Recruitment drive by club

AFTER a summer break the Loughborough Charnwood

Speakers Club got back into their stride with some entertaining speeches and topics as if they had never been away.

Past national president Eric Baker and past club president Arthur Murray manned a recruitment and information stall on Loughborough market shown here with a gentleman who came to find out what we did at the club.

We start with a warm up session where everyone gets to talk on a given subject for one minute followed by three prepared eight minute speeches.

After a convivial break for tea and biscuits another topic session devised by a member to a theme of their choice is undertaken for up to three minutes.

We were certainly not disappointed with the speeches at this meeting.

James Gibson gave a speech entitled “The Paradox Explained” which gave us plenty of food for thought and raised several questions on the complexity of paradox and conundrums.

Arthur Murray’s speech title was “Hearts, Tarts and Rascals”. Again an intriguing title which made us wonder what he was going to talk about.

Well, it was that great British tradition, afternoon tea at Betty’s in York. Cream Hearts, Jam Tarts and Fat Rascals were deliciously described and had us all watering at the mouth ready for our tea and biscuits.

James Davies gave a fascinating speech entitled “Four Feet, Eight and a half Inches”.

He asked if we knew what that measurement was, not many of us did.

Describing this as the measurement between the tracks on a railway in America and why. Of course, it was based on British engineering standards. And where did this come from he asked. From the same gauge as the tramways that preceded the trains!

Leading us skilfully back in time via the width of wagons fitting the ruts in the road to the Roman chariots and carts on which the measurement of the horse’s backside was the vital factor to the Mormons in Utah who make boosters for the rockets sent into space which are the same measurement.

An important factor when transporting them from Utah to Cape Canaveral by rail.

We can always learn something from the speeches people prepare and be entertained at the same time as building confidence in addressing an audience.

If you would like to gain confidence in speaking why not join us at our next meeting.

Visit loughboroughspeakers.org.uk or come to John Storer House on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday in the month at 7.30pm. You can also find us on Facebook and Meetup.