 2nd Place winner in the 2017 World Championship of Public Speaking. This is the first and biggest chance to hear the full story of his journey to that 2nd Place and all that he learned.

Each year, more than 30,000 speakers enter the Toastmasters International Speech Contest, competing for a place in the finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking.
In his journey to the World Championship, held in Vancouver Canada, Simon Bucknall’s contest speeches went on a roller-coaster journey - countless re-writes, practice sessions and waves of constructive feedback.

In this practical, interactive and empowering two hour session, discover the lessons Simon learnt on that journey and how they can make the difference for YOUR public speaking...
Please join us at the Grange Hotel Holborn at 6.45 for a 7pm start.

When: Monday 27 November 2017, Reception 6.45, for prompt 7pm start

Where: Grange Hotel Holborn, 50-60 Southampton Row, London, WC1B 4AR

Tickets:  go to eventbrite —> https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/simon-bucknall-the-full-story-tickets-39049413848

Results from the Area L9 contests...

From Cat Kipling, Area Director L9

Members from across Area L9 joined together on 20 September 2017 for laughs, frivolities and a higher-than-average number of speeches referring to matters "below the belt"... It was of course our annual Humorous Speech and Table Topics contests, with representatives from Berkeley Square Speakers, Excalibur Speakers, Experience French and Paddington Toastmasters vying for the coveted places at the Division L contests on 14 October 2017 (follow this link for tickets).

Our winners were...

Humorous Speech Contest:

1st - Ju Hyoung Yoo

2nd - David West

3rd - Marc Lottig

Table Topics Contest:

1st - Martin Zeman

2nd - Tony Truepenny-Phillipson

3rd - Freddie Daniells

Congratulations go out to all of our winners in contests that I can only imagine made tough decisions for our esteemed judges!

As well as celebrating the success of the winners of the contests, we were able to celebrate the success of our clubs at this early stage in the Toastmasters year. I had the honour of presenting each of the 4 clubs with a complete set of club officer pins, as awarded to them by the District Leadership Team for all 7 officers from all 4 clubs attending Club Officer Training! This is a huge achievement for the club leadership teams, and with there being a direct correlation between the training of officers and the success of clubs, Area L9 is one to watch...

Division L Contests - winners going through to District 91 finals

From Steve Brewer, Division L Director

When I opened the contest I announced that I was the Division Director and I got a tremendous cheer from the audience,when I said that I wouldnt be for much longer I got an even louder cheer.The wonderful thing about toastmasters is that supportive environment and that sense of fun.

The supportive environment never made things feels like a chore> Andrew Tollinton arranged the venue and Nadine ,Nick ,Simon and Chief Judge Andy O'Sullivan made sure everything was ready as they contacted contestants and facilitators.  Everyone was in the right place at the right time!  This allowed us to be treated to seven prepared speeches and a target speaker, David Banfro, who came from outside District 91 for our eight contestants to evaluate.

This was definitely a competition worth winning and our placed contestants were:

International Speech Contest

1.Simon Bucknall

2,Gill Ornstein

3.Salem Al-Damluji

Evaluation Contest

1.Freddie Daniells

2.Barry Greenan

3.Gill Ornstein

Please come at support Simon and Freddie at the conference in Southampton 5-7 May 2017.Come for the whole weekend or just a part of it.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/toastmasters-district-91-the-mayflower-conference-2017-tickets-31078895814?utm_term=eventurl_text

Toastmasters District 91, The Mayflower Conference 2017

Excalibur Presents: DEBATING WORKSHOP 26 April

From Sue Fish, Excalibur Speakers

Did you know that people debate all the time?  Some of these debates are more important than they seem.  Your opponent won’t be a fellow Toastmaster in a club debate.  Your opponent could be at a dinner table discussing Brexit with a different point of view to yours.   Your opponent may be a colleague at a departmental meeting.  S/he might be trying to convince the rest of your colleagues and your boss that s/he should have a bigger slice of the budget and that the burden of cuts should fall on your projects....

Excalibur Speakers presents their latest mini Debating Workshop by Paul Carroll, founder of 104 London Debaters, on Wednesday 26 April 2017 at 6:45pm for a prompt 7pm start.  This Debating workshop will be in three parts: Tips, Interactive Exercise and a Mini-debate on a topical issue.

To get you in the mood, here's the ice cream debate from Paul's favourite movie about public speaking & persuasion: Thank You For Smoking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW87GRmunMY  

Area L9 Contest – Expressing the heart & soul of members

From Nick Westall, Area L9 Director

The Area L9 Contest was held on Thursday 30 March 2017 at The Plough pub in Holborn.  It was a wonderful evening that showcased the empathetic leadership expressed by our membership.  From heart-warming stories of the international speeches to the structure of the evaluations, the audience was enthralled by the themes of conscious attitudes expressed by all contestants.  Amazingly two clubs stood out as Excalibur Speakers did a clean-sweep in both 1^st places and Berkeley Square Speakers as the leading protégé in 2^nd place.

International Speech Contest:  1st place Simon Bucknall (Excalibur Speakers), 2nd place Tom Duncan (Berkeley Square Speakers)

Evaluation Contest:  1st place Freddie Daniells (Excalibur Speakers), 2nd place Daniel Broadhead (Berkeley Square Speakers)

Throughout the evening our members were inspired to instil confidence, think quickly on their feet, and connect on a human level with other members.  

Next step - the Division L contests on Saturday 8 April

All four winners go through to the Division L final on 8 April.  Sign-up here for free and join us on a Saturday afternoon:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/division-l-international-speech-and-evaluation-contest-2017-tickets-32989964873

The area leadership would especially like to thank all those who took part as timers, counters, sergeants at arms, speakers, judges, contest chairs, and HELPERS who made the evening run smoothly!

Division L contests on 8 April afternon

From Steve Brewer, Division L Director

All toastmasters are invited to join what are shaping up to be fantastic contests for the Division L titles of International Speech Champion and Evaluation Champion. The contests will be held on Saturday 8 April near Baker Street.

We expect to have eight competitors in each competition so we will be having quantity as well as quality.You will not often get the chance to get such value from the price of your free ticket so please book your ticket for an afternoon of fun and joy.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/division-l-international-speech-and-evaluation-contest-2017-tickets-32989964873

The winners of the Division L contests will go through the District 91 contests in May.

Excalibur Presents: “How To Breathe” Workshop!

From Suzi Fish, Excalibur Speakers

Irene Bradshaw will be delivering Excalibur Speaker's next mini workshop on ‘How To Breathe’ on Wednesday 22 March 2017.

Pease note the change of venue:  The Plough, 27 Museum Street, London, WC1A 1LH.

This mini workshop will focus on the power of the breath to support your voice without vocal strain whilst under performance pressure.

1. Learn how to anchor the breath deeply in the body
2. Connect with energy centres which create relaxation.
3. Discover the correct muscles for vocal support.
4. Learn to acknowledge your true vocal note
5. Access your emotions through the power of connected breathing.

A condensed Excalibur meeting will follow the workshop.

Kindly email [email protected] if you are attending as space is limited.  Thank you.