Public speaking group toast ten years as chartered club
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A GROUP who support people in Inverness and the Highlands to become confident public speakers are celebrating 10 years since chartering.
Public speaking and leadership group, Toastmasters Inverness, plan to use their upcoming meetings on Wednesday October 25 and Wednesday November 8 to celebrate their milestone anniversary as a chartered club of Division S.
Division S is home to 18 chartered Toastmaster clubs throughout Scotland from cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow in the south to smaller towns such as Dingwall and Inverness in the north.
Inverness club president Isla Cruiden, who also occupied the post of president when the club was first chartered, was first drawn to Toastmasters by a poster handed in to reception at her workplace. It sparked her interest, and she went on to attend what was then known as Inverness Toastmonsters.
The Inverness club would later become a chartered club with 20 members.
Ms Cruiden added: “That year we grew by 11 members, so we must have been doing something right. We also achieved distinguished club status – an accolade we would succeed in achieving many more times throughout the decade."
Since that time the club has gone on to support countless members through learning modules designed to improve public speaking, communication and leadership skills.
After a revamp of the traditional paper manuals in 2018, pathways were introduced, providing projects for members to work through online.
Ms Cruiden added: “All clubs are dependent on their members to engage with both the education programme, so they get something out of their membership, and value for money – but also to step up and take on leadership roles on the committee. It is the committee that keeps the club functioning and operating.”
This was the case more so than ever in 2020 when restrictions during the Covid pandemic hit forced clubs to close.
Grabbing the opportunity for members to test their leadership skills, the committee pulled together and swiftly moved online, learning the ropes of online web conferencing as they went.
The clubs continue to inspire people to work on their personal development within the supportive space Toastmasters offer for members to grow.
Whether it's skills to add to a CV, the challenge of the Toastmaster competitions or personal goals and ambitions, Toastmasters Inverness support members to build confidence.
The speaking and leadership skills developed through Toastmasters Inverness have enabled members go on to develop careers and build their own businesses, including tour guides, coaches, teachers, managers and leaders, enabling non-English native speakers to build their confidence.
They have even helped grooms and best men prepare for wedding speeches and seen other members go on to become comedians.
Meeting every second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 6.30pm, Toastmasters Inverness say they plan to continue the legacy of the last 10 years to support their members to grow and develop new skills.
For more information or to join the next meeting, Toastmasters Inverness can be contacted on Facebook or emailed at vpmembership@toastmastersinverness.com
