Improve your public speaking skills

There are so many instances where you might be called upon to give a speech,at a wedding, a sales meeting ,an appeal for your favourite charity or an anniversary dinner.

Yet most people are completely unprepared an when the nerves start showing through then the chances are the delivery will be poor.

What you need is a friendly environment in which to learn the skills necessary to make a great speech a certainty.

I am a member of www.cottonwoodspeakers.org which is part of Toastmasters International the leading public speaking organisation in the world.

If you live anywhere in the Bournemouth Dorset area are you want to improve your speaking skills then this is the club to join.

If you are elsewhere in the UK or Ireland the go to the www.D71.org web site to find a club near you.

I have been with Toastmasters since 1995 when I joined a club in Sydney Australia.

Then I moved to Manila in the Philippines and joined a club there.

I returned to the Uk in 2001 and moved to Bournemouth where I joined Cottonwoods speakers.

The beauty of Toastmasters is that is has a clear path in both leadership and communication that will transform how you project yourself to the world.

When you join,and boy is it low cost, you will receive your Competent Communcation manual which sets out the criteria for your first ten speeches.

The first is your Icebreaker where you tell the club a little bit about yourself.

You then move through the next nine speeches where all the facets of pubic speaking are taught:body language,vocal variety,speech structure,using visual aids.

Each speech is evaluated by an experienced Toastmasters so your get good feedback.

All speeches are timed and have timed parameters.How often have you listened to a speech which went on far too long?How get to learn how to edit a speech so it fits the slot you have been given.

The best way to learn about all this is to come along as a visitor as see what it's all about.We are a friendly bunch so you will feel welcomed.

We are here to answer any questions you might have,and we will give you access to club website so you can see the next meeting's date time and agenda.

We meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month at the Durley Hall Hotel, 7 Durley Chine Road, Bournemouth BH2 5JS

Ask at reception which room we are in as they move us around.