RED LETTER DAY FOR CARLISLE &
DISTRICT SPEAKERS CLUB
Sunday 16th
November was one of the Red Letter Day’s in the Speakers Calendar
All the
clubs in the Border Area being;
Annan,
Carlisle, Cockermouth, West Coast and Stranraer clubs, having had their
individual club contests, sent their chosen representatives to compete against
one another. The finalists of these competitions go through to the National
Semi Finals, this year in Motherwell, Nr. Glasgow
The day
consisted of 3 contests;
- · The Speech contest involving the delivery of a 6-8 minute prepared speech.
- · The Evaluation Contest, involving a 4 minute Evaluation of an 8 minute speech delivered on the day. With only 8 minutes preparation time.
- · The Topics Contest, involving the delivery of a 4 minute speech on a surprise subject with just 10 seconds thinking time! On the day the Topic was ‘Live and Let Live’.
The three
Judges for this contest came from Renfrew Club in Scotland together with the
speaker that presented the speech for the Evaluation Contest.
These
contests have a role in that they help to maintain standards, and give
contestants the opportunity to speak to a larger audience not very well known
to them. Also, the competitions provide judging opportunities for those that
wish to learn this skill.
Bruce
Pilling ably represented Carlisle Speakers Club in the Prepared Speech Contest,
his title being: ‘Tinder’.
This was
Bruce’s first experience of a Public Speaking Competition, he said that;
““Only a
year ago I would have been intimidated, nervous and ill at ease when faced
with the audience at the Area Contest. I would have worried about the
prospect of delivering a speech week in week out for some time prior to the
event.
When I
arrived at the venue I felt relaxed and confident and had not worried about the
contest to the extent I felt almost ill prepared! I believe the practice
at the club delivering both prepared and off the cuff speeches have given me
the confidence to be more spontaneous in my delivery.”
Susan
Trafford represented the club in the Evaluation Contest and then the Topics
contest, which she won.
Susan
will go through to the National Semi Finals in the Topics section.
