Issue96
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Top Ten Ways To Gain New
Members At Your Speakers Club
Spilling The Beans On Evaluations
Audience rapport is the
answer…..what was the question?
Being Prepared When Your
Programme Changes
This Time Next Year – One Member’s
Story Of Change
National Training Sessions By
Lindsay Dutch
New members – considering a
mentor?
Dates for your Diary
Letters to the Editor
Charter of North Norfolk Speakers
Club
Spring 2017
NATIONAL OFFICERS
Immediate Past National President
National Development Officer (Interim)
William Warren
(Chaucer SC)
Lindsay Dutch
(York SC)
[email protected]
ASC National President
Neil Harvey
(North Cheshire SC)
[email protected]
National Secretary
Gwyneth Millard
[email protected]
National Vice President
National Start Up Officer
Eric Baker
(Loughborough SC)
[email protected]
David Heaton
(West Coast SC)
[email protected]
National Treasurer and Materials Officer
National Minutes Secretary
Malcolm McKechnie
(Greenock SC)
[email protected]
Anne Bouget
(Fylde SC)
[email protected]
National Education Director
ASC Membership Secretary
Thomas Scott
(EdinburghSC)
[email protected]
Diana Douglas
(Garstang SC)
[email protected]
Quick Guide to Social Media
Largest most important
social network on the
planet: A must use
Micro blogging 140
characters- use 120 to
help you with the reTweets
Business focus
platform, ideal for
targeting business
prospects.
Video sharing site
that engages more
people that TV! Each
user averages 1 hour
per month
Blogs tell a story and
keep people coming
back- How to do so and
so are great ways to
engage followers
A follow up system
keep members,
followers subscribers
up to date with club
news/activities
Who
58% of the audience is
female 25 – 45 our target
age range
A more even split that
Facebook and a slightly
younger demographic
Almost 60% male all
over 25 our target
prospect
53% male in UK and
USA there is no age
data available yet.
Mainly female strong
followers in the UK.
Most readers are
over 25
Everyone who has
signed up members
newsletter keeps
them informed
Objective
Show prospects the
potential of a Speakers
Club & how it can help
them overcome their fear
Engage People NEVER
SELL ON TWITTER. Give
them information
about becoming better
speakers
An engagement
platform where you
can extend the reach
of your club- helps
build an audience
Engage visually with
prospects have a link
to a specific page on
your web site – great
for learning
To engage with people
help them overcome
their fears, give better
business presentations
Remind people what’s
happening, date of
next meeting, what to
expect reinforce an
ASC key message
When
Twice weekly for
preference, once a week
as a must
One a day minimum, 3
or 4 times a day is best.
Use Tweriod to find the
best times to tweet
One comment per
week – join
appropriate groups
regularly
Content should be
informative and
short. Good quality
more than regular
updates
Monthly post minimum,
400 – 600 words unless
you are blogging daily
then you can use les
Most email marketers
tell us once a month is
good so split your lists
and mail each one
monthly
Type of
Message
Photo’s, videos, questions,
surveys, quotes, fill in the
blanks, top followers etc
Tweets with images,
pictures, videos work
best
Personal style with a
business focus works
best always link to a
specific page
Information, always
descried what the
viewer will see and
link to your web site
Informative. Solve
problems, overcome
fear presentation tips
speaking tips etc
Information a call to
action, use an ASC key
messages Always link
back to your web site
Example of
Message
General information
mixed with info on your
Club ‘today is the
anniversary of XX’ with a
link to your site
To help you overcome
your speaking fear,
check out these free
tips, link to your site
Sudbury has a new
place to help you
overcome your fear of
public speaking Tag
line & URL
Welcome to Sudbury
Speakers club get
more helpful
information at
<landing page URL>
10 ways to deliver a
better presentation/
wedding speech.
Hi Fred, Next week at
X club we’ll be
focusing on how to
become a better
speaker & better
leader <URL>
What
Paul Johnstone Sudbury & Ipswich Speakers Clubs
High Level Overview
©ASC
CONTENTS
Parking in the Euro Car Park
For ASC National Conference Delegates
A Message From The National President
4
www.speakersclubs.co.uk
5
A Message From The National Vice President
6
Obituary - Brenda Wray
7
•
Cornwall Calling by Skype
7
•
Dates for Your Diary
8
Nottingham Speakers Club Branches Out
8
Associtaion of Speakers Club - Nomura
9
It’s All Change in North Pennine Area
10
Being Prepared When Your Programme Changes
10
Canada Calling
11
The Case of the Disappearing Orator
11
Visitor Attraction and Conversion
12
Interview with Debra Owen Hughes
13
Top Ten Ways to Gain New Members
14
Spilling The Beans on Evaluations
15
Speak to Change - Tom Scott
16
This Time Next Year
17
ASC National Conference
18
New Members - Considering a Mentor?
24
Audience Rapport is the Answer...
25
Letters to the Editor
26
Charter of the North Norfolk Speakers Club
28
Acclaim for ASC Memebr
28
Materials
29
Constitutional Matters
30
Vacancy
30
[email protected]
Solihull Speakers Club
31
Gatwick 2017 Seminars
31
If you or a member of your club has a fantastic
new idea, a story that frankly should be told, or a
photo that needs a national focus please contact
the editor to [email protected]. Neil would
be delighted to hear from you and will send you a
document with top tips for writing magazine ready
pieces. Great for the Speaker and further afield.
The Speaker
•
•
•
•
Follow A23 and take the first exit at the Gatwick
South Terminal roundabout
Follow the Ring Road South and stay on the
right hand side lane (marked as CAR PARK)
Take the first Exit towards Hilton London
Gatwick Airport
Stay on the left hand side lane and pass the
Hotel
Take the left where it says EURO CAR PARK and
take your ticket to gain entry
Please note that limited spaces are available at
the EURO CAR PARK London - Gatwick Airport,
Gatwick, West Sussex, RH6 0LL
Car parking Spaces are £10.00 per day and need to
be reserved when booking for conference. To book
and reserve a car parking space please e-mail your
car registration of car and make no later than 7 April
2017 to [email protected]
Submitting an Article
Issue 96 Spring 2017
3
NATIONAL PRESIDENT’S REPORT
this project were Jackie Mafi and Nigel Thorne
supported by a website team. Thank you all for you
help in developing and designing the new site that
members will find more user friendly. The new web
address is www.speakersclubs.uk
Many people looking at improving speaking
confidence are searching the web and joining Clubs
via social media. This will support clubs in increasing
membership with more internet activity.
Travelling around the country members want to see
a modern organisation which is forward thinking
and positive, capable of delivering the benefits
they want and need. All the tools for this are in the
“Speakers Guide”.
We are still in times of austerity; venue costs for Club
meetings are increasing. At National we are working
with Clubs, Areas and Districts supporting them
by giving guidance and advice to move forward
together to see a bigger and better ASC.
Society and the world is changing and ASC needs
to continue to embrace change. Area and District
meetings can be held by Skype, FaceTime or
ow, many things have been happening
conference calls especially if you’re in a rural location
over the last 12 months. ASC has seen 3
with large distances between Clubs.
new Clubs Charter, Bromsgrove in July
2016, North Norfolk 1st February and Sudbury
At National we are currently reviewing our member
Speakers Club on 21st February 2017. As National
communications, these being the National Mailings
President I welcome these Clubs to the ASC.
that go out to all Club Presidents Secretaries and
Officers in March August and November. We will be
In Autumn 2016 we saw our first international
evaluating the National Mailings in Spring/ Summer
speakers club - Corner Brook - from Newfoundland
2017 to see if we can communicate more efficiently
Canada; I hope this will be the first of many.
and effectively with you our members.
W
The majority of Clubs are flourishing with excellent
There are many ways to do things in the 21st
and active programmes on club nights.
century. Fundamentally I believe we must continue
to change and keep things moving, inject fun and
It’s with great sadness I advise that Renfrew Speakers
entertainment into what we do. I feel it is important
Club withdrew from the ASC in January 2017 and
to get as many club members as possible to meet
Kirkintilloch Speakers Club closed. I would like to
other club members and see the ASC as a National
thank members from both Clubs for their contribution
organisation, not simply as a single club in one
to the ASC over the years.
town.
Willie Dryburgh, Central District President, and
Graham McLachlan, Past National President, are
looking and working together to find a suitable
location and venue in the Kirkintilloch area to start a
possible new club which is excellent news.
4
It should be the responsibility of all members
to encourage into the minds of new members
attendance at competitions at Club, Area, District
and General Council; if only initially as spectators.
This will help them to learn and develop their
skills by learning that many different styles and
The new ASC Website launched in October 2016
standards of speaking are possible. If people attend
at the National President’s Dinner. Leading on
at first to support their club members, they quickly
The Speaker
Issue 96 Spring 2017
realise that the competitions are not for just
Supermen and Superwomen, but ordinary people
like ourselves. This builds their confidence and
makes them far more likely to want to compete
in the future, or at least be part of the process, as
stewards, timekeepers, judges; Club, Area, District
or National Officers.
I know this to be true because I am living proof as
I went from Club, Area and District President to
National President. Do something amazing and
take that step and be part of the ASC journey.
In January 2017 we started Direct mailings for all
members for whom we have individual e-mail
addresses. I truly apologise for the frustrating
delays it’s taken for the Direct mailings to start;
I thank you for your patience. A big thank you to
Gwyneth Millard, National Secretary, for setting up
the Direct Mailing system which will definitely help
with better communication for you the members.
Help us to keep in touch by letting Diana Douglas,
Membership Secretary have your contact details if
they change or have changed. This can be done by
e-mailing [email protected] with your
new details so that we can update our records.
The AGM at General Council will be on Saturday
morning, 22 April at the Hilton Hotel Gatwick Airport
starting at 9.00am. During the weekend you will
have three seminars as well as a Wine & Diamonds
evening, Mindfulness session and “something not
to be missed” - Norman Nuttall entertaining us all
at the Gala Dinner on the Saturday evening - and
much more.
I know Eric Baker my successor will build on the
concept of moving the ASC forward and Eric’s Vice
President, Jackie Mafi ,will have the same theme.
“As I hand over the Presidency to Eric Baker
supported by Jackie, his Vice President, I know the
Association will be safe in their hands.”
Thank you to all members of the leadership team,
Clubs, Areas and Districts for their hard work and
support during my year.
I have worked with a number of Past National
President whose experience and knowledge has
been invaluable.
It’s been a privilege and pleasure to be your
National President and hope to see many of you at
the Gatwick Conference in April. It just leaves me
to wish you all the best for the future.
The Speaker
WWW.SPEAKERSCLUBS.UK
H
ave you taken a look yet at the ASC’s new
website launched in October 2016?
The new website has a public facing Home Page
designed to showcase the best the ASC can offer.
Here visitors will find who and what we are with tips
together with speaking videos and testimonials
from Club members that will surely demonstrate
to all the benefits of joining the ASC. The new
Members Home Page, designed as a Notice Board
with all that’s happening in the ASC and a calendar
of events, has menu links to a whole host of useful
information and resources. Here you will find
training games and activities, publicity material, an
ASC merchandise shop, advice, forms, assignments,
and much much more…….
The new website has been designed in house
thanks to Cardiff Mixed Speakers Club member,
Nigel Thorne. Nigel has willing given of his time –
hours and hours – to design the new look website
which has had much positive feedback but ideas
and suggestions are still very much welcomed.
Jackie Mafi, Western District President, who led
the website redesign project said “The ASC is
indebted to Nigel for the hard work and effort he
has voluntarily given in allowing the ASC to have
a more modern and updated website. Whilst the
new website has now been launched there is always
room for new ideas and suggestions. We are now
going to have several people updating and editing
the new website so that reliance is not placed on
one individual to maintain it which can be hard
work. Over the next few months training will take
place to “achieve this”. If anyone would like to offer
their services to help maintain the new website
we would be delighted to hear from you. Please
contact Jackie Mafi on jm001h3402@blueyonder.
co.uk.
Issue 96 Spring 2017
5
Message from the Vice President Eric Baker
The university students who get to a stage in their
studies, where they find it necessary to present their
findings, thoughts and ideas find it particularly useful
as several of them have commented in the past.
People who have been promoted or have changed
jobs and find that as part of their new role they
have to present to their colleagues or customers,
are another group who benefit. The people who
have had a change in their social lives perhaps,
have become a committee member or chair of an
organisation, or become a parish or local councillor,
or perhaps become captain of the golf club. For
those people who find they’re going to have to do
something that fills them with dread, something
very scary - to stand up and talk to a group of people,
they need something extra to help them prepare .
I
’ve just returned from an interesting trip abroad
and at some point during that period it occurred
to me how scary some things can seem ( I
really don’t know what put the thought into my
mind! ). A great many people find addressing an
audience the most frightening thing they can
imagine. Being a bit nervous before speaking
in public is very natural and having those
“butterflies” in your stomach means we get the
adrenaline running to help us perform at our best.
I heard a story many years ago about a great
Shakespearian actor ( it may have been Sir
Laurence Olivier - not sure about that ) and this
actor at the height of his fame was asked if he still
got nervous before going on stage “Oh yes “, he
said “ I still get nervous but those nerves ensure
I give the best performance I can possibly give “.
It’s very easy to find an advertisement offering
public speaking training courses which cost several
hundred pounds and no doubt these courses
are very good but I assume most of you would
agree, learning to be a better public speaker is
the same as learning/improving in any new skill improvement comes by doing it, by practising. Our
ASC network of clubs provides this opportunity.
Our Speakers Guide offers a range of assignments
which encourage people to concentrate on
particular elements of giving a speech. Helping
them to develop a well rounded speech. Our system
of feedback is a big part of that development.
In sales and marketing there’s something called
U.S.P. which stands for Unique Selling Point. Our
U.S.P. is we either ask a member to move on to the
next assignment or ask them to repeat the speech
again with the benefit of the advice given in the
evaluation.
My understanding of other organisations that
offer club membership is they do not all ask
people to redo a speech even if it did not reach
the required standard. So at the end of say
ten speeches someone receives a certificate
That’s why our clubs are so important in providing which is worthless because unlike our system
a safe haven for people to practice. That’s why all of there is no guarantee a member has improved !
our members are doing b such a great job running
these clubs and providing help, support and So keep doing the fantastic job you’re doing,
encouragement.
for all those people who need a place to turn
the scary into something not quite so scary.
Probably the most important part of the support
we give to new members is our system of feedback. EricBaker
The evaluations we give to advise the really strong National Vice President
points about their speech and how they can improve
their presentations to be even better in the future.
6
The Speaker
Issue 96 Spring 2017
OBITUARY
1939 – 2017
O
CORNWALL CALLING BY
SKYPE !
S
tarting a Club in Cornwall is a distinct
possibility following a “Skype In” to a Wigan
& District Speakers Club night by interested
people in Cornwall. Contact through the new
ASC website saw enquirer Hayley Stanton express
an interest in getting a Club off the ground in
Cornwall. Given that the nearest Club to the
Cambourne/Truro area, where Hayley lives, is
more than 2 hours away an invitation to “Skype”
join an ASC Speakers Club meeting was eagerly
accepted. So Hayley and her friend, Daniel,
joined a special “A10” evening at the Wigan &
District Speakers Club to get a feel for how an
ASC Speakers Club works. The Skype session
was a real success. Hayley and Daniel were able
to join in and chat to Club members at various
times as well as watch the Club in action. Hayley
commented how much they had enjoyed the
Club night, the speeches and the Club’s relaxed
atmosphere.
n 1st February, a memorial service was held
at the St Catherine’s Church Burbage for
Brenda Wray, attended by members of the
ASC Midlands District, the Barwell (Cedars) Speakers
Club, the Women’s Institute and friends.
Brenda was married to Harry in 1967 and was
widowed in 1988. She was librarian at the Walsgrove
Hospital Coventry until 2002. Brenda joined the
Barwell Speakers Club in 1990 and immediately
became part of the wider speakers’ community.
No job was out of Brenda’s reach; she took on the
job of education in 1991, after the sad death of the
previous education secretary. After that nothing was
beyond her. She enjoyed the responsibilities of office
as well as the social side becoming President in 1995,
Midlands District President in 2000 and then District
Secretary until 2010.
Brenda’s other abiding interests were: her cat Kelly
who always welcomed her home after work, the
neighbours saying they could set their clocks by Kelly
appearing at the end of the drive; the local theatre;
the Women’s Institute where she became President in
2012. She was also secretary of the ‘Market Bosworth
& Hinckley Farm Competitions’ for five years from
2005. Brenda kept a strong interest in Speakers Club
to the last becoming President again in 2005 and
2011 and Secretary of the Barwell Club until her sad
death in July last year
The Speaker
Wigan & District Club President Tim Bleazard
Skyping with Hayley and Daniel
Now Hayley and the ASC are discussing how starting
a Club in Cornwall can proceed. Hayley has got a
number of people interested and a venue sourced.
Inevitably there will be a few challenges to get
the Club off the ground not least of which will be
evaluation of speakers but “Evaluation by Skype” is
next on the Agenda! Discussions continue – watch
this space !!
Issue 96 Spring 2017
7
Dates For Your Diary
Northern District Conference 11 March 2017
Midlands District Conference 12 March 2017
North Western District Conference 12 March 2017
Sou Sou West District Conference 19 March 2017
South East District Conference 19 March 2017
Garstang Ladies Charter Dinner 21 March 2017
Glasgow Speakers Club 80 Anniversary Dinner, Grand Hotel Glasgow 31 March 2017
NOTTINGHAM SPEAKERS CLUB BRANCHES OUT
A
t Nottingham Speakers Club we are proud
of the fact that we have a very diverse
membership in terms of age, sex, ethnicity
and experience; one reason for this is the success
we have in attracting new visitors to the club and
converting many of them into members. We are
always on the lookout for ways to interact with
other organisations and this continued in 2016.
We became aware that the University of
Nottingham has a Public Speaking Society for
students and made contact with them in June
initially, then again in September after term
started. (As a learning point for us, 3 emails went
unanswered so we decided to contact them via
Twitter and got a response within 10 minutes –
use the right communication channels for your
audience!)
We had a couple of exploratory meetings with
their President and Vice-President and have now
collaborated with them in a couple of ways. Their
president was a guest judge at our Speech Contest,
and we have also attended one of their meetings
in November 2016 where one our members gave a
speech which was evaluated by our Vice President.
At the same meeting, we also ran a session on
“rapid speech construction” using the ASC model.
The meeting at the public speaking Society was
successful for everyone involved. They were
impressed with the structured way the ASC
operates, particularly the assignment structure
and the chance to progress through it. We thought
the way they gave group feedback after each
speech was excellent, and we trialled this very
successfully at our last club meeting of the year
and again in January. It worked very well and we
8
The Speaker
will be repeating it.
We will also continue to develop our relationship
with them and also see if we can do the same with
the other university in the city, Nottingham Trent.
We have invited their members to visit and join
our club. Although many of them will move away
from Nottingham after Graduation, once they are
ASC members they may join a club in their new
location.
We are looking at opportunities to collaborate
with other organisations, and have identified
employees of large companies as a potential
source of new members. The rationale behind
this is that public speaking/presenting is almost
universally recognised as a key skill for employees,
but in testing financial times, companie’s training
budget is often the first thing to be slashed.
We believe we are a fantastic alternative to high
cost training providers. We know from what our
members say that progressing through the ASC’s
structured programme really does work. We will be
contacting local employers to see if we can work
together in some way and asking them to promote
our club to their employees.
This includes one of the major employers in the
area – an international energy supplier - where
one of our members works. He is looking at ways
to set up a group within the company, using the
ASC model and including input from Nottingham
Speakers Club members. We are looking forward
to seeing how this link-up progresses.
Issue 96 Spring 2017
Association of Speakers Club - Nomura
T
he Nomura Public Speaking Society
established in 2015 has grown significantly
since that time. Our first few sessions were
good practice, but the society required structure
and a curriculum so we decided to partner with
the Association of Speakers Clubs (ASC). In order
to finance our ASC membership, two members of
the Nomura public speaking committee delivered
our first ever pitch for funding to the Nomura
Sports, Arts and Social programme. Fortunately,
we were granted funding and that’s where our
journey began.
To mark our journey, we decided to ask three of
our current members to illustrate how the club has
influenced their personal and work lives:
Graham Street – Vice President, Nomura (ASC
Chair Nomura)
“The Public Speaking Society was a response to
our CEO’s call for ideas on how we can improve
communication at Nomura. Over 15 years ago, I
joined a club that acted as a forum to allow people
to practice speaking in front of a crowd. It allowed
me to combat my biggest fear, which was public
speaking and allowed me to become a more
confident person. If it helped me, then I felt sure
it could help others and so the Nomura Public
Speaking Society was created with the help of my
colleagues.”
Imran Akhtar - Vice President, Nomura
“Public speaking has been something that I have
been looking to get into for a number of years.
The increasing number of meetings that I attend
with software vendors and senior management
meant that I needed to convey complex messages
succinctly, whilst keeping the audience engaged.
Additionally, it is important that I fully utilise the
limited time I have with these audiences. The
Nomura Public Speaking Society has helped me
to practice and hone these skills and I am now
on my way to completing my 5th assignment. It’s
a very friendly society that provides constructive
feedback in a supportive and independent manner,
helping members to grow both professionally and
personally.”
The Speaker
Angel Sequeira – Apprentice, Nomura
“The Nomura Public Speaking Society has enhanced
my communication skills through getting involved
in various roles. I’ve used the group as a medium to
unleash my passion for creativity. Examples include
my sales pitch for “Motivation”, looking to sell it as a
free product, and demonstrating the importance of
body language with a dramatization of how being
late and unprepared comes across through nonverbal means. I am going to be completing my 5th
speech and having hosted a session, I am now a
more capable and confident public speaker thanks
to the encouraging and constructive environment.”
So, what does the future hold in store for Nomura’s
Public Speaking Society? Well, we’re excited to say
that we have a regular influx of new members.
We are also looking to organise events with the
Debating Society here at Nomura to learn from
each other. Finally, our dream is to one day fill the
auditorium at Angel Lane and present to a wider
audience in a Public Speaking session.
Issue 96 Spring 2017
9
It’s all change in North Pennine Area
W
ith the number of people attending North
Pennine Area Conferences dropping
each year, Area President Rob Millard
proposed a quite radical change.
His reasons centred around:Nobody seemed to want to go to the AGM.
Younger members didn’t want to give up their
Sundays,
The same people entered for and won the contests
every year
And more....
And so the new format was set up to centre around
a Saturday evening buffet supper at Pleasington
Golf Club, our usual conference venue.
There was an early evening start with the Evauation
Contest
This was swiftly followed by the Topics Contest.
The Buffet Supper was enjoyed by all and gave the
opportunity for general chat and catching up with
friends.
Then instead of After Dinner Speeches we had the
Speech Contest.
Surprise! Surprise! Although we had an almost full
turnout for the Committee meeting, only one extra
person arrived for the AGM.
So what was the verdict on the change?
It was an enjoyable event with new people entering
for the contests. They learned a lot and went away
determined to ”do better next time” They met
people they hadn’t met before and learned a bit
about the structure of the Area.
Moving the AGM meant that people attended the
event who had no interest in the business side
of things and the few who wanted to attend the
AGM had the opportunity to do so on a separate
occasion if they wished.
Of course it wasn’t a popular change with everyone.
Some preferred the Sunday event and didn’t like
the idea of moving it to a Saturday evening. Quite
obviously the AGM wasnt a big enough draw to
drag people out on a January evening.
So what happened to the AGM? - You may be
asking.
Hopefully the new regime next year may try again
-or they may return to the Status Quo.
We all try to bring about the changes which will
make the organisation more vibrant and attractive
enough to maintain interest.
You win some and you lose some.
We decided to hold that immediately after our
normal January Area Committee meeting.
Gwyneth Millard
North Pennine Area Secretary
Being prepared when your programme changes
H
as someone cancelled their speech at
the eleventh hour? Did your Topics Chair
apologise sincerely, but they can’t attend?
Life happens and these issues arise. Don’t panic.
The real trick is being prepared. We have tried to
put forward some ideas to help chairs:
1. Selling ice to the eskimos. Add a bit of charm to
the meeting, ask people to reach into a pre-prepared
grab-bag of your odds ‘n’ ends from home, and ask
speakers to sell these items to the audience.
2. Lengthening your topics. People always need to
be challenged, and sometimes we get used to the
length that we always do.
speak on why they (as that celebrity) should survive
the sinking hot air balloon ride. The audience then
votes on who should survive.
4. Call for a neighbouring guest star. Ask another
local club if anyone there can speak. It might be a
speech they gave at a previous session, but no one
at your club will have heard it before! And its great
practice for them.
5. Partially prepared spontaneity. At the beginning
of your session, give a speech title and nominate
or ask for people to deliver. They could then take
15 minutes away to write the speech and deliver it
later in the session.
3. Celebrity balloon debate. Drop ten famous
names into a hat. Ask people to pull a name out and
10
The Speaker
Issue 96 Spring 2017
CANADA CALLING !
O
ver 2300 miles away, in a corner of Canada,
a new ASC Speakers Club is beginning
life. Corner Brook is the setting for the
new Club, a little town with a population around
20,000, located on the west coast of the island of
Newfoundland and Labrador.
An enquiry to the new ASC website late last year,
by Maureen Mennie, Corner Brook Club official,
has resulted in the Corner Brook Toastmasters Club
now becoming an ASC affiliated Club. Maureen
originally hails from Aberdeen and on a recent visit
back to her roots she heard about the ASC and
made contact. After numerous e mails between
the UK and Canada and liaising with other Corner
Brook Club members, the Club took the unanimous
decision to leave Toastmasters and join the ASC.
Maureen says “Corner Brook was a paper mill town
but as the University at Grenfell College grew the mill
declined and now this town is mostly a university
place. There are 400 International students here.
The Club aims to help international students as well
as the English speaking and interested members of
the community along with a bunch of new Articled
Clerks as you would call young lawyers in their last
year before being accepted to the Bar. We have the
HQ of the West Coast and Labrador Legal System
here with Provincial Judges and the Federal Gov.
of Canada, Supreme Court of Newfoundland and
Labrador with its 4 Supreme Court Justices of which
my younger daughter is one. It is amazing how
many young lawyers, including young teachers
and business people, seem to think anyone can
speak in public without practice. They usually find
that embarrassing moment when every thing goes
horribly wrong and they appear at our meetings.
We hope to teach them. We can receive help at
Corner Brook,
Newfoundland, Canada
meetings from the Computer Science Department
of Grenfell for power point instruction and Vocal
coaching from the Theatre School.
Your organisation seems to be just what we
require. I have the rather ridiculous idea of an
“across the pond” Speakers Night”. We do go out
into the community as speakers and judges for
school debates and Speaking Competitions and I
spoke recently to the Provincial Government and
Board of Trade, as well as The Toast to Scotland at
the Newfoundland Heritage Society Dinner. An
evening of transplanted Scottish merriment where
I spoke, tongue in cheek about the Scottish lack
of humour. It went down well with lots of people
weeping with laughter - or maybe just weeping!”
Welcome Corner Brook to the ASC !
The Case of the Disappearing Orator
S
herlock aficionados will have noted that
mastermind Moriarty, Benedict Cumberbatch is
Speedy’s Sandwich Bar and Cafe is playing
reputed to have responded “I haven’t a clue!”
a key role (as opposed to BLT roll) in the
current BBC series. It can now be revealed that
Submitted by a waistcoat-wearing former Sou
this establishment may or may not be owned by
Sou West District President who wishes to remain
a leading Newport SC member and holder for life
anonymous.
of the ASC’s Virtual Speech trophy. When asked
whether Nigel Speedy could in fact be the criminal
The Speaker
Issue 96 Spring 2017
11
Visitor Attraction and Conversion
I
n the summer of 2016 Sutton Coldfield
Speakers’ Club lost five members for various
different reasons and we decided that a
recruitment drive was necessary to maintain
the vibrancy and effectiveness of the club.
We took a two-pronged approach to this
campaign – publicity to attract people to visit
the club and slight changes to the format of
our meetings to convert those visitors into
members.
Publicity
•
•
•
•
12
Our website (http://www.suttonspeakers.
co.uk/) underwent a revamp to make it
more informative, welcoming and easier
to navigate. A new innovation was the
Testimonials page which contains pictures of
some of our members, plus accounts in their
own words of why they joined the club and
what it’s done for them. The site also has a
Visit Us page which includes a contact form
for people to ask any questions or to let us
know they wish to attend a meeting. People
use this form as an easy first contact method.
Approximately every six weeks a report of
the Club’s activities is sent to the local free
newspaper, The Sutton Coldfield Observer.
The report is published on the paper’s Clubs
and Societies’ page and is a reminder to the
local community that we exist and welcome
visitors. The same report is also sent to a local
news website and appears on the Blog page
of our club website.
Prior to each meeting an announcement
of the date and time is posted on the
neighbourhood forum Streetlife (https://
www.streetlife.com/). This forum appears
to be more effective than broad social
media like Twitter or Facebook because it
is very local in its nature. Anyone can sign
up to Streetlife with their postcode and
email address, and they are automatically
connected with the Streetlife users in their
local area.
The club also has a Facebook page (https://
www.facebook.com/Sutton-SpeakersClub-491197241057567/) and a Twitter
account (@SuttonSpeakers) but they don’t
seem to work well as a recruitment tool for
us. However, we would welcome ‘likes’ and
‘follows’ from other clubs or individuals!
The Speaker
Meeting Format
•
Our program of speakers, evaluators etc. for
each meeting also includes a greeter. The role of
the greeter is to hover near the door before the
meeting begins and take care of any visitors who
may arrive. The greeter will ask the visitor to put
their contact details in our visitors’ book and to
pay a £2 visitors’ fee.
•
Before the main program gets underway,
first-time visitors are invited to stand up and
introduce themselves with a few sentences
about their job, hobby, family or whatever they
feel is relevant. The purpose of this is to make
the visitor quickly feel part of the meeting and
also that they have started on their speaking
journey.
•
During the interval the Topics Chair will chat
with any visitors and ask if they would like to
take part in the Topics session. He may allow
them to choose their topic in advance from
his selection so that the fear of the unknown is
removed. Alternatively, first time visitors might
elect to use their Topics slot to expand a little
more on the introduction they made earlier. If a
visitor chooses not to speak at all that’s fine.
•
At the end of the meeting visitors will be asked
how they found the meeting and encouraged
to come again next time. We try to ensure that
visitors experience a warm, friendly and open
club, free from cliques.
•
When visitors convert into members we get
them on the program as soon as possible with
an ‘ice-breaker’ speech. This is a soft introduction
to doing a main speech and comes before the
manual assignments. It is shorter than a main
speech which means, if necessary, it can be
slipped into an already full program and get the
new member taking part as soon as possible.
There is no magic formula for attracting visitors
and then converting them into members but the
above points have helped Sutton Coldfield Speakers’
Club gain nine new members between September
1st 2016 and January 31st 2017, bringing our total
membership up to twenty-four. We now have the
challenge of ensuring that all members get enough
benefit and enjoyment from the club to sign up for
another twelve months!
Sally Jenkins
Issue 96 Spring 2017
Interview with Debra Owen Hughes
reating and launching new clubs is an
C
essential part of growth for the ASC. We
interview Debra Owen Hughes, life long
She’s even taken the minutes at a District AGM when
we couldn’t find anyone. I always say she’s the best
member we never had.
member of Wimbledon speakers club, to share
For all our readers who might be thinking that can
her story of opening up Clubs across the UK.
see a gap in an area, or want to start up a club closer
Hi Debra, you are well known for launching to home - what are the five things you absolutely
London clubs. What gave you this drive to start must do when creating a new ASC club?
up the clubs?
1) Get the club on the internet. That’s where people in
Mostly because there wasn’t one near to where my area go to look for a club.
I lived at the time. I thought it was something I
would be able to do successfully. I feel really 2) Find a suitable place for the area near a station and
ardent about the survival of the organisation a bar.
and helping it to grow; keeping it healthy, stable
and vibrant. We are brilliant, aren’t we? I haven’t 3) Call on neighbouring clubs to spread the load then
met a single person since 1996 who said to me you have a bank of helpers and it’s not too onerous on
‘that blooming speakers organisation has done them.
nothing for me, it’s rubbish!’
4) Find an admin person to take on the
paperwork/capitation matters, if like
Ha! I’m glad we receive such
me, you’re rubbish at it.
positive feedback. For you, why do
you think it is so important to start
5) NEVER think for a moment you’re
up or resurrect the ASC speakers
not going to succeed…NEVER.
clubs?
It’s important to keep the
Association going, if we keep
declining in numbers there won’t be
an ASC, we’ll either all drift off and
join Zumba or defect elsewhere! It’s
important to me because I really
love the ASC; it’s been a part of my
life for over twenty years, so we
have a history. You can help people
in a million ways and helping them
to communicate better is just one
way of helping others.
Do you have a specific process that you follow?
What would you say to someone who
is thinking of starting up a new club?
Get started! If you think it’s your thing
(competitions don’t really float my
boat), it’s a wonderful feeling to see
strangers coming through the door
feeling nervous and apprehensive and
a few months or years later seeing them
taking office and speaking confidently
and possibly becoming your friends.
How has the ASC helped you?
It’s obviously helped me in my career and personal
life. I can complain in a shop within two minutes with
a message, a little humour and one or two quality
gestures! I married an ASC member (divorced an ASC
member) and in times of trouble when I really needed
to be among friends it helped me make sense of this
weird wonderful life we live. It really is like an old friend.
I remember when Princess Diana died, the Chair at
Wimbledon opened the meeting with ‘we can do little
to change the sad events but we can together take
our mind off them for a couple of hours’. That helped
us all, as I remember at the time. And lying. The ASC
has taught me to lie! By teaching me this skill I have
helped other members to fib with conviction. I often
What’s your best tip for building up a say when I am chairing, ‘I’ve never met such a bunch of
convincing liars in all my life - you’re brilliant!’
membership base?
Yes I do, I have to or else I will burn out. I give the
Association one dedicated year of my time to be
focussed on a new club and one year only. This
helps me to address what’s needed at the end of
a year. At the end of a year I need a competent
committee to pass the baton on to and an
end of year dinner to have a glass of bubbly to
celebrate and cement a new club. Social events
are important I find. I always try to start a club
near to a bar where we can all go to after a
meeting. That’s where many plans, allegiances
and friendships are formed.
NEVER think that you’re not going to succeed,
NEVER. You have a shed load of resources at
your fingertips: alliances in and outside of the
Association, neighbouring clubs, members and
friends. I have one old school friend who has
no interest in joining or speaking but can carry
out any one of the roles on a club night. She has
been cajoled into helping out for me many times.
The Speaker
What’s your favourite quote for life?
Well it’s my own really but it puts all the angst, nerves
and worry out of taking up an ASC participating role.
It doesn’t matter you’ll be ok.
You deliver a duff speech - it doesn’t matter; your
evaluation wasn’t at its best - it doesn’t matter, whatever
it is - it doesn’t matter you’ll be ok.
Issue 96 Spring 2017
13
Top ten ways to gain new members at your Speakers Club
Here is a list of other things we have done at Skipton:
1. Put up posters. I make posters. With the TITLE
WORDS in print that is BIG enough to be read from
the other side of the street: no - the other side
of a dual carriageway!! Thanks to club members
for displaying them. If we could put up twice as
many posters I know we would get more people.
“Thank you Skipton’s fantastic British Rail noticeboard! You’ve gained us at least 5 members over
the years.”
2. Articles to the press, especially with photos. The
Local Press is good (if rather random) at printing
our reports of events and upcoming meetings.
I was proud of the picture I sent of three new
members last year – all young men – and all who
had joined in connection with giving wedding
speeches. I sent the article to other magazines
too.
S
harp eyed readers may recall in the last issue
of the Speaker’s Magazine the photograph
of Craven Speakers Club members taking
to the streets to publicise their Club.
Here they share their “Top ten ways to gain new
members at your Speakers Club”
3. Sending emails to local colleges, firms,
supermarkets etc, asking them to publicise the
club. This so far has produced zero success. Zero.
But, never, never, never give up!
4. Personal contact: .. this just happens. Or does it?
Judith Allinson, of Craven Speakers Club, Skipton,
N Yorks, which recently celebrated its 50th
Anniversary, writes:
Do you wish your club had more participants?
Are you concerned about your club and looking
for ways to gain more members?
One sunny day in August 2016 three members
of Craven Speakers Club took to the streets
of Skipton, complete with sandwich boards,
brochures, banners, broad smiles and bonny
Edwardian hats to promote our local club. And
a camera: ready to illustrate both a press release
and a letter on the “Letters to the Editor” page,
extolling the invaluable benefits of attending
Speakers Clubs for the individuals of Skipton”. At
the end I’ll tell you how we got on.
5. Website: our website may be old fashioned, but it
is up to date as far as news of next events, which
is what counts. And just because it is there! It
(along with the ASC site) has brought people in.
Two of our wedding young men came that way.
14
6. “Meet up” on the internet. We run that. Our club
Meet Up posts look thin because only two or
three members of our actual club take part. We
hear that other clubs have gained members this
way. We’ll keep trying.
The Speaker
Issue 96 Spring 2017
Spilling the beans
on evaluations
cont...
7. Social Media: We have a twitter account @
cravenspeakers, and I forward/retweet ASC
Facebook messages. I make my posters into pdfs,
then jpgs and post them on twitter
An expert workshop - by Pamela at
Loughborough Speakers Club
8. Local radio: Julian Hotchkiss from Dales Radio
(www.dalesradio.co) came and led an excellent
oughborough speakers couldn’t have asked
workshop for our group opening evening in
for a better start to the New Year as we
September. He is keen for us to send him messages
welcomed Lindsay Dutch, past National
recorded on a Smartphone or computer about
upcoming events. I have heard myself three times President of the ASC, to the throng. Lindsay
delivered a fantastic workshop on how to deliver
with the same announcement already.
an evaluation. He reminded us all that evaluation
is absolutely fundamental for helping others to
learn and improve their speaking performances.
L
Lindsay also said that evaluating and assessing
others shouldn’t be as difficult as we make it out to
be. For instance, we appraise all sorts of situations
in our daily lives. Lindsay took as an example –
going to a restaurant. We consider the service, the
quality of the food, the ambience of the venue, the
food itself, and more! If they can be improved we
often have to consider how we address these issues
politely, kindly, and so it improves next time.
Speaking to an audience in any given scenario
can be fraught with criticism - and it is important
to be able to assess and evaluate the situation.
For speakers, having a meaningful evaluation
will encourage them to recognise potential
improvements without demoralising them to the
9. I carried out a survey of how our members heard extent they do not wish to continue.
about the club and why they continue to attend.
One day I will write an article about the results. Of course when there is an evaluation workshop
From what two people wrote, I feel we need to – there is always a ‘practice go’ for attendees. And
be EVEN more helpful to new people .. even the when there is a ‘practice go’ – there is an associated
ones who appear to us to be superconfident and target speaker. In this instance, an associate of the
give good speeches. .. (they might be just better tutor bravely gave a speech to be evaluated by the
at hiding their fears).
whole club.
10.Hold a stall in Skipton Town Hall, and at St Peters This daring speech was entitled “Flushed with
Church, Cross Hills.
Success”. This was an interesting dialogue covering,
Well, did our photoshoot with banners round Skipton as you might expect from the title, the history of
gain more members? Five extra people came from the Water Closet. We had humour, we had gestures,
the publicity in the paper. Interestingly, all had also we had facts ranging from Roman times to the
heard about the club beforehand – personal contact, present day. Certain descriptions left us grateful for
the railway station poster, and a previous newspaper the modern luxuries of today.
article. One of the 5 has joined.
Lindsay divided us into three groups; one to relay
But I am not depressed. There is often a huge lag the positive points, one to offer suggestions on
in time between people seeing a poster or hearing improvements (with examples, of course) and
of an activity, and then actually acting on it. Our one to offer advice for future speeches. A great
sandwich boards in the sunshine at Skipton will bear exercise, to remind us all to give improvements
results in six month’s time, provided we keep doing as it’s something which is often more difficult to
the publicity.
undertake.
Moral? Be persistent. We have to keep doing the A very good start to the New Year and we would
publicity. Members of other clubs, please tell us thoroughly recommend your Club approaching
what activities have worked for you.
Lindsay and the National Training team to ask
for workshops in your area. You can do this by
contacting the education team on speakeruk2@
gmail.com
The Speaker
Issue 96 Spring 2017
15
Speak to Change - Tom Scott
W
hat are we trying to achieve when we
deliver a speech? Inform the audience
of our thoughts and opinions? Persuade
the audience that our idea is correct? Entertain
the audience with wit, humour and irony?
Perhaps even pay tribute to one of our heroes
explaining to the audience why they are worthy
of recognition? It is all of these changes and
more. Every time we speak we should be looking
to change our audience in some way. We have a
process that can facilitate this learning in all ASC
clubs – Prescription Speaking.
Why bother?
There are several reasons why every club should be
offering Prescription Speaking to their members:
•
This process is attractive to young professionals
and business people who may need immediate
support with their communication skills.
•
Audiences may be more attentive since they
will have a decision to make at the end of the
speech!
•
Evaluations can be improved because they will
have more information available to them earlier
(purpose, objective, audience decision).
1. Speaker chooses a broad purpose – Inform,
Persuade, Entertain or Pay Tribute
•
2. Speaker defines specified objective – Example:
“I will persuade this audience that karate is the
greatest of all the martial arts.”
Experienced members have a fresh challenge
and after 6 successes you are awarded the
Certificate in Applied Public Speaking.
•
The level of difficulty is set between the speaker
and the audience. My club rightly demands
more of me than they would of a new member!
What does it look like?
On pages 63 – 71 of the Speakers Guide you will
find instructions for Prescription Speaking. It is an
approach that complements our traditional offer
but focuses the speaker on achieving change rather
than satisfying technical criteria:
3. The audience is informed of the above and the
speaker delivers their speech with the option
of taking questions at the end and or being
evaluated against a traditional assignment.
4. The speaker turns away and the audience
decide by show of hands if the speaker has
achieved their specified objective. If a traditional
assignment was also being attempted then an
evaluator will decide if they have successfully
completed the assignment.
16
to achieve change in our audience. Prescription
Speaking offers the opportunity to practise
achieving change every time we speak.
The above is only a brief summary of the process but
already it’s clear that “Prescription Speaking” does
not compete with the traditional approach. The
skills that we develop by going through sections
‘A’ and ‘C’ of the Speakers Guide give us the tools
The Speaker
Whether new or experienced I urge you all to look
again at prescription speaking. It complements our
traditional offer and is a powerful, innovative tool
for bridging the gap between speaking inside a club
and speaking outside a club. We exist to increase
people’s skills, confidence and understanding of
public speaking. We also exist to develop speakers
who can change their audience through the power
of the spoken word.
Tom Scott
National Education Director
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @ASC_Education
Issue 96 Spring 2017
This Time Next Year – one member’s story of change
H
ave you seen it? A new programme hosted
by Davina McCall following the lives of
people who wish to change their life in some
shape or form. The 2 November 2016 programme
was a very special edition as it featured a previous
Wharfedale Speakers Club member, James
Tennant.
This is his story:
I remember I started to struggle with my speech
around the age of four, and it quickly became
apparent to those around me that there was a
stammer there.
Growing up, it seemed to get worse as I got older.
I vividly remember times at primary school where
my speech held me back and stopped me from
doing the simple things in life that everyone else
takes for granted.
At secondary school, as you become a little older
and start growing up, my speech had a big impact
on my life. I couldn’t be the person I wanted to be.
I did okay at school, and then went onto Leeds
Trinity University in 2009 to study BA (Hons) Sports
Journalism without really being able to speak. It is a
bizarre feeling knowing the words you want to say
but not being able to say them. And unless you’re
a stammerer yourself, you cannot truly understand
what someone is going through.
It can be a
frustrating, lonely, isolating existence.
But in 2012, for the first time in my life, I found my
voice. That was thanks to a speech therapy course
called The McGuire Programme. Physically, it
focuses on your breathing and taking a breath from
your costal diaphragm. Psychologically, you focus
on mental strategies of assertive self-acceptance
The Speaker
and non-avoidance to help control your stammer.
It has been a long road, but it’s all worth it because
I’m able to say the words I want to say. I no longer
have to be scared of speaking. I am now a Certified
Primary Coach on the programme, and I’m honoured
to be in a position where I can give something back
to people going through what I once went through.
In September 2015, I began filming for a show on
ITV 1 called ‘This Time Next Year’, presented by
Davina McCall. I had a camera crew follow me at
various stages over the past year, and at the end
of the year I went back to my old school to give an
inspirational talk about the battle with my speech
at Austin Friars, Carlisle.
The programme was an overwhelming experience.
To have my story broadcast across the country, I’m
delighted to have been able to raise the awareness
of stammering.
So many strangers have taken the time to get in
touch with messages of support, saying I’m an
inspiration for the future etc.
As for the future, who knows! Watch this space.
We at Wharfedale SC are so proud of the progress
James has made and wish him every success with
all future endeavours.
Michelle Pride
President
Wharfedale Speakers Club
Issue 96 Spring 2017
17
ASC NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Hilton Hotel Gatwick Airport
21st - 23rd April 2017
The national conference is a fantastic opportunity.
It’s a chance to see some of the Association’s and
the country’s finest speakers. It’s a chance to learn
and also a chance to relax, enjoy the company of
friends old and new, and to sample some great
new experiences. This year’s conference, being
held at the Gatwick Hilton in the heart of Sussex, is
certainly going to be no exception.
A smorgasbord of delights
For 2017, the local clubs of south east have
collaborated to bring together a weekend packed
with entertainment. There will be a selection of
Sussex delights and educational opportunities to
make all members and their guests feel welcome
and to ensure the conference is one to remember.
Events will get under way on the afternoon of
Friday the 21st April, with the heady combination
of prose, sparkling wine and diamonds! A poetry
reading and demonstration of use of voice on
Friday afternoon is a great chance to get into the
swing of things and will build up to the Topics
Contest at 7.15pm.
As our Topics contestants start to relax, local,
award winning wine producers, Bolney Estates,
will be offering you chance to sample some of their
finest wines. With food pairing recommendations
and a sprinkling of the vineyard’s history, the wine
tasting will be complemented by a very sparkling
presentation.
As you unwind with a glass of bubbly, charismatic
and award winning jeweler and diamond expert
Dominic Sakakini, will take you through the
fascinating history of diamonds. All while you
18
The Speaker
handle and enjoy some priceless gems from his
collection.
A journey of exploration
The headline act of Saturday at conference is
always the Speech contest but it’s also a great
opportunity to learn and explore. With Wakehurst
Place (part of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew)
right on our doorstep, on Saturday morning there’s
a chance for your guests to explore the 465 acres of
ornamental gardens, woodland and nature reserve
as well as the Elizabethan Mansion and Millennium
Seedbank at Wakehurst.
While a stroll around Wakehurst provides plenty of
light exercise, for those who’re more interested in
cerebral matters, take a moment back at the Hilton
to experience Mindfulness. Angela Abbott is a local
complementary therapist as wells as a Progressive
Kinesiologist, Touch for Health (Kinesiology)
Practitioner and Reiki Master Teacher, and her
Mindfulness workshop is set to bring the perfect
calming balance to a weekend of education and
fun.
Mindfulness has been around for thousands of
years and Angela will explain what it is and how
you can reap the benefits, such as enjoying more
energy, an improved ability to concentrate, a
stronger immune system, better sleep or lower
levels of stress and anxiety.
A time for learning and dancing
Saturday afternoon is a time for learning and growth
with 3 seminars planned in two different sittings.
The subjects will be: Gain and Retain, delivered by
Lindsay Dutch and Margaret Robertson; Construct
Issue 96 Spring 2017
a Winning Speech, by Anne Bouget and James
McGinty and Evaluation for Learning, by Dilwyn
Scott and Caitlin Johnstone.
The day will wind down with a 3 course Gala
dinner, a game of heads and tails, a raffle of some
fabulous prizes as well as speeches from some of
the Association’s finest. Live entertainment in the
shape of Norman Nuttal, our humorous after dinner
raconteur will then get you ready for a night on the
dance floor with a disco. The bar and the dance
floor will be open into the night.
preferential rates.
To get the preferential day rates you need to book
parking through the hotel providing your name
and registration. You will find booking form on
the hotel website when you book your conference
place.
A chance to unwind
As the conference draws to a close on Sunday, there
will be an ecumenical service in the morning and of
course, a chance to enjoy and learn from the much
awaited Evaluation contest, before attendees head
home.
Beautiful Sussex
The garden of England, Sussex is within easy reach
of both London and the sandy beaches of the south
coast. Blessed with picturesque countryside and
cradled by the South and North Downs, it’s a great
corner of the UK to escape to. With vibrant Brighton
and its many attractions, the cultural centre of
Chichester and many historic sites such as Arundel
castle, Goodwood, Petworth House and Amberely,
it’s a wonderful place if you want to extend your
stay.
Accommodation
The prestigious and award winning Gatwick Hilton
Hotel couldn’t be more conveniently located
whether you’re travelling by car, by train or by
air. Right in the heart of the airport, the Hotel has
fabulous facilities including two restaurants (one a
la carte), two bars and a fitness room.
Booking
It is essential to book. Conference place prices are
clearly indicated on the booking form. You will
find a booking form for Wakehurst on the website
when you book your conference place. Please note
the visit to Wakehurst will be subject to minimum
numbers and refundable if not reached.
Accommodation can be booked for the Friday and
Saturday night at preferential rates (£67pn single
occupancy, £77pn double occupancy) using the
dedicated conference link below. You will be able
to check in to your rooms at 3pm and check out at
midday. The rooms are spacious and modern with
free Wifi in the public areas but chargeable Wifi in
bedrooms.
Rooms should be booked through the ASC
conference portal to obtain the special conference
rate. You do need to book the conference and hotel
rooms separately.
Travel and Parking
You can reach Gatwick by air, rail or car. The hotel is
a short walk from the south terminal and the main
line railway station for trains London. Please check
local services for any anticipated industrial action.
From the M25, Gatwick is just a 10-minute drive
via the M23. There is plenty of parking on site
but you do need to pre-book via the Hotel to get
The Speaker
Please book your conference place here; http://
www.speakersclubs.uk/members/
Please book your hotel room using the following
link:http://www.speakersclubs.uk/members/
site/downloads/forms/national/National%20
Conference%202017%20-%20B ook ing%20
Accomodation.pdf
On behalf of conference convener Chris Hindle and
the local clubs, we look forward to welcoming you
to Sussex and a very special conference 2017!
Issue 96 Spring 2017
19
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2017
Hilton Hotel Gatwick Airport
M
ost people would associate the venue
for the 2017 National Conference, the
Hilton Hotel in Gatwick, with the airport
and this would of course be true. However, not
many outside of the area would realise or have
been acquainted with the hotel’s exceptional
conference facilities. As Finance Director with
the largest private sector employer in the
Gatwick area, I have been to many successful
conferences and parties there.
Further Afield:
Depending on the length of your visit, Gatwick
is an excellent point from which to explore the
wider region.
20
London
From Gatwick visitors have a relatively
straightforward train journey into Central London
and the West End (Victoria or London Bridge
stations) and all its world famous attractions.
To the south of Gatwick are a plethora of other
alternatives.
South Downs National Park
From rolling hills to bustling market towns, the
stunning South Downs National Park’s landscapes
cover 1,600km2 of breath-taking views and hidden
gems. A rich tapestry of wildlife, landscapes,
tranquility and visitor attractions, weave together a
story of people and place in harmony.
South Downs
The Speaker
Issue 96 Spring 2017
Vineyards
Sussex boasts the largest and most densely
planted cluster of vineyards (23 in total) in the UK,
and the region has a similar warm climate and
soil types to Champagne. In fact, the chalk hills
of Champagne duck briefly under the Channel
and reappear in southern England, chalk being so
essential for drainage whilst retaining moisture in
the dry season.
The sunny, dry climate means that, as well as
award-winning reds, whites and rosés, East &
West Sussex vineyards produce sparkling wines
that regularly trounce French Champagnes in
international competitions and blind taste tests.
In addition, there is Brighton and its pebbled beach,
pier & Royal Pavilion (built in 1787 in an Indian
style as the seaside retreat of George IV, Prince of
Wales), Arundel Castle, the Goodwood Estate and
racecourse, Hastings and the 1066 battlefield, the
white cliffs at Dover and in Ashurst Forest in East
Sussex, AA Milne’s ‘Pooh Bridge’ from his famous
stories (why not partake in a game of ‘pooh sticks’).
We look forward to hosting and meeting you all at
the Gatwick Conference in April and we hope you
enjoy just some of what Sussex has to offer.
Chris Hindle
Conference Convener 2017
Wine tours are available around the local vineyards
of Denbies (Dorking) and Bolney (Haywards
Heath) a relatively short 30-minute drive away.
‘Pooh Bridge’
The Speaker
Issue 96 Spring 2017
21
ASC National Conference 2017
Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd April 2017
The 2017 National Conference will take place on the weekend of the 21st to 23rd April at the Hilton
Hotel, Gatwick. Costs of the rooms are:
Single Room £67
Double Room £77
Dinner £35 per person.
Rooms can be booked directly with the hotel.
Book sooner rather than later!
Gatwick Hilton
For conference details contact Conference Convenor Chris Hindle on
[email protected]
Running Order
Friday 21 April
2.30pm
4.00pm
7.00pm
7.15pm
8.30pm
Registration Desk Opens
Poetry reading (reading of poetry &
prose and the use of voice)
Welcome reception
Topics Contest & Presentation of
Trophies
‘Diamonds & Sparkling Wine’ event –
talk and wine tasting
Saturday 22 April
8.00am Registration Desk Opens
9.00 -11.00am AGM
9:30am - 12:00pm dependent on confirmed
numbers, visit to Wakehurst Place (nominal cost for
shared transport)
22
Beautiful botanic gardens located in West Sussex
and managed by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Set
in 465 acres of country estate, Wakehurst boasts
ornamental gardens, temperate woodlands, a
nature reserve, and an Elizabethan mansion. Also
home to the Millennium Seed Bank.
The Speaker
11:00am -12.00pm ‘Mindfulness Seminar
12.10pm – Lunch
1.15pm
2.05pm
3:00pm
One 45 minute Seminars on
One 45 minute seminar on
Speech Contest & Presentation of
Trophies
7:00pm Conference Bar opens
7:30pm Gala Dinner
9:00pm Speeches
9:30pm Norman Nuttall “Let me entertain you”
10.00pm Disco
12:30am Conference Bar closes
2:00am Main hotel bar closes
Sunday 23 April
8.45am
9.15am
9.45am
10:30am
Trophies
12:15pm
Registration Desk Opens
One 45 minute Seminar on
Ecumenical Service lead by Jo James
Evaluation Contest & Presentation of
Close of Conference
Issue 96 Spring 2017
Conference 2017
Hilton Hotel, Gatwick
South Terminal, Eastway, Gatwick RH6 0LL
21–23 April 2017
Conference Booking Form
Name
Address
Postcode
_Tel
Please print
Email
Delegate 1
Delegate 2
First name
Surname
Club or Guest
Members’ 3-day fee £30
Members’ day fee £10/day – Fri / Sat / Sun
(Please Indicate)
Guests’ 3-day fee £24
Guests’ day fee £8/day – Fri / Sat / Sun
(please indicate)
Saturday Lunch £10.00
Saturday Gala Dinner £35
Any Dietary Requirements
At the Gala Dinner, please seat me / us with
Voting Delegate (Y / N)
If yes, in what capacity?
Club, Area, District President, District VicePresident or National Officer
Clubs/Areas/Districts wishing to change their Voting Delegate should submit their “Change of Voting
Delegate” form.
Cheques payee ASC CONFERENCE ACCOUNT
Total Remittance
£_______________
ALL MEAL BOOKINGS SHOULD BE RECEIVED BY THURSDAY 7 APRIL 2017
Send completed form and cheque to Ravi Kalsi, 23 Harvester Close, Rainham, Kent ME8 8PB
Email: [email protected]
Or pay on line: Sort code 30 98 12
(Lloyds Bank Stockport)
a/c 13525468
(Association of Speakers Clubs, Conference a/c)
The Speaker
Issue 96 Spring 2017
23
New members –
considering a mentor?
E
loquent
debaters,
comic
performers
and hidden poets abound within the
metaphorical walls of the ASC. The beauty
of the organisation is that it offers a safe space, a
quiet harbour, where we all improve our oratory
performance.
But maybe we could take our teaching one step
further, at a more focused and singular level.
Couldn’t our more experienced members become
mentors for newer ones, and help them to find
their feet… or voice?
As a new member there are a host of opportunities
for you at the ASC, perhaps finding a mentor in your
club an extra element you could consider.
Firstly, what is a mentor?
A role model willing to help a ‘student’ develop
speaking competence through support, honesty,
consideration and reflective communication – that
is a mentor.
Don’t hide away. Every speech you give and every
topics session you attempt is an opportunity to
learn. While the speech evaluator will be giving
you feedback and advice, your mentor will know
exactly what to look for, and can measure your
improvements according to advice.
Enjoy it – maybe one day you will become one too!
National Training sessions
by Lindsay Dutch
M
embers of ten different Speakers Clubs
attended a seminar in Islington run by
Lindsay Dutch, the Interim National
Development Officer. It was a busy day with
presentations on better evaluation skills and
delivering better speeches.
These personal coaches are amazing people. For
one, they have a vast array of experience at their
fingertips, and stand ready to guide you through
your speaking journey.
Rosalie Harrop from York SC delivered a speech
which was evaluated by the whole group in a
break out session. She received a lot of very useful
feedback and the evaluators discovered new skills.
Using their experience, they can offer truly tailored
advice, supporting newer members to make fast
and effective improvements. Some might call them
critical friends, and others say they are ‘strategic
allies’ as they help you through more difficult times
offering guidance and support.
Paul Johnstone helped delegates to use Social
Media more effectively. Everyone agreed the value
of Facebook and Twitter in engaging with potential
new members as well as keeping current members
up to date.
Finding a mentor
It’s not always easy to find the right mentor. There
are a number of key specifics you must think of
first, including; your own traits and what you want
to work on, do you have a rapport, do you like the
way they speak, can they genuinely help you add
to your skills set?
For example, if you are using your ASC membership
to help you with your professional approach – you
might want to ask a fellow club member who
exudes that similar style.
On the flip side however, you might already have
a professional approach, but you really want help
injecting a tad more humour into it – then a more
comic performer may be able to assist. It’s a very
personal decision, and you must reflect on what
you want to achieve first, as well as whether you
get on well with the individuals.
Using your mentor wisely
24
Be prepared. You mentor has probably seen you
speaking a few times before, and may have some
advice or ideas you could try to improve.
Be frank. To get the most from your mentor you
have to dive straight in, tell them what you need
help improving on or where you lack confidence.
The Speaker
Debra Owen-Hughes told us how to start up new
clubs. She has a wealth of experience in this having
started several Clubs. You can see an interview with
her in this edition of the Speaker.
We had a very interesting discussion led by Keith
Dickerson on ways of gaining and retaining new
members. This is vitally important to the long term
future of the ASC and all the delegates learned
from this session.
Rob Heggie, South East District President ran a
session on taking office within the ASC. It’s not
always easy to find new Club Presidents or Area and
District presidents. Rob pointed out the pleasures
from helping members to gain more from their
membership.
National President Neil Harvey attended the day
and said that he had enjoyed it and gained a lot
of new ideas, which would drive the organisation
forward in the future. He was pleased with the
enthusiasm of the presenters and all the delegates.
Everyone joined in and added to the overall learning
opportunities and to the success of the day.
Issue 96 Spring 2017
Audience rapport is the answer…..what was the
question?
word pictures and metaphors as a device to connect
and resonate with audience and succeeded in
painting a picture of new bliss.
M
ost members struggle to surpass
Assignment 9 (audience rapport), and
I am not surprised. The speaker needs
the audience more than the audience needs the
speaker, says Nancy Duarte in her TED speech
entitled “the secret structure of great talks”
(https://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_duarte_the_
secret_structure_of_great_talks).
After studying speeches from Martin Luther King
and Steve Jobs, Nancy revealed the results. She
found remarkable resemblances in speech (micro)
structure. They both took the audience on a journey
through the problem. The structure represented
several troughs and peaks signifying, “what it is”
and “what it could be”, marvelling the audience
and compelling them to feel certain way. They
both turned complicated idea to most memorable
knowledge and made sure the audience envisaged
what the speaker was saying. Both speeches ended
with heightened sense of repetition and reached
inside the hearts of audience. The audience soon
became so friendly. Both speakers effectively used
The Speaker
So, what are the takeaway messages from Nancy’s
research? The number one, the content has to be
audience-centric. Most speakers are consumed
with preparing their content rapidly, which makes
the content about their own narrow perspective.
By flipping that paradigm to an audience-centric
approach, the content will resonate and the
audience can feel a deeper connection to speaker
and content. Number two, speaker’s role is that of
a mentor — speaker should be giving the audience
a magical gift or a special tool, or helping them get
unstuck in some way. That will help the speaker to
create the kind of movement needed to get his/
her idea to spread. And then the third thing —
wrapping the content in a story. A story serves like
the sugar-coating on the outside of a pill in some
ways — it just makes it go down easier.
To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism, to
steal from many is research! Speakers can always
learn more techniques from others to be more
“naturally” compelling. Watch also for things that
work very well with the audience and copy them
if they are appropriate for your style and content.
One of the big “aha!” moments of aspiring speakers
is when they try a well-crafted speech for the first
time and discover how that boosts confidence
because the audience react positively. If audience
rapport isn’t the answer, could you please rephrase
the question?
Dr Ramana Sundara
Area President, Vale of York
Issue 96 Spring 2017
25
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor
Urban Thompson impressed us all at our last
meeting with his story about meeting his hero
Mohammed Ali in his speech entitled Dreams Can
Come True. Please invite your friends to come to
our next meeting and find out more about
Achieving Speaking Confidence.
that at GC, each Club had only one vote, no matter
how many individual members were present. Each
individual pays a capitation which is used to finance
the running of the organisation. Yet that individual
member has no voting rights in deciding matters
at GC, including what their capitation should be.
Democracy?
The ASC Constitution briefly outlines the aims
and organisation, then the Rules detail how it’s
done. Article III.1 states that ‘Members …shall be
clubs…’ while Rule 5.1 gives the make-up of GC.
This is the National Officers, District Presidents,
District Vice Presidents, Area Presidents as well as
Club Presidents. With all these other categories
of delegates, there is nothing in the Constitution
which precludes the Rules being changed to
include Club individual members in GC.
Dear Editor
As a relatively new member and even newer
appointed Communications Secretary of the
Bromsgrove Speakers Club I am writing to tell you
my brief story.
I joined the local club this summer and found a
huge welcome. It was not long before I made
my maiden speech: a staggering nine and a half
minutes! I am so glad that the club members were
tolerant and supportive of my fledgling speech and
such an encouraging group. I still have problems
of too much content, but am delighted that I won
the recent topic contest and came home with a
beautiful trophy.
New members are joining us most weeks and it is
always refreshing to have members from the ASC
join us as judges and evaluators.
I am looking forward to attending more events, and
really value the opportunity to be encouraged to
be a better speaker, a better presenter, and a better
leader.
Peter Worthington
Dear Editor
One member, one vote?
Why not?
The letter from Mike Douse in the last Speaker
posed the thought ‘Why can’t everyone who
attends the Annual Meeting of General Council
(GC) have a vote?’ Good question!
26
When the ASC was formed in 1972, our own
Constitution and Rules were needed. It was
decided that ‘members’ should be the clubs, and
not the individuals who are in the clubs. This meant
The Speaker
There are always arguments as to why nothing
should change. Firstly, when a contentious issue is
passed at a meeting full of local members at one
end of the country, it may be reversed at a meeting
at the other end of the country. Come on, there
has never been an issue that so inflamed passions
that members flooded the meeting. The fact that
meetings are held in parts of the country that
people find inconvenient or expensive to attend is
one that all organisations experience. If you want
to attend, you will, no matter where the location.
That is why there should be no proxy or postal
votes, only those who make the effort to be there
should have a vote.
The fact that our delegates are paid travel expenses
to attend is not a system that other organisations
employ. There is nothing in the Rules on this subject;
it is only custom and practice. If no expenses were
paid to delegates, the capitation would only drop
marginally. The NEC and contestants should still be
allowed to claim. It will be argued that if there were
no travel expenses, it would mean a decrease in
attendance, but can anyone say this will definitely
be so? Of course not. Let’s be positive, with votes
for all, the attendance may actually increase.
Perhaps the National Treasurer will consider all the
options on this issue.
There is an argument that the vote of the Club
delegate is a reflection of the views of the
members. How many Clubs have a full discussion
of any issues at GC and instruct their delegate to
vote accordingly? A negligible few, at a guess. In
my experience, the votes of delegates are largely
based on their own views, hopefully with the best
intentions for the ASC in mind. Why shouldn’t the
other Club members in attendance also be trusted
to vote similarly?
There is always a desire to retain the status quo. Yet
those who finance the ASC - the Club individual
members – have no say in matters other than
through their one Club vote. Anyone who attends
Issue 96 Spring 2017
GC in person, at their own expense, should have a
vote. Perhaps discussions can be held and opinions
sought to establish real democracy within the ASC.
David Grainger
Blackburn Castle SC and Past National President.
Dear Editor
It is heartening to learn that the ASC’s awards
are now recognised by the Victoria College of
Music. This is a significant movement along the
road (or ‘Learning Pathway’) to full accreditation,
which journey has been talked about within the
Association for decades but, hitherto, not embarked
upon. Well done those involved.
In an earlier edition of The Speaker (Issue 84
of February 2011) Thomas Scott mentioned, in
addition to Victoria College, the London Academy
of Music and Dramatic Art. Those who, after
completing our own certificates (and I would
love to see greater numbers achieving the ASC’s
Advanced), decide to go further in a dramatic
direction deserve encouragement and, as I say, it is
excellent that the path is now made easier.
An alternative route, rather less travelled by, exists.
It is in the direction of communication rather
than thespianism, wherein a growing range of
accredited programmes is available. For example,
a handful of prominent ASC club members
[declaration of interest: I was one of them] designed
and implemented the College of Public Speaking’s
online Diploma in Spoken Communication. For
those keen to go even further, external Masters
Programs (sic) in this area are available from several
American Universities [hint: check their legitimacy
very carefully – some are truly excellent, others
entirely bogus].
In addition, I know of at least two club members
who have focussed on, in one instance ‘The
History of the ASC’ and, in the other ‘Speakers
Club Membership and Professional Success’, in
their academic dissertations. Moreover, there are
opportunities for articles and research reports in
relevant peer-reviewed periodicals such as the
USA’s National Journal of Speech and Debate and
the Journal of Contemporary Argumentation and
Debate [further declaration of interest: please
see my article on ‘Digitisation, Education and
Debating’ in the current issue] and in presentations
to conferences, such as the prestigious UKFIET
international gathering of educators and trainers
held in Oxford every other year.
What we are doing in our clubs is fun and fulfilling
in itself and, probably for the majority of members,
that is enough. But for those who want to take it
further, whether for career-related purposes or
simply out of interest, it is excellent that all sorts of
opportunities now exist and are ever-increasing.
Mike Douse
Sometime ASC National Development Officer
The Speaker
Dear Editor
On taking early retirement I decided to be proactive
about filling my time.
Having spent 32 years working in the NHS I wanted
to be involved with a hobby far removed from my
comfort zone. Hence, I entered a nearby school,
Burnage Boys Academy, 900 pupils, where David,
the Head Teacher, made me very welcome and was
very encouraging.
I was introduced to teachers and offered
volunteering positions in the art room,
administration and encouraged to take on reading
one to one with one of the pupils. None of these
tasks appealed to me.
Then I heard about the after school debating club.
However, I waited for the new school term to start
and joined the after school club debating group,
organised by the Debate Mate charity which
provides undergraduates to mentor those schools
that join up.
For the debating class to run we needed 20 pupils
to commit one hour on one day. Most days we were
lucky to get 14! The class Mentor came prepared
with the rules and debating topics on culture,
politics and economics. For the most part I took the
undergraduate’s lead and then I would work with a
small group of about four pupils.
By April 2016 we had a team going into the
Regional Northwest schools debating competition.
Sixteen schools took part. I know it is a cliché but it
was a jaw dropping moment when Burnage Boys
Academy won. I literally punched the air.
The final debate was on the stage in front of all
participating schools. Next we prepared for the
National Debating schools contest where the top
14 winning schools participate, and in June we
travelled to the University of Westminster ready for
a whole days debating.
At the National Final, Burnage Boys Academy
came 8th in the competition. I have had the
pleasure to watch the debating team grow with
confidence over the school year. Their enthusiasm
and motivation has been a joy to watch. I have
been immensely proud of their ability to articulate
arguments and their social interactions with each
other and their peers. Debate Mate is a unique
and innovative educational charity that works
with 266 schools nationwide and has helped over
15,000 disadvantaged young people to develop
confidence and find their voice through their
debating programme.
Having had the chance over a full school year to get
to know Burnage Academy and to understand the
Debate Mate Charity, I am working to build a local
alliance with this charity and Peterloo Speaker`s
Club to the benefit of the ASC. Can`t wait to go
back to school!
Mary Christie
Immediate Past President – Peterloo Speaker`s Club
Issue 96 Spring 2017
27
Charter of North Norfolk Speakers Club
They are a thriving club who meet in North
Walsham in North Norfolk. Lindsay and Rosalie
Harrop from York SC enjoyed the evening that
they spent at the club listening to some excellent
speeches and evaluations. A lively topic session
followed in the second half.
All the members are very enthusiastic and are
looking forward to starting the assignments in
ASC Speakers Guide.
L
indsay Dutch, Interim National
Development Officer presented our latest
new club with their charter. North Norfolk
Speakers Club had previously been a member
of another organisation but decided to join ASC
when they realised that ASC fitted their needs
more accurately.
They will be supported by District President, Rob
Heggie and Area President Duncan Broatch as well
as members of the National Training Team.
Acclaim for ASC Member
factor in keeping the club alive”.
The news article goes on to highlight Jess
volunteering work stating that she is an
“inspirational pensioner” and has received a
judges special award.
A
SC club member, Jess Sinclair, has been
highly acclaimed in her local newspaper,
the Cumberland News. As a founder
member of Carlisle speakers club over thirty
years ago Jess is well known throughout the
ASC. John Barrie of Carlisle speakers club says
“It is my opinion that Jess’ fantastic energy
and enthusiasm has been a major contributory
28
The Speaker
As well as contributing to the ASC, Jess “cooks
meals for an elderly persons’ lunch club, is a
chaperone on a transport service, fundraises for
Marie Curie and supports Eden Valley Hospice.
She sold marmalade to make money to help flood
victims and makes activity boards to help with the
treatment of dementia patients”.
John says “I am amazed at all the projects she
juggles with on a daily basis”. I think we all are.
Many congratulations Jess!
Issue 96 Spring 2017
Materials Available & Pricing – July 2017
Item
Speakers Guide
Speakers Guide on CD
Managing to Succeed Booklet
Guide to Debating Booklet
Let’s Go Outside Booklet
Cost
£10.00
£5.00
£3.50
£3.50
£2.00
Club - Member, Vice President, President & Past
President Badges
Area - Vice President, President & Past President
Badges
District - Vice President, President & Past
President Badges
Founders Badge
Phoenix Badge
Medallion, Ribbon & Bar – Club President
Medallion, Ribbon & Bar – Area President
Medallion, Ribbon & Bar – District President
Medallion – Club, Area & District President
Ribbon – Club, Area & District President
Chrome Bar for Ribbons
£3.00
£3.00
£3.00
£17-50
£17.50
£17.50
£10.00
£5.00
£3.00
Black Rollerball Pen with ASC Logo
A5 Notepads with ASC Logo
Trolley Coin Key Chain with ASC Logo
White Ceramic Mug with ASC Logo
Metal Tin of Sweets with ASC Logo
Car Sticker with ASC Logo
Pencils with ASC Tag
Rucksacks with ASC Logo (last few remaining)
£1.25
£0.50
£1.25
£3.00
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£0.50
£0.25
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Quantity
Total
£3.00
£3.00
Please add £1.50 per Speakers Guide to cover postage and package.
Delivery Address
Name: _____________________________________________________________________
Club: ______________________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________________
Post Code: _________________ Telephone: ______________________________________
Cheques should be made payable to “The ASC” and posted to Malcolm McKechnie, 64 North Road, Port
Glasgow, Renfrewshire, PA14 5TF.
The Speaker
Issue 96 Spring 2017
29
Y
Constitutional Matters
our Constitutional Committee has met both
physically and virtually to consider those
questions put to it by the National President
in the wake of General Council 2016.
Bank mandate & Security: Modern electronic
banking is attractively easy, but is open to breaches
of security. We explored ways in which the National
Treasurer can make such payments without
compromising the current very effective checks
and balances in place to protect the Association
and its officers.
Eligibility of District Vice Presidents to be nominated
for the post of National Vice President: We have
tried to clarify the requirements in respect of
qualification to be nominated as NVP, and to ensure
that any nominee has substantial and significant
experience of the running of the Association at all
levels.
Electronic/postal voting at General Council. This
is an interesting idea, but entails a number of
disadvantages and difficulties. How would distant
votes be verified? How would those voting be
sure they had heard all the arguments without
attending General Council? What do you think?
discuss it in your Club and bring your opinions to
National Conference in Gatwick!
Clubs in Educational Establishments. This again is
an intriguing possible development, which I think
we would all like to encourage. We have worked
out some guidelines as to how such Clubs could be
incorporated into the Association. Come to Gatwick
and hear all about it!
Recognition of Outstanding Service (Fellowship).
We will bring forward to General Council a motion
to enable the establishment of some such award, if
such be the will of General Council.
Eligibility for Appointment to Office within the
Association. Should it be possible to appoint to
office within ASC someone who is not a member
within the Association?
How do we ascertain who is ‘within’ and who is
‘without’?
As you will see, we have had plenty to keep us out
of mischief, having also been asked to look at other
questions that were not strictly Constitutional,
such as the regulations governing the award of
the Fraser trophy and the imposition of a cap on
delegates’ and contestants’ expenses in respect of
National Conference.
With these and other questions to be discussed at
Gatwick, it promises to be an exciting conference.
Decisions made by General Council do affect your
Club’s relationship to the Association nationally.
Do make sure that your Club’s views are heard
by sending your President or a delegate. There
might even be time for a glass or three of light
refreshment, some friendly banter and the renewal
of old friendships.
Joe James
Chair Constitution Committee
Vacancy - National Secretary
The ASC is looking for a National Secretary, for
which there are a number of key skills:
30
•
The National Secretary is principal administrative
Officer of the Association
•
Exercises considerable influence upon the
affairs of the Association
•
Must be able at all times to deal with any
contingency which arises and which is not
within the province of another specific Officer
•
Must have a detailed knowledge of everything
that happens within the Association
•
Must be able to answer a variety of questions,
and become an authority upon the National,
District, Area and Club Constitutions
The Speaker
•
Must have a detailed knowledge of the proper
procedure at meetings and also of all regulations
made by the General Council and the NEC
•
Acts in an advisory capacity to Officers at all
levels of the Association. Many of these Officers
change on an annual basis and require guidance
on the way they tackle their jobs
A detailed job description is available on request
and help will be given to anyone who would like
this wonderful opportunity but feels slightly
daunted by its requirements
For an informal chat please contact Neil
Harvey National President on 01606 871223 or
07703548117 e-mail [email protected]
Issue 96 Spring 2017
Solihull Speakers Club
Three very active members of Solihull Speakers Club
have been awarded their Foundation Certificates of
Achievement.
Proudly received by, from left to right - Mark Ursell,
secretary; Alex Howarth, publicity; James McGavin,
vice president.
Gatwick 2017 Seminars
The ASC Education Team is delighted to announce
an exciting line up of seminars at the Gatwick
Conference. Each of the seminars will last up to 1
hour depending on group involvement levels and
will be delivered by a partnership of two facilitators
providing added creative value through multiple
perspectives on the topic.
This is a stellar line up of facilitators involving
experienced coaches, national officers and
competition winners:
1. Gain and Retain Members - Lindsay Dutch and
Margaret Robertson
2. Winning Competitions - Anne Bouget and
James McGinty
3. Evaluation for Learning - Dilwyn Scott and
Caitlin Johnstone
•
Each seminar will be run twice as laid out below
with members being able to attend all of them if
you so wish:
Room 1
Gain and Retain Members
Winning Competitions
Evaluation for Learning
The Speaker
•
•
•
•
•
Lindsay Dutch - National Development Officer
and multiple national contest winner
Margaret Robertson - Chair of the National
Training Team and Past National President
Anne Bouget - National Minutes Secretary and
National Training Team member
James McGinty - Multiple ASC and TI National
Contest winner
Dilwyn Scott - Professional tutor and 2015
National Evaluation Contest winner
Caitlin Johnstone - National Alliances Officer
and 2016 National Evaluation Contest winner
We look forward to seeing you all and learning
alongside you at the Gatwick Conference.
Room 2
Evaluation for Learning
Gain and Retain Members
Winning Competitions
Issue 96 Spring 2017
31
TEAM UP FOR NATIONAL PRESIDENT’S DINNER!
SAVE THE DATE
SATURDAY, 21ST OCTOBER 2017
2 to 5 p.m. Afternoon Extravaganza of Excellent Eloquence
Team Speaking Competition
followed by
7pm Dinner- A three course carvery meal
AGENDA
2 to 5pm (approximate finish time) Team Speaking Competition
Speaking as a member of a team adds a different dimension to addressing an audience.
Extra pleasures - added enjoyment of having colleagues with whom to plan and practice,
Extra pressures - extra responsibility of not wanting to let team members down
Whether participating or being in the audience these events are always enjoyable and great fun.
So come on, have a chat to your ASC friends and enter a team. All that’s required is a team name
and contact details for one team member. Send this to Eric Baker - [email protected]. Due to
time constraints the number of teams will be limited (probably to 8) – the first eight teams that apply.
So don’t hang about get your entry in – See contest rules below
************************
7pm Dinner- A three course carvery meal followed by tea/coffee
Enjoy good food in great company. Be entertained with some fantastic after dinner speeches.
Booking forms available on the ASC website.
To the aspiring or accomplished after dinner speakers, this is your opportunity to enthrall or
persuade but certainly entertain a very supportive audience of members and their guests. Places
will be limited so applications will be on a ‘first come first served basis’. If you would like to speak
book your place asap by e mailing Eric Baker - [email protected]
Venue:
Address:
Telephone:
E-mail: Website: The Kegworth Hotel & Conference
Centre - Midlands
Packington Hill, Kegworth,
Derby. DE74 2DF
01509 672427
[email protected]
www.kegworthhotel.co.uk
Costs:
Dinner Tickets £21 per head
Date:
Saturday, 21st October 2017
Times:
Afternoon event 2 to 5pm
Dinner 7pm
Invitees:
Members and guests
Accommodation: B & B £30 pp based on 2 sharing (£10 single supplement)
Please book accommodation direct with hotel quoting reference ASC to get special room rate. The hotel has another group booking for this weekend
therefore rooms are limited. To ensure you get a room please book early. Access:
Really easy access to all forms of transport. Half a mile from J24 of the M1.
3 miles from East Midlands Parkway Rail Station. 3 miles from East Midlands
Airport
(O.K., if you’re coming by boat it’s not so good !)
CONTEST RULES.
1. Each team shall consist of 4 members.
2. All teams will speak to the same three words. The words must be taken in order and the speaker must
mention the word at least once. (more often is strongly recommended)
3. The chair will give the introduction, links between each speaker and conclude the team’s presentation.
4. The target time for each team’s presentation is 15 minutes with an allowance of one minute either way
i.e., the presentation must finish between 14 and 16 minutes. Running under or over will incur penalty
points.
It is assumed most teams will be formed from one club. However this is not a prerequisite as long all the
participants are ASC members.
The three words are :- Three Piece Suite
There will be regular breaks during the afternoon. Tea/coffee will be available
BOOKING FORM
National President’s Dinner
21 October 2017, Kegworth
Join the National President, for dinner.
Meet with friends and listen to
a selection of speakers.
Venue:
The Kegworth Hotel & Conference Centre, Packington Hill, Kegworth DE74 2DF
(e-mail [email protected])
Date:
Time:
Saturday 21 October 2017
6.30 for 7.00 pm
Tickets: £21 per head
Dress code: Black tie or lounge suits/jackets
Please send the names (and Club) of members and their guests attending and menu
choices, to the address below, to arrive by 07/10/17.
Cheques payee: “Association of Speakers Clubs” or
pay online: Sort code 12 09 61, A/c 00146172
Bedrooms are available, by contacting the hotel, at the special rate of £60 double;
£40 single.
Tel: 01509 672427,
You are urged to book asap to avoid disappointment as rooms are limited. Quote “ASC”.
National President’s Dinner 21 October 2017, Kegworth.
MENU
National President’s Dinner
(Your choice needs to be made beforehand please.
When you book with D Douglas, quote such as S1, M2, D3 beside each name.)
S1 Homemade tomato & basil soup
S2 Chicken liver pate, plum chutney & granary toast
S3 Breaded brie wedges with redcurrant sauce
********
M1 Selection of meats from the carvery
Accompanied by new and roast potatoes, selection of vegetables and gravy
M2 Nut Roast
Accompanied by new and roast potatoes and selection of vegetables.
********
D1 Chocolate fudge cake with vanilla ice cream
D2 Lemon tart with mixed berry compote
D3 Fresh fruit salad & cream
********
Tea/Coffee
Reply to Diana Douglas; “Beanlands Chase”,
20 Rivermead Drive, Garstang, Preston, PR3 1JJ;
Tel: 01995 602560; Email: [email protected]
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