Numbers were down but it was still a good mix of members and guests for our first meeting in May.
Keith Oliver opened the meeting as Sergeant at Arms and introduced Ann Carver as Toastmaster of the evening.
Ann welcomed everyone and after dealing with the protocols and preliminaries explained the theme for the evening was Liberation, as it was Liberation Day in Guernsey.
She called on Ray Adams to explain the lights and timings, before asking Ellie Zheleva to explain her role as Grammarian. Ellie told the audience it was her role to look for examples of good and bad language, and also to set the word of the evening which was unleash – meaning to let go or untie.
Matt Roseblade was the next to be summoned and he was asked to lead the warm up. Picking up on the theme he asked those present to recall liberating moments in their lives. Suggestions were a new start in their lives, changing jobs, spending time with a parent, white water rafting and communing with nature.
With the audience now suitably involved Ann moved us on to the prepared speeches. First up was Charlotte O’Driscoll doing her Project 4 speech with “3 skills”. She was followed by Clare Lay doing her Icebreaker entitled “pathway to here?” recounting events in her life in Southampton, Winchester and Portsmouth. Finally Ann Carver filled in as Simon Roberts had sent his apologies, with a tale of Yoga on the Channel Islands.
The first half of the meeting had now closed and we moved to our break.
Time as usual flew by and Keith Oliver summoned us back for the second half.
We started with the evaluations, given by Aaron O’Sullivan, Keith Oliver and Ellie Zheleva respectively.
Ann then called Amonn Al-Mahrouq forward to lead the Table Topics. Amonnasked a series of questions on liberating moments – travel, something creative, Toastmasters etc. The answers entertained theose present while also giving insights into the speakers.
It only remained for Ellie to give her Grammarian’s report and Brent Crouch the General Evaluation before the meeting drew to its close.
In the absence of Club President Wendy Benson, Ray Adams presented the Club Business and gave out the awards.
Best Speaker – Clare Lay
Best Evaluator – Ellie Zheleva
Best Table Topics – Matt Roseblade