Churton Park Toastmasters

Our recent Thursday evening meeting happened to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Our club historian (and grammarian for the evening), Blake, reminded us of this important commemoration as we reflected on the values that inspired the greatest invasion in the history of modern warfare.

In terms of our meeting, Thelma achieved a Toastmasters meeting milestone by expertly chairing her first meeting. This was followed by a set of winter inspired table topics from Graeme (what is your favourite winter themed movie?). Kerry then provided us with an inspirational speech regarding his long running kitchen renovation project. Our second speaker, Peter, explored different communication styles and the art of building rapport to facilitate effective communication. This was followed by a set of considered and insightful evaluations from Rhys, Steve, Irene and Glenys who provided valuable feedback for our speakers and meeting organisers.

Awards and trophies for the evening are as follows:
Most memorable contribution – Steve, Thelma, Peter
Best speaker – Peter
Best table topic – Blake
Best evaluator – Rhys

Congratulations to all!

Interested in finding out more about our meetings? Come along to our next meeting on Thursday 20 June at the Johnsonville Collective Hub! See you there!

Some great advice regarding the effective use of presentation slides. Our meetings provide ample opportunities for you to practice your use of slides so that you can nail your next presentation! Come along and visit us at our next meeting on 6 June to see what Toastmasters is all about.

Target your presentation slides for when your audience sees them Leveraging slides in a presentation, pitch, or meeting can help your audience better understand and remember your points, but too often our slides distract o...

What an awesome and action-packed Thursday evening meeting! Locked out of our usual venue we made a quick dash and relocated to an alternative location. Rhys garnered the respect of the club by expertly chairing and translocating the meeting atmosphere and vibe to our new venue and ensuring the meeting ran smoothly. We had two awesome speeches. Irene detailed her volunteer work and the other speech was from one of the club’s newest members, Thelma. Hannah also presided over a fun and diverse set of table topics.

Awards and trophies for the evening were as follows:
Best Speaker - Irene and Thelma
Best Evaluator - Toby
Best Table Topic - Steve
Most memorable contribution - Peter

Congratulations to all!

Another great tip from the master communicator, Matt Abrahams.

Consider Action Forces (Promoting vs Restraining) When Persuading When attempting to change a behavior or attitude, you must consider the action forces that promote and inhibit the change you are pursuing. Most persuasion e...

The term ‘exhilarating’ is not one typically associated with the somewhat formulaic and dry nature of a club annual business meeting. However, this was a fairly accurate description of our recent meeting. First, we had a speech from Peter about the power of positive thinking. This was followed by Rhys with a refined and polished version of the speech which he gave last fortnight on the topic of embarrassment. This was followed by the annual business meeting and the election of a new committee to lead us into the next Toastmasters year.

Awards and trophies for the evening were as follows:
Best Speaker – Rhys
Best Evaluator – Irene
Best Table Topics – Thelma
Most Memorable Contribution – Thelma

Congratulations to all!

Our next meeting is on 16 May at the Johnsonville Collective Community Hub. See you there!

Another communication tip about providing constructive feedback. A key skill that is utilised at every Toastmasters meeting! Interested in improving your skills in this area? Come along to our next meeting!

Reframe Constructive Feedback as a Problem to Be Solved #shorts To often, we see constructive feedback as one-way communication where we share what we think someone should or should not do. This often makes the recipient ...

Our meeting on Thursday evening could only be described as ‘good’ and ‘nice’ (the nominated anti-words of the day!). After a period of absence, we were treated to a speech from Rhys that was both humorous and insightful. This was followed by a speech from Graeme exploring his communication style and preferences with the aim of enhancing his interpersonal skills.

Awards and trophies for the evening were as follows:
Best Speaker – Rhys
Best Table Topics – Thelma
Most Memorable Contribution – Rhys and Steve
Best Evaluator – Blake and Jiin

Our next meeting on Thursday 2 May includes our Annual Business Meeting. Come along and find out what it takes to run a club! See you there.

Another great communications tip!

Proper Posture for a Positive Presence #shorts How you physically show up matters a lot in terms of demonstrating your confidence, competence, and credibility. In this video, you will learn how to be big...

Our recent Thursday evening meeting had a positively radiant atmosphere. Blake expertly chaired and facilitated the meeting and we were treated to Ice Breaker speeches from Thelma and Jiin. Both speakers gave us an insight into their respective backgrounds and journey to New Zealand. We also had a debate stye table topics session where speakers were required to face off in a ‘1v1 shootout' debate style format.

Awards and trophies for the evening were as follows:

Best Speaker – Thelma
Best Table Topics – Steve
Most Memorable Moment – Jiin
Best Evaluator – Kerry

Congratulations all!

Our next meeting is on Thursday 18 April. See you there!

Some great advice from communications expert Matt Abrahams. Check out his other videos on his Youtube channel!

Open questions open conversations and invite connection #shorts Leveraging open questions -- questions that invite responses beyond "you/mp" or a number -- can help you get conversations going, show interest, and allow fo...

Relax and elevate your speaking game with this Toastmasters tip! ✅ 🗣

It was great to see everyone at our meeting on Thursday evening. We had a highly informative and polished speech from Glenys about the realities of living with diabetes (and those intimidating food restrictions!). Blake provided us with an opportunity to test our impromptu speaking skills with an excellent table topics session. A special welcome to our guest for the evening, Thelma.

Awards and trophies for the evening were as follows:
Best Table Topics – Toby
Best Speaker – Glenys
Most Memorable Moment – Steve
Best Evaluator – Kerry

Congratulations all!

Back for more in 2024! It was great to see those who could make it at our first meeting of the year! Special welcome to our guests, Shawn and Jared. We started off the year with both a summer-oriented warm-up and table topics session. Then we moved to our prepared speeches. Blake delivered an interesting speech regarding stolen antiquities including the various controversies and issues. This was followed by a speech from Peter as to whether nuclear weapons make the world a safer place. The word of the day was ‘absquatulate’ as chosen by Glenys who was our grammarian for the evening.

Awards and trophies for the evening were as follows:

Best Table Topics – Peter
Most Memorable Moment – Peter
Best Speaker – Peter
Best Evaluator – Blake

Congratulations to all!

Our next meeting is on Thursday 1 February at the Collective Hub (1/33 Johnsonville Road). See you there!

🎉 Did you know Toastmasters is turning 100 this year? Let's kick off the centennial celebration by exploring our incredible journey through time! 🌟 Discover the highlights of our history, starting from 1924.
https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2024/jan/centennial-timeline

✨Word of the Day: Jolly! Here's a festive example from Toastmasters: Wishing all our members a holly, jolly holiday season filled with warmth and laughter. Share your jolly holiday wishes in the comments below!

As seen on the Stuff quiz this morning. Given the diverse and interesting speeches members deliver, all four options could be a valid answer!

The 2023 Churton Park Toastmasters year ended with a bang! Our two prepared speeches for the evening had a significant environmental focus. First, we had an informative and persuasive speech regarding the prevalence of palm oil in our food and the associated environmental impacts. Kerry also introduced the PalmOil Scan app developed a number of zoological gardens (including Auckland Zoo) that can be used to assess the environmental impact of certain consumer products with respect to palm oil production (check out the link to the Stuff article in the comments below). Some companies are probably mortified by their results! This was followed by a speech from Steve looking at the economics of electric vehicles relative to internal combustion engine for the perspective of a prospective buyer.

We reconvene in the new year on Thursday 18 January, 7:30pm at the Johnsonville Collective Hub. See you there!

Awards and trophies for the evening were as follows:

Best Table Topics – Blake
Most Memorable Moment – Kerry
Best Speaker – Kerry
Best Evaluator – Peter

Congratulations to all!

Oops, I messed up! 7 common public speaking issues — and how to fix them : Life Kit It can be anxiety-inducing to deliver a speech in front of an audience. How do you capture people's attention? What do you do if you stumble? A speechwriter and a speech coach share their best tips.

The theme for our meeting on Thursday was 'embracing change'. A particularly appropriate theme given recent events! Our warmup session provided us with an opportunity to talk about how we all cope with the uncertainty and ambiguity associated with change. This was followed by a heartfelt and humorous speech from Rhys regarding the passing of a loyal and loveable K9 friend and family member, Daisy (also known as Crown Prince Turdinand). This speech saw Rhys take out two of the meeting awards for the evening! Steve then provided us with an overview of his vision for hosting a Toastmasters contest at the club as part of his high-performance leadership project. We have an exciting line up for our next meeting. The anticipation is palpable!

Awards for the evening were as follows:
Best Table Topics – Kerry
Most Memorable Moment – Rhys
Best Speaker – Rhys
Best Evaluator – Graeme

Congratulations to all! See you at our next meeting on 2 November!

We had an awesome meeting on Thursday evening. In recognition of the United Nations International Day of Peace, our meeting theme focused on world peace. This was reflected in an expertly delivered table topic session from Irene which required us to deliver impromptu speeches on various peace inspired topics. All of us successfully negotiated what was quite a profound topic! We were also treated to a diverse set of speeches. Blake reflected on his experience as both a mentor and mentee. Finally, Irene delivered an informative speech on risk management and presented a framework that was applicable to both our professional and personal lives.

Awards and trophies for the evening were as follows:
Best Table Topics – Rhys
Most Memorable Moment – Peter
Best Speaker – Irene
Best Evaluator – Gagan

Congratulations to all!

See you at our next meeting on 5 October! Up the Wahs!

We had great meeting on Thursday evening. Maybe it was the warmer spring weather or maybe it was the fact that we are just an awesome club. Probably the latter. First up, Steve presented a round of both rugby and non-rugby table topics to test our impromptu speaking skills. This was followed by two prepared speeches. Steve presented a speech on judging a Toastmasters contest and masterfully facilitated a question-and-answer session. Irene then presented a speech reflecting on a leadership experience and conducting a lessons learned type meeting.

Awards and trophies



Awards and trophies for the evening were as follows:
Best Table Topics – Toby
Most Memorable Moment – Rhys
Best Speaker – Irene
Best Evaluator – Peter

We also had several certificates presented to various members to recognise their educational achievements.

Graeme completed level 1 on the Presentation Mastery path

Irene completed level 4 on the Innovative Planning path



Congratulations to all!

Your August Toastmaster magazine has arrived! This month’s issue is packed with leadership lessons, tips for podcasting, advice for your first Ice Breaker, and stories of mentorship and club camaraderie. Start reading today!
www.toastmasters.org/Magazine

Our meeting on Thursday was small numerically, but it punched above its weight with a grimly humourous speech by Kerry on the lurking evils of Dux Quest piping, and a presentation and Q&A by Roger on preservation of family photographic history.

Kerry reported that he's had a Dux Quest pipe leak at his home about once a year in recent times! And Roger, a former professional photographer and photographic restorer, explained the weaknesses inherent in the various photographic media and encouraged us all to start making plans to ensure our family photographic legacies survive into the next generation.

Other highlights included a well-rounded thoughtful Table Topics evaluation by Irene and deft use of the timing system by Kerry. Rhys delivered a spectacularly awesome general evaluation of the meeting!

Awards for the evening were as follows:

Best Evaluation - Irene
Best Speaker - Kerry
Best Table Topics - Roger
Most Memorable Moment - Roger

Congratulations to all!

Our next meeting is on 24th of August. See you there!

Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

An excellent podcast put toghether by Matt Abrahams, a lecturer of Strategic Communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business.
The podcast discusses a range of public speaking related challenges. How do I send my message clearly when put on the spot? How can I easily convey complex information? How do I manage anxiety?

A great complement to the skills and techniques you learn at Toastmasters!

Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques Join Matt Abrahams, a lecturer of Strategic Communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business, as he sits down with experts in the field to discuss real-world challenges. How do I send my message clearly when put on the spot? How do I write emails to get my point across? How can I easily convey....

What an awesome Thursday evening meeting! Expertly chaired by Graeme, we had two speeches. One delivered by Glenys on the particularly relevant topic of mentoring and an enthusiastic speech from Kerry regarding the attraction of cunning running (i.e. orienteering). Apparently, this is a perfect sport to pick up on a cold, wet and wintery Sunday morning! (what a preposterous suggestion!). Rhys then tested our impromptu speaking skills with several props he found lying round his home, proving that an effective table topics session can be conducted with the simplest of items.

Awards and trophies for the evening were as follows:

Most Memorable Moment – Peter
Best Table Topics – Peter
Best Evaluator – Glenys
Best Speaker – Kerry

Congratulations to all!

Our next meeting is on July 27. We look forward to seeing you there!

Being a good speaker also means being a good audience member when its not your time to speak! Part 1 of

Taking questions after a talk can be nerve-racking! But remain calm - we've got some tips for you below.