September, 2021 - After nine months of incredibly hard work put in by club sponsors Amy Jones and Lucy Brooks, aided and abetted by our newly elected President Tom Gray, and founding members of our club, our club is now launched on the sea of Toastmasters International. The official announcement is expected before 1st October 2021.
Specifically, Amy and Lucy needed to sufficiently enthuse at least seventeen people new or returning to Toastmasters or transferring from another club, to join us.
At times we thought we would never achieve our goal. We ran two speechcraft courses which were incredibly well received, but the participants, for one reason or another, failed to commit to actually joining the club, despite remaining open to the idea. We grew a little despondent. But we are both very positive people who refuse to give up.
In August, we ran an impromptu speaking workshop – again, to great acclaim, but failing to immediately garner club members in time for our magical figure of seventeen. (Since then, a few of the participants have actually signed up).
As well as our special events, from the start our club meetings have been full of fun and vigour, laughter, banter, serious moments, prepared and impromptu speeches, and friendship.
Everybody who visited us prior to joining loved the atmosphere, many of them joining the club on the spot!
So it was with great pride that on September 15, Amy submitted the complicated paperwork to head office in the USA and, as I write, we wait to hear the result. It is not in doubt. Sussex Online Speakers is a fully-fledged chartered club, part of Toastmasters, with currently 29 members and more wanting to join.
Sussex Online Speakers is a great addition to the Toastmasters clan, as many clubs return to their in-person venues. Online actually suits many people. It saves having to go out on a rainy night, and our members hail from all over the world (USA, Germany, Spain, Poland, and more). That makes our meetings interesting as we learn about other cultures.
Speaking online is increasingly important in this day and age, even as Covid restrictions ease. That is why Sussex Online Speakers is thriving and will thrive into the future, too.
Interested in joining us? Click the button below to find out how!