Jilly Shaul

It's difficult to say how it has 'helped' me because, having been a passionate amateur repertory actress and a dancer, working with an audience holds little fear for me.  Of course in Toastmasters it is yourself you are presenting along with your choice of speech title, so there's no hiding behind a script or taking on a role.  I know I'm more succinct and I've learned well how to get my point across in the allotted time, which is always a challenge.  I'm ready now to experient with changing my delivery and perhaps exploring speech projects that might not ordinarily fit into my own lifestyle now that I'm retired.  

What I love most about Toastmasters is having the opportunity to think creatively and perform without having to become involved in all the petty politics that sometimes exist in other organisations, drama societies, volunteer organisations etc.  Toastmasters if probably the best example I've come across of diplomacy at work; there is no discrimination of any kind and it is a joy to witness the progress of other members in such a universally positive environment.  I like also the sense that I am part of a huge worldwide organisation where, in almost any major city in the world, there will be a Toastmasters Club at which I can be certain of a warm welcome.

For these and for many other reasons, people can only benefit from joining Toastmasters. Where else can you find a superb, affordable evening's entertainment  and meet with like minded people, all ages, all nationalities, all creeds; with the added bonus of gaining increasing confidence in communication and leadership skills AND laying to rest one of life's greatest fears, that of SPEAKING IN PUBLIC!

Jilly Shaul

VP Membership and Past President

Jerry Arulandu

I found out about the club on the internet, when searching for Toastmasters clubs in London. I had only recently moved here and was looking for a Toastmasters club to join. I was previously a member in a Toastmasters club in Malaysia some years back, and knew that (especially after coming to a new country) it would be of great benefit to me professionally and socially.

Toastmasters has given me more confidence to speak in front of people I have never met before. It has taught me that by learning a few tricks and being more aware of what you are doing wrong, you can be a very good speaker when you need to be.

Now, I don't hesitate to give my opinions  in situations that I used to be shy/embarrassed to do so before.

What I most love about it is the fact that you can help others and at the same time learn from others.

People should come along if they want to know how to present themselves more confidently when speaking in front of a group of people, and also to meet a great group of people who have the same motivation as you!

Sue Mannering

It was an inauspicious day in 2006 when my path crossed that of Simon Cooper, a friend from my past. After some catching up he described the activities of an organisation he belonged to which he thought would appeal to me, Northern Lights Toastmasters Club, and by the time we’d said our goodbyes it was arranged that he would take me to the next meeting.

I can still remember how my first meeting was both enjoyable and terrifying – I couldn’t imagine being able to put together a speech and delivering it! However, I realised it would be a useful skill to try to achieve. At the time I didn’t appreciate that there were many advantages to joining Toastmasters.

When I joined I was asked to be the Sergeant at Arms and this responsibility together with the various roles during regular meetings were challenges I learnt from. I looked forward to meetings finding them scintillating and made new friends who were sociable and interesting people. Whenever I would meet up with these new friends much of our conversation was about Toastmasters, I was so enthusiastic that I never tired of the topic.

The second year I was VP Education and the third year became President and these roles together with working my way through the Competent Communicator manual and the Leadership manual  improved my life. I found myself treating job interviews as table topics i.e., I responded to questions by repeating them thereby buying time whilst my brain came up with a response.  Learning to give speech evaluations at a meeting improved my listening skills and whether with friends or at work I answer peoples’ dilemmas more effectively. 

People should come along because they will enjoy themselves, they will find themselves rising to new challenges, and they will find their new skills improve their relationships both socially and at work, and all this in a scintillating, encouraging environment.

This year, after visiting the only Advanced Speakers Club in London, Excalibur, I joined them too. The members are made up of Area Governors, ex-Club Presidents and winners of speech contests in the UK & Ireland as well as a few who have come second at International level. I have become VPE of the present committee. Fellow Northern Lights members, look forward to visiting and joining Excalibur in the future, where members skills vary, but they share the desire to continually practice and improve their skills in the knowledge that they are amongst friends.