Clubs and Camaraderie
A few weeks ago I went to the pub for breakfast, dressed in this year’s Lion’s gear. We were supporting England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales in the battle for the […]
Summer Solstice
It has been the hottest day on record, previously registered in 1976. I was 14 that year. I don’t remember that day – in 1976 it was hot – all […]
Watch out little legs. My lanky ones are after you! – Special Occasions #3
This is Laura McHarrie’s 40th evaluated speech and the penultimate tick in the box towards Advanced Speaker Gold. She was the first member of Casterbridge Speakers having persuaded Steve Graham […]
The Five Es – High Performance Leadership part II
Laura is close to the end of her journey towards Distinguished Toastmaster. This is the penultimate project towards Advanced Leadership Silver. In this speech Laura takes a long hard look […]
To Boldly Go … Down Pathways –
Laura McHarrie has chosen to deliver her penultimate Advance Communicator Gold speech as part of her Area Director visit, as forthcoming changes to the Toastmasters learning programme lends itself to […]
COT MOP – Area Director’s Diary
(Club Officer Training – Mop up! Part 1) The joint area 1 and area 42 club officer training turned out to be a tremendous success. In pooling our resources, Diane […]
Live 2017 – Your Best Year Yet!
On Thursday evening, eight highly energised, exited and enthusiastic Hallmark Speakers took to the floor to give an amazing showcase of ideas on how to live life to the full […]
Talk Up Toastmasters – Area Director’s Diary
Talk Up Toastmasters is one of three challenges during the Toastmaster’s year to engage five new members to each of our clubs. Every club achieving five new members in this […]
Ring out the Old; Ring in the New
Sticking to the theme of resolutions this cliché has been lifted from a rather dark poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson published in 1850. It has been recited annually at the […]
Six Down; Six to Go – Speeches by Management #2
Speeches by Management (2011-05) #2 – Appraise with Praise (5:00-7:00 min) Demonstrate importance of feedback techniques personally used in daily life; Use constructive evaluation to help someone improve their performance; […]
Grow and Be Strong Pt 2 – Speeches by Management #3
Hey Hallmark Speakers – how are you doing? Me? I’m not doing too bad … now … after a few false starts and some key learning. In fact the learning […]
10 out of 10! Andrew – Special Occasion Speeches #4
Sausages, Sparkers and Fireworks! With this speech entitled The Secrets of the Seaside Andrew Knowles has completed the competent communicators manual. That’s ten out of ten! Lady President, Mr Toastmaster, […]
A Load of Old Codswallop -Special Occasion Speeches #2
A Load of Old Codswallop – you can just see him tutting with a wry grin and a twinkle in his eye as he says it. Friends and Family […]
Breaking the Rules – Speeches by Management #5
Houston, we have a problem! Tis not as bad as the Apollo 13 incident but neither are we NASA. However, according to the 2016/7 speech contest rulebook says a club […]
Grow & Be Strong – Speeches By Management #1
Laura McHarrie, introduced a project as part of her high performance leadership project in October 2015. The project floundered in the first few months. Having reviewed the initial plans, […]
Over to You! – Special Occasion Speeches #1
The Toast – On 6th July, Laura McHarrie officially handed over the running of Toastmaster’s Area 42 to her successor Linda Parkinson-Hardman, simultaniously completing another in the special occasion speeches manual. […]
From Foolish to Flourish – Special Occasion Speeches #5
The Acceptance Speech The thing about Toastmasters is there is always the next challenge. Just when you think you have nailed one set of skills another advanced manual opens up […]
What’s Next? Goals etc!
Well, here we are, at the end of my volunteer year 2015/6. Heavens! It’s a whole year since I said “yes”. If I only knew then, what I now know. […]
Ah Yes! It is Christmas … Storytelling #4
Laura McHarrie stumbled upon the subject of this her fourth project from the Story Telling Manual having talked about a Christmas Tradition in a table topic last December. She has […]
Wrapping Up … A Toastmaster’s Area Director’s Diary
Wrap up, tie up any loose ends and reflect before gifting! With little over a month to go before the end of the Toastmaster’s year, it is time to do […]
Beat The Clock – A Toastmaster’s Area Director’s Diary
As we draw to the close of the Toastmaster year, nothing stops! The clock keeps ticking! With two months to go we still have a lot to play for; not […]
A Marxism …
“Surround yourself with people who make you happy. People who make you laugh, who help you when you’re in need. People who genuinely care. They are the ones worth keeping […]
A Letter from George – Storytelling #5
Betsy Loveless was beating the back out of a piece of meat with a weighty rolling pin. The occasional trapped rabbit with wild vegetables regularly put food on the family […]
Passing the Baton – A Toastmaster Area Director’s Diary
What are you doing to ensure the ongoing success of your club? Planning an effective succession strategy for your club’s committee is not easy. We are all busy people, but […]
Variations on the Death of Trotsky – Interpretive Reading #4
Laura McHarrie has chosen and for the purpose of timing edited, a short one-act comedy-drama written by David Ives. The play fictionalises the death of Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky through a […]
Variety is the Spice of Life – an Educational Speech
Laura McHarrie, is here on her 2nd official visit to the club in her role as Area Director. Laura is close to getting her AC Silver award this year. This […]
It’s All About the Numbers – a Toastmasters Successful Club Speech
How to be a distinguished club Take your felt tip pen and change the Goals Met in the top right hand corner from four to five! As of 6 pm […]
Entelechies! A Toastmaster’s Area Director’s Diary
Interesting how the half way point creeps up whilst you were snoozing over Christmas and slap bam wallop two clubs in the area have achieved Distinguished Club Status with a […]
The Flood – Interpretive Reading #3
Laura McHarrie has chosen The Flood, one of The Vagina Monologues, a compilation of plays written and performed originally by Eve Ensler in 1996. This is one that Laura thinks […]
Step Out Tuesday – An Area Directors Toastmasters Diary
I mentioned Blue Monday in a blog post yesterday, it affects many of us in business when all the good intentions of our new year resolutions have dissolved. My antidote […]
David Bowie is … Interpretive Reading #5
For the purpose of this project, Laura McHarrie, self-confessed, Bowie-obsessed, fan from the age of 15 has chosen Tilda Swinton’s after dinner speech at the opening of ‘David Bowie is’. The exhibition has proved to be one of the most popular exhibitions in the Victoria & Albert Museum’s history. Moreover, Tilda Swinton’s contemporary speech has been voted as one of the top 100 speeches given by women ever. With this project entitled ‘David Bowie is’ please welcome Laura McHarrie
