Dear all,
Welcome to the first Bloomsbury Speakers newsletter for 2017! Below you’ll find information about upcoming workshops, meeting dates and speech slots; you’ll also find links to speaking resources that we’ve found really useful, as well as an opportunity to be mentored by some of our club’s most experienced speakers.
This year we’ve seen a new Bloomsbury Speakers committee take over, as well as many of our members completing their manuals and honing their skills as communicators. Sadly, we’ve also had to say goodbye to several members who have now left the UK for home; you’ll all be missed!
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Meeting dates and speech slots
Our meeting dates for the rest of this calendar year are:
13 November
27 November
11 December
The speech slots on 13 November are all taken; however, we’re still accepting bookings for prepared speeches on 27 November and 11 December. If you’re a member and you’d like to take up a slot for a prepared speech, either sign up on Easyspeak (www.toastmasterclub.org) or email our Vice-President for Education, Atul Chauhan (atulchauhan@hotmail.co.uk).
If you’d like to do impromptu speaking, just turn up at one of our meetings (the impromptu speaking slots are open to both members and non-members).
We’re always looking for members to fill our functionary roles (Evaluator, Grammarian, Timekeeper, Topic Evaluator, Sergeant-at-Arms and Toastmaster), so do get in touch with Atul if you’d like to take up one of these slots at any of our meetings.
All of our meetings take place at the same location:
Wedge Issue Pizza (downstairs), 91-95 Clerkenwell Road, EC1R 5BX.
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Mentoring
Our mentoring program is up-and-running; if you’re a member and you’d like a mentor, email me (peter.richardson@cantab.net) and we can assign you an experienced speaker to guide you through your next speech and beyond. A mentor can read drafts of speeches, offer advice on nerves, preparation and length, and provide feedback during meetings. Mentors can also tailor their assistance to any aspect of speaking you’d like to work on (pace, body language, speech content, and so on), so feel free to get in touch if you’d like one.
If you’d like to be a mentor, you’re equally welcome to get in touch. Becoming a mentor is a great way for someone who has spent a short while in the club to learn coaching and evaluation skills.
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Workshop in late November / early December
We’re planning to host a speaking workshop in late November or early December centred around introductory public speaking principles. The workshop will be open to members and guests. More details to come – watch this space.
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Christmas meal
Every year Bloomsbury Speakers holds a Christmas meal with the local clubs around us; last year we went to Mem & Laz in Islington, and it was pretty great. This year we will be meeting on Friday 8 December: the meal is open to both members and guests. Just register your interest by e-mailing me (peter.richardson@cantab.net).
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Speaking resources
We thought it might be useful to compile some links to online material for generating speech structure and content, as well as great speeches and book recommendations. Below are some of the things that I’ve found really helpful (you may notice that two of them are TED-inspired):
- http://www.douglaskruger.co.za/articles/article-73/16_Speech_Structures___Professional_Speaker_Douglas_Kruger.html
- Recommended for: anyone interested in breaking down speech structures.
- https://www.ted.com/playlists/171/the_most_popular_talks_of_all
- Recommended for: speakers of all levels and interests. These speeches are truly inspirational, and the speakers themselves are often very engaging. Pay attention to how the speakers explain in simple terms the (often complex) concepts behind their talks.
- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Talk-Like-TED-Speaking-Secrets/dp/1509867392/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1509309881&sr=8-4&keywords=public+speaking
- Recommended for: anyone interested in how qualities and habits like passion, creativity and determination lead to great speeches.
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That’s all for the time being; we hope to see you at our next meeting (13 November) at 18:30 at Wedge Issue Pizza, Clerkenwell Road. Until then, don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about the club. I’ll leave you with a quote I quite like:
“Nothing is so unbelievable that oratory cannot make it acceptable.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero
Peter (President, Bloomsbury Speakers)
