Avon Toastmasters

09/06/2026

📣 Avon Toastmasters took a trip down memory lane this week! 🎤

Our Toastmaster for the evening, Thomas, led members on a nostalgic journey with the theme “Back in the Day, Christchurch.” From the old underground Bus Exchange and QEII to Science Alive, free shuttle buses and Christmas in the Park, the theme sparked plenty of memories, stories and laughter.

Thank you to everyone who stepped up to take a meeting role and contribute to another enjoyable and supportive evening. Our Word of the Day, presented by Colin, was “Hibernate”, and members certainly didn’t let their vocabulary hibernate!

Congratulations to Ana on completing Level 2 of Presentation Mastery, and to Steve on delivering his Ice Breaker speech, marking the beginning of his Toastmasters journey.

🏆 Congratulations to our award winners:
⭐ Best Speaker: Mary
⭐ Best Evaluator: Fernando
⭐ Best Table Topics: Rachel

At Avon Toastmasters, members develop confidence, communication and leadership skills in a friendly and encouraging environment.

Whether you are an experienced speaker or someone who simply wants to become more comfortable speaking in front of others, there is a place for you.

📍 St Albans Community Centre
1049 Colombo Street, Christchurch

🗓️ Meetings are held on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. Guests are welcome to visit free, with no pressure to speak.

If you’ve ever thought about improving your communication skills, building confidence or making new connections, we’d love to welcome you to a future meeting.

02/06/2026

🎤 Avon Toastmasters | Meeting Highlights | 2 June 2026

Another fantastic evening at Avon Toastmasters tonight, with members challenging themselves, developing their communication skills, and supporting each other in a positive and encouraging environment.

🏆 Best Speaker Award
Congratulations to Thomas Bernard for delivering tonight’s winning speech

🏆 Best Table Topics Award
Congratulations to Steve Hutchinson for taking out Best Table Topics. His impromptu response demonstrated confidence, quick thinking, and the ability to engage an audience with little preparation.

🏆 Best Evaluator Award
Congratulations to Mark McKenzie for an insightful evaluation, providing valuable feedback and encouragement to help another speaker continue their growth journey.

A special thank you to Philippa Watson for leading tonight’s Table Topics session, challenging members to think on their feet and speak confidently without preparation.

Every Toastmasters meeting provides opportunities to improve public speaking, leadership, communication, and confidence in a welcoming and supportive atmosphere.

Thank you to everyone who attended, took on meeting roles, participated in speeches and Table Topics, and helped make the evening a success.

📍 Avon Toastmasters, Christchurch
🗓 Meetings on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month
🕖 7:00pm – 8:30pm

Visitors are always welcome. Come along and discover how Toastmasters can help build confidence, communication skills, and leadership abilities

26/05/2026

🏆 Another fantastic night at Avon Toastmasters!

Congratulations to tonight’s award winners:

👏 Colin, Best Speaker Award
👏 Lyn, Best Evaluator Award
👏 Fernando, Best Table Topics Award

It’s always inspiring to see members challenge themselves, grow their communication skills, and support each other in such a positive environment. Whether delivering prepared speeches, thinking on the spot in Table Topics, or giving thoughtful evaluations, everyone helped create an engaging and encouraging evening.

A big thank you as well to Rachel and everyone involved in making the night such a success.

Interested in improving public speaking, confidence, leadership, and communication skills? Visitors are always welcome at Avon Toastmasters in Christchurch.

📍 St Albans Community Centre, 1049 Colombo Street, Christchurch

🕖 Meetings held on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Tuesday of each month, from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

26/05/2026

🎤 Avon Toastmasters Christchurch Meeting Tonight | Public Speaking & Leadership Skills 🚨

Want to improve your confidence, communication skills, leadership, or public speaking in Christchurch? Come along to Avon Toastmasters tonight and experience a fun, supportive, and welcoming environment.

📅 Tonight - Tuesday 26th May 2026
⏰ 7:00pm – 8:30p
📍 St Albans Community Centre
1049 Colombo Street, St Albans, Christchurch

🌟 Tonight’s meeting roles include:

🎙️ Toastmaster, Rachel Leary
🗣️ Speaker 1, Andrew Bothalage
🗣️ Speaker 2, Colin Postawa
🎯 Table Topics Master, Thomas Bernard
📋 General Evaluator, Thais Theis
⏱️ Timer, Steven Hutchinson
📖 Grammarian, Ana Garrido

Whether you are wanting to:
✔ Improve public speaking
✔ Build confidence
✔ Become a better leader
✔ Practice communication skills
✔ Meet supportive people in Christchurch

Avon Toastmasters is a great place to start.

✨ Guests are always welcome, no experience needed.

08/03/2026

Today we celebrate a very special milestone, Thomas’s 30th birthday.

Happy 30th Birthday to one of our wonderful, seasoned Toastmasters and a dear friend to so many of us. Even though this birthday marks three decades of life, the wisdom, leadership, and encouragement you bring to our club often feel far beyond your years.

Thomas, you have become such an important part of our Toastmasters family. Through your dedication, thoughtful evaluations, and genuine encouragement, you have helped so many members grow in confidence and find their voice. Your presence brings positivity, insight, and warmth to every meeting.

What makes you truly special is not only your skill and experience, but also your kindness and the way you support others. You celebrate every member’s progress, you listen with care, and you always offer words that uplift and inspire. Many of us have taken braver steps on our speaking journey because of your encouragement and belief in us.

Turning 30 is a meaningful milestone, a moment to reflect on the journey so far and to look ahead to all the possibilities still to come. If the impact you have already made is any sign, the years ahead will be filled with even more growth, achievements, and lives touched by your generosity and leadership.

Thank you for the inspiration you bring to our club, for the friendships you nurture, and for the positive energy you share so freely.

Wishing you a year filled with happiness, success, laughter, and unforgettable moments. May this new decade bring exciting opportunities, continued growth, and everything that brings you joy.

Happy 30th Birthday, Thomas. We are grateful to have you as part of our community and proud to call you our friend.

With warm wishes and appreciation,
Avon Toastmasters 🎉🎂

03/03/2026

Some people join a gym to build strength.
Some join a class to learn a skill.

Some just want a place where their voice matters.

Avon Toastmasters is where confidence grows quietly.

Where speaking gets easier.
Where feedback is supportive and practical.
Where strangers become familiar faces.

No pressure.
No spotlight surprises.
Just real people becoming better communicators together.

We meet on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 7pm.

St Albans Community Centre
1049 Colombo Street, Christchurch.

If you have ever thought,
“I wish I felt more confident speaking,”
this might be your place.

Guests are always welcome.
Come along and see what it feels like.

01/03/2026

Tomorrow night, Christchurch.

Let me ask you something.

When pressure is on,
do you step forward…
or step back?

Most people do not lack ability.

They lack trained confidence.

They overthink.
They hesitate.
They stay quiet in moments that matter.

That is the problem.

The solution?

Practice under pressure.
Real time speaking.
Constructive feedback.
Consistent growth.

Confidence is not a personality trait.

It is a trained skill.

If you want to:

✔ Speak clearly in meetings
✔ Handle presentations without panic
✔ Lead with authority
✔ Build real communication skills

Then do not wait for the feeling.

Train the skill.

📍 St Albans Community Centre
1049 Colombo Street, Christchurch
🗓 Tomorrow
⏰ Arrive 6:50pm, start 7:00pm

1st, 2nd and 4th Tuesday each month.

You do not need confidence to walk in.

You build it inside.

Learn more at http://toastmasters.net.nz

28/02/2026

Before the week starts again, quick question.

Are you confident when you speak?

Or do you replay conversations later thinking, “I should have said that”?

That hesitation costs more than people realise.

Opportunities.
Leadership moments.
Influence.

The problem is not intelligence.

The problem is untrained confidence.

Confidence is built the same way strength is built.

Repetition.
Practice.
Feedback.
Growth.

If you are in Christchurch and want to improve public speaking, build real confidence, and develop stronger communication skills, here is where it happens:

📍 St Albans Community Centre
1049 Colombo Street, Christchurch
🗓 Tuesday 3rd March
⏰ Arrive 6:50pm, start 7:00pm

Meetings run 1st, 2nd and 4th Tuesday each month.

You do not need to feel ready.

You just need to show up.

Learn more at http://toastmasters.net.nz

27/02/2026

Your confidence will not grow by accident.

If you want stronger public speaking skills, clearer communication, and real leadership confidence, you have to train it.

Most people wait.

They wait until they feel ready.
They wait until nerves disappear.
They wait until the “right time.”

The right time is practice.

Public speaking confidence is built through repetition.
Communication skills improve with feedback.
Leadership presence develops when you step forward.

That is the solution.

If you are in Christchurch and want to:

• Improve public speaking
• Build self confidence
• Speak clearly in meetings
• Develop leadership skills

Then put yourself in the environment where those skills are built.

📍 St Albans Community Centre
🗓 Tuesday 3rd March
⏰ Arrive 6:50pm, start 7:00pm

Meetings run 1st, 2nd and 4th Tuesday each month.

Confidence is not something you wait for.

It is something you build.

Learn more at http://toastmasters.net.nz

27/02/2026

If public speaking makes you nervous, that is normal.

If speaking up in meetings feels uncomfortable, that is common.

If leadership feels intimidating, that is fixable.

The problem is not you.

The problem is lack of practice.

Communication skills improve with repetition.
Public speaking confidence grows with structure.
Leadership presence develops with feedback.

That is the solution.

If you want to improve public speaking in Christchurch, build real confidence, and develop stronger communication skills, put yourself in the right room.

📍 St Albans Community Centre
🗓 Tuesday 3rd March
⏰ Arrive 6:50pm, start 7:00pm

Meetings run 1st, 2nd and 4th Tuesday each month.

Confidence is built, not born.

Learn more at

Come along and join us and be part of the audience. Great value professional and personal development. Public speaking and leadership skills.