Tomorrow (23 June 2016) is our last meeting at Aubrey Park. The next meeting will be at The Noke (formerly Thistle) in St Albans. Join us tomorrow as we continue to celebrate 20 years of West Herts Speakers!
Author: Judy Mallinson
We’re 20 and (just quietly) awesome!
West Herts Speakers celebrated its proud 20 year anniversary last night with a wonderful mix of the old and the new.
What’s new? The club has just reached the gold standard of President Select status for its achievements throughout the Toastmaster year. And it partied at the venue which will become its new home later this month – The Noke in St Albans.
As for the old we really should say “young-at-heart founding members” who joined in the fun: Colin Donald, Stuart Lawson and Madhu Kundu. Each regaled the audience with tales of smelly venues and cantankerous doors but above all decades of friendship and the miracle of members moving from fear to fluency.
President Richard Beagle rarely missed the chance to say (rub in) the achievements of his club but failed to mention his indefatigable energy, dedication and belief in his members that contributed to an “awesome” year.
The after dinner speaker and well-known “roastmaster” Kevin Baggs had the marquee walls flapping with laughter with some well aimed shots at office bearers.(“I always wanted to be a comedian but they’re not laughing now!”)
John Kendall, Area Director (outgoing) and regular visitor at West Herts spoke of his support for the club and its achievements over the past year and years.
District Director Kevin Lee delighted by posing the question of who can name the gardener who nurtured the “tree” from which Newton’s apple fell and sparked an inspiration that resounded throughout the centuries since. His words inspired us all as clubs to be the metaphorical “gardeners” for the trees that can nurture and support great things in others.
Last but certainly not least, Irina Baldwin read a poem penned by the talented Paul Goodman for the occasion. Paul couldn’t be there due to illness but his presence was felt though his words.
To West Herts Speakers
Penned by Paul Goodman for its 20th Anniversary Celebration on 17 June 2016 – with reference to the Competent Communication manual
Welcome all you speakers (whether old hands or brand new)
We’re a group of people who are tailor-made for you
Our start point is a handbook of ten projects (each discrete)
With a badge that marks you “competent”, when the programme is complete.
Everyone commences with a form of their CV
Built from just those highlights to be offered orally
This “breaks the ice” quite gently: no research but notes allowed
To an audience supportive (a smiling, friendly crowd).
Secondly comes structure: beginning, middle, close
While thirdly, put quite bluntly, there’s little point to prose
Unless it meets a purpose: inform? or entertain?
On a topic that’s specific, so the message is quite plain.
Then it’s “How to say it”, when one’s writing for the ear
Techniques (including rhetoric) to keep the meaning clear
Not forgetting body language in the speaker’s “box of tools”
Such as facial expression and the key eye contact rules.
Having reached the halfway mark, it’s voice that’s now “on stage”
Are tone and pitch adjusted so they’re likely to engage?
When offering the details to support a point of view
That flows from both rehearsal and thorough research too.
Effective use of visual aids comprises project eight
Leading to persuasion with words that carry weight
Before the final session where inspiring earns the votes
From a speech delivered crisply without any trace of notes.
Regular attendance at Club meetings offers roles
That also hone one’s speaking skills (or work to other goals)
The “Emcee” of the evening (for example) will aspire
To harmonised proceedings – think orchestra (or choir).
This calls for people management, quick thinking, sense of mood
As does evaluation where asperity’s eschewed
In commenting as critic after listening with great care
To recommend improvements based on findings that are fair.
So if it’s public speaking where proficiency is needed
Follow the advice that a growing host have heeded
By joining West Herts. Speakers: where our members all agree
Their progress can speak for itself, when it comes to oratory.
Paul Goodman
June 2016
(Some of you may have read the coded message – to others the hint is to look at the paragraphs one by one.)
The room filled at Aubrey Park Hotel for meeting powered by both the old and the new members. Richard Beagle, already a Competent Communicator, delivered his 17th project, which was to appear as a “guest” on a televised talk show. He had artfully commandeered some lounge chairs for the set and answered questions on his favourite subject – Toastmasters – put to him by a very convincing interviewer Corinne Frydman. The audience was left wondering if there were new careers in the offing for them both. New members also showed their developing confidence with Atakan Akkaya mastering timing of all the events of the night on his second time in the role – it’s not an easy job – and Matthew Tang showing excellent observational skills as Grammarian. The level of evaluations at this meeting drew particular praise. Seasoned evaluators Anthony Brennan and Colin Donald, and JJ Lynch who is a confident speaker new to Toastmasters, all gave fulsome recognition for the speakers’ achievements and then recommendations for future speeches not just for the night’s line up but ideas that everyone there would want to take on board. Anthony was declared best evaluator. The other section of the night was the always popular and entertaining Table Topics (impromptu speaking). Tom Goodfellow shaped the questions around his love of music. This wasn’t too surprising because at another meeting he was put on the spot with a difficult question and responded with a rib-crackingly funny round of air guitar. The theme was pirates (very ably and punningly led by Sebastian Lane) on a night which brought new leadership to the good ship West Herts Speakers. The changes were not brought about by waving cutlasses but by the annual election of office bearers. The officers elect are: Ribbon winners for the evening were: Special mention to Jenny Davison who turned her Ah Counter role into a pirate’s “Aaaargh” counter and Sarah Lovell for a general evaluation that charmingly reminded us all that the meeting is about those coming for the first time. Resident wordsmith Paul Goodman offered this as a poetic summary of the Grammarian role. Spot the deliberate errors in the first line* I would of thought, while I was sat By the speaker who’s transgressed Conversely, one seeks out the phrase Or, by drawing on techniques The challenge is to earn a grade © Paul Goodman *You spotted it! “Would’ve” is the correct contraction for “would have” and “sat” is in the wrong tense.
Into the Mix
Leading the charge with the main speakers were Judy Mallinson and Karen Willis, both on their 9th speeches – just one away from Competent Communicator level. Judy won Best Speaker with Why I Drugged My Son, persuading listeners to recognise the reality of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder. Karen’s All Work and No Play was a persuasive talk on making life’s work a joy, and how she and a little ducky mascot had achieved just that.
JJ Lynch took the prize for his impromptu response, as always with the ease of someone who had been rehearsing all day.Pirate night brings new faces to the helm
Role of the Grammarian – in rhyme
And other solecisms that
Should only meet with disapproval
Will be picked out for their removal
So that, in time, what is expressed
Is flawless (as in precious jewels)
At least per English grammar’s rules.
Which merits some degree of praise
Perhaps because the words deployed
Arouse emotions (see S Freud).
Developed by the ancient Greeks:
Alliteration, metaphor
(To name but two from many more).
Equating to an accolade
And this is what the goal must be:
A speech of five star quality.
April 2016