22/08/2026
🌟 Riverside Communicators Meeting Highlights | Wednesday 19 August 2026 🌟
As the theme of the evening reminded us, “As One Season Ends, Another Begins,” Riverside Communicators once again brought together learning, laughter, leadership, and connection.
A warm welcome was provided by Fiona McFarland, our Meet & Greeter, while Francesca Fabbri opened the meeting as Sergeant at Arms. President Julian Ward welcomed members and guests, and Luke Thomas, our Toastmaster of the Day, expertly guided us through an engaging evening.
⏱️ Matthew Oultram kept everyone on time with precision and attention to detail, ensuring every speaker had their moment in the spotlight.
🔎 A special mention goes to Julian Ward in his role as Harkmaster. Rather than the traditional recap, Julian transformed the role into a Sherlock Holmes-themed quiz, complete with detective attire, challenging members to remember key facts, names, and moments from the meeting. With chocolates awarded to successful detectives, it was a creative twist that kept everyone engaged from start to finish.
🎤 Prepared Speech Highlights
🌍 James Rose delivered When the Green Turns Yellow, exploring climate change, our collective responsibility, and the impact of our actions on the world around us.
✨ Rithika Srinivasan presented That’s the Best I Could Do From Here, sharing a heartfelt story about the people in our lives who go above and beyond to help others, even when circumstances are working against them.
🏃 Ilya Sukhovalov entertained and inspired the audience with I Didn’t Expect From Running, reflecting on his journey from disliking running to genuinely enjoying it. His humour, storytelling, and expressive body language made the speech a standout performance of the evening.
🇮🇹 Francesca Fabbri concluded the speaking session with I Am an Italian, a True Italian, sharing her perspective on diversity, identity, and the importance of unity despite our differences.
👏 A huge thank you to our evaluators:
• Madhurantika Moulick
• Bhupinder Pannu
• Duncan Hammett
• Ben Griffiths
Their insightful evaluations provided valuable feedback, helping speakers continue their journey of growth and development.
🎙️ Praveen Shrestha, our Table Topics Master, challenged members with a series of entertaining impromptu speaking questions that felt more like an interview than a traditional Table Topics session—but were thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless!
🏆 Award Winners
🌟 Best Speaker — Ilya Sukhovalov
🌟 Best Evaluator — Ben Griffiths
And in another memorable Riverside moment, we celebrated three Table Topics winners, proving that the quality of impromptu speaking was exceptionally high throughout the evening.
From climate change and personal journeys to diversity, storytelling, and detective work, the evening offered something for everyone.
Thank you to all members, guests, speakers, evaluators, and role holders who contributed to another successful and enjoyable meeting.
Riverside Communicators continues to be a place where people build confidence, strengthen communication skills, and grow as leaders—one speech at a time.
