Hamwic Speakers Toastmasters Public Speaking Club Southampton Hampshire

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Welcome to Hamwic Speakers, the Southampton based public speaking club. Established a year ago, we’ve recently become affiliated to Toastmasters International’s Hampshire and Dorset district. This gives us access to Toastmasters’ resources, enabling us to offer powerful public speaking training to Southampton and South Hampshire based on proven Toastmasters techniques.

Today many people are more comfortable communicating by email or telephone, rather than face-to-face. Speaking to large or small groups, or even one to one, can be a nerve racking or stressful experience. At Toastmasters, you can learn how to overcome these challenges and transform your public speaking into an enjoyable and successful experience.

As a member of the Southampton branch of Toastmasters, you can learn how to successfully formulate, express and sell your ideas and yourself and reduce the nervousness you feel when you speak. You can improve your ability to listen and evaluate other people’s ideas, and develop vital leadership skills along the way.

Events

We are taking a break for the month of August, but we’ll be back with our regular fortnightly meetings in September, starting with a humorous speaking and impromtu speaking contest on 14th September. More information on our events page.

Book online

Click below to find out more about our next meeting:

Latest News

Hamwic Members boost Princes Trust Trainees Confidence

Volunteers from Hamwic Speakers recently gave 3 hours presentation skills training for 6 trainees on a Princes Trust personal development course. Hamwic member Pete Steele had been one of two trainers working with the trainees throughout a 12 week course which aims to rebuild the youngsters’ self-esteem, develop motivation and confidence, through a series of challenges and projects achieved through teamwork in the community.

Pete said: “Early on in the course I could see how tough the trainees were going to find it to stand up in front of large audience to make their final presentations at the end of the course. I knew from myown membership of Hamwic Speakers that the Toastmasters formula of prepared speeches and thoughtful evaluation could help these youngsters develop the confidence to make good presentations”.

Pete took his tentative idea for a Toastmasters-led one off session to a Hamwic committee meeting where it was seized upon with enthusiasm by another committee member Janet Malphus. “As part of my Advanced Leadership Gold programme I was required to organise a Toastmasters event in the community” Janet explained, “here was a great opportunity to for me to gain that experience and for Toastmasters to do some real good in the community. It was just what I was looking for!”

Fellow members Rob Dewing and Rich Watts were equally enthusiastic about the project and agreed to act as supporting coaches for a three hour session in early July. The session started with a warm up in the usual Toastmasters style where the trainers were asked to speak on their favourite things for a minute by the trainees. The trainees then received help preparing their own presentations before presenting these to the whole group. This was followed by evaluations from the Toastmasters trainers giving feedback to help the trainees further improve their skills.

At the end of their course three weeks later all six trainees gave confident, interesting and entertaining presentations to an audience of seventy people – proof that Toastmasters techniques can be adopted to improve communication skills in all walks of life.

Hamwic Speakers is looking to offer the same session again for future Princes Trust training courses in the Southampton area, and the Princes Trust is now considering linking up with other Toastmasters clubs in other parts of the country.

Hamwic member Rob Dewing commented “It was a really rewarding exercise. You could see the difference in the confidence of the trainees after just a couple of hours working with them and I really look forward to offering the same opportunity to other trainees in the future. I think this could be a really worthwhile addition to the Princes Trust programme.”

Community Chest Grant for Hamwic Speakers

Presentation of Cheque to Ken Amy by Southampton City Councillor Ben Walker
Hamwic Speakers has been fortunate enough to secure an award from Southampton City Council’s Community Chest. In the photo, Councillor Ben Walker (left) presents a cheque for £440 on behalf of Southampton City Council to Hamwic Speakers President Ken Amy. The grant will be used to develop our website, educational material and other costs associated with running and growing the Club, which will be celebrating its first birthday in March.