Hertfordshire Speakers Club holds regular meetings, to which guests are always welcome.

As we're affiliated to Toastmasters International, members work through various manuals. Everyone starts with the Competent Communicator, which comprises of 10 speeches that each introduce a different element to improving your public speaking skills. There's no set timetable to complete the manual, it can take as long or as little time as you need. When you do, you can apply for the Competent Communicator award and have the CC designation after your name.

We're lucky that we have a number of experienced speakers at the club who are working on more advanced manuals, so even if you're not speaking at a meeting, it's always an entertaining way to spend an evening.

Everybody gets evaluated, and the evaluation is always delivered in a friendly and constructive manner. As well as Evaluators, there are a number of other roles that contribute to the running of the meeting, and these are often how new members start to take part in our club. These roles include the Timekeeper, Grammarian and Ah-erm counter. By taking part in these other roles, you can also work towards the Competent Leader award, a well respected leadership programme.

We also have 'Table Topics' in which members, if they wish to take part, are given a topic and deliver a short speech without preparation. Table Topics quite often cover light hearted subjects, and is good training at thinking on your feet.

We also have club competitions, and the successful speakers can go on to compete in the Area competition, the Division and possibly even to represent Britain internationally, as one of our members has previously done.

Interested in finding out more? You can see our calendar, or contact one of our committee members.