Hello. I am Angela, President of the club, in the red, waving at you. In the foreground is Faith, pretty in pink. The two others are members of the club. More about them later. Fist let's look at Toastmasters Worldwide.
Singapore - clubs now
USA - clubs now
UK - clubs now
What and Where is Toastmasters International?
You can go to Toastmasters International clubs all over the world or join an online club but if you are in Singapore you can join my club - more about this in a moment.
What is it? The History of Toastmasters International
Toastmasters International started in the USA to help people learn public speaking and gain confidence. The not for profit organization spread to the English speaking UK and then Europe - and finally travelled to Asia, like me. You can find clubs worldwide and once you are a member of one club and have a little experience you are welcome at other clubs worldwide.
Angela Lansbury's Expertise
I know a lot about Toastmasters and giving speeches because I lived in the USA and attended the world championship finals in the USA. Singaporean Darren Tay was the worldwide winner in a previous year.
I am still a member of Harrovians in London; and I am a member of three clubs in Singapore. My Singapore clubs are two advanced clubs and one weekly online club which has members and guest speakers from the USA, UK, Europe, and Asia, notably Hong Kong and Singapore.
If you are interested in public speaking for work or confidence, come and join my club. I am President of Braddell Heights Toastmasters in Singapore and we are running an enlightening and entertaining Speechcraft programme starting December 4th 2019. That's a Wednesday evening, at Braddell Heights Community Club, right near the Serangoon MRT underground railway station, exit F, just a few steps to your right and you are in the right place.
What does it cost?
Let's look at your choices. Braddell Heights is a bargain. You could join the biggest public club in Singapore, at the Sheraton Hotel, the first three Mondays in the month, which normally costs about 500 Singapore dollars for the year, plus small extra sums like another $10 for their Christmas party with turkey. One of the universities has a larger club for students of their college only, at a lower price. At the biggest clubs you might have to wait a month or two before you get to give a speech, and you might not have a chance to introduce yourself for half to one minute nor give a two minute speech on table topics. A smaller club such as Braddell Heights gives you more opportunities to practise speeches.
If money is not object, join the big club as well as mine. Other clubs meet only once a month, so if you miss one month because of work or holidays that's two months without any learning or networking or socialising.
I am a member of two advanced clubs. The first club I joined was Braddell Heights Advanced. I joined for three reasons.
1 I lived centrally, then near Little India, and Braddell Heights was central and next to an MRT station and easy to find. Secondly it was a bargain.
Bargain For You
2 All Toastmasters clubs are a bargain, compared with many weekend courses which give you six hours of teaching and no follow-up.
But Braddell Heights is one of the lowest prices.
The price was lower than the biggest club, only $180 dollars. (Singapore dollars.) I had already paid the additional first year joining fee of $40 dollars which gets you registered onto the Toastmasters International website and gives you the monthly magazine.
3 Braddell Heights met twice a month, unlike the other Advanced clubs which met once a month.
4 I had a warm welcome from veteran Kan Kin Fung, who mentors everybody in the club and happily sits with you at break time or after meetings telling you how to enroll, give a speech or do any other role.
As President of Braddell Heights Advanced I am in charge of organizing the programmes, helped by our VPE, Vice President of Education. She is a lively lady. You must see her. She won first place in all four of our recent club contests. The other speakers were also excellent.
Angela Lansbury, President, in the red Toastmasters tee-shirt, back right. Faith, winner of two contests is front right in pink. Behind Faith, standing, in black, is Arinjay who was first runner up in the contest. Front left is Sylvia Ang wearing blue. She was the second runner-up in both contests.
What Will Speechcraft Teach You?
Speechcraft at Braddell Heights Advanced is a crash course aimed to ensure newcomers have all the basics and acts as a quick revision for those who joined later in the year and want to keep practising their skills. It covers these:
Dec 4
1 Prepare to speak professionally. Introduce Yourself - The Icebreaker Speech - by Angela Lansbury. Angela - that's me, a bouncy, blonde with a British accent. My Toastmasters titles are:
I go to about six or seven speakers' meetings a week, sometimes two a day, an in-house Toastmasters' group at lunch time and an evening group at a Community Club. I have judged at many speaking contests and have several trophies and dozens of ribbons for best prepared speech, best table topics (impromptu speeches) and best evaluator. I also do language evaluations.
2 Impromptu Speaking - by Lim Tong Lee, DTM, which means Distinguished Toastmaster. He has been the Chief Judge at contests.
He is tall dark and handsome. Warm and welcoming. Toastmasters of the evening (Master of Ceremonies) as well as leader of one of the speech training sessions.
3 Pathways - by Kan Kin Fung, another Distinguished Toastmasters, handsome, smiling broadly like a Cheshire cat, a bald Cheshire cat, as he is fond of remarking.
Guess who this is.
Choose your path in Toastmasters International Pathways - and your path for the next year and in life.
Potluck Fun Food
The club provides a small amount of savoury food. We rely on food contributions to augment this with fruit or cakes or seasonal goodies.
Dec 21 Same venue, Braddell Heights Community Club but Saturday afternoon, 1.45-5 pm.
Storytelling and Xmas party.
Storytelling - by Thomas Chen CC and CL. He is President of Kampong Kembangan club and a member of NTU and Pasirisians clubs. He frequently wins ribbons for Best Evaluator of speeches.
Facts tell, stories sell.
Thomas Chen will entertain you with his anecdotes, alliteration and acronyms.
Potluck food. The club provides a small amount of savoury food. We rely on contributions to augment this with fun foods, fruit or cakes, shop bought or home made or seasonal goodies.
Make sure you get on our WhatsApp group because our January 1st 2020 meeting is on a different date at a place.
Our January meetings are held jointly with two other clubs, Cheng San and Tiarel.
We have also lined up an English teacher, Celine Goh, President of another club, to give us a workshop on the English Language.
Later meetings include combined meetings with Cheng San toastmasters and Tiarel.
https://www.meetup.com/Braddell-Heights-Advanced-Singapore-Public-Speaking-Meetup/events/
About The Author
Angela Lansbury, not related to any other people of the same name (13 on LinkedIn!) is the author of 20 books including Wedding Speeches and Toasts by Ward Lock/Cassell and is currently writing a book on Improve Your English.
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