Hornby Toastmasters

Hornby Toastmasters We are dedicated to helping our members improve their speaking, listening and thinking skills, their

We meet on the 2nd, 4th and 5th Wednesday evenings of the month in the Hornby Community Care Centre, Goulding Ave, Hornby (in the library building).

Tonight we said a heartfelt farewell to Leigh-Anne, who is one of our founding members and has been part of our club for...
10/06/2026

Tonight we said a heartfelt farewell to Leigh-Anne, who is one of our founding members and has been part of our club for over 17 years. Her contribution to Hornby Toastmasters has been significant, and it was lovely to be able to acknowledge this milestone in a meaningful way that reflects the impact she has had on the club. Go well Leigh-Anne and best wishes for your next adventure

Our D72 Conference team
29/05/2026

Our D72 Conference team

29/05/2026

At our meeting on Wed 27 May we had Michael as our Toastmaster doing this role for the first time. He picked a theme of Royalty which was very fitting with the long weekend coming up and did an great job! In the meeting we had an excellent speech from Nelson about his recent holiday to South Africa filled with adventure, time connecting with people and family, amazing scenery and wildlife, and learning about some of the history. Thanks Nelson for an awesome speech. Roshean, Jo and Nicola also did a presentation about their recent trip along with Helen to Timaru to the annual D72 Conference. They shared the highlights including the very high quality speakers for the Evaluation, Table Topics, Humorous and International speech contest. Key learnings and take away messages from the workshops were also shared. Another engaging and enjoyable meeting

Our second speaker of the night was Nicola with her engaging speech, *An Office Administrator Interview*.Having worked i...
15/05/2026

Our second speaker of the night was Nicola with her engaging speech, *An Office Administrator Interview*.

Having worked in HR throughout her career, Nicola brought a wealth of experience and knowledge about interview skills and recruitment processes. She shared many valuable insights on how to prepare for interviews, present yourself professionally, and make a strong impression.

To bring the topic to life, Nicola and Helen performed a live interview demonstration as interviewer and interviewee. Their role-play was both entertaining and informative, giving everyone a realistic look at interview techniques, communication styles, and common interview scenarios.

Thank you, Nicola and Helen, for such an interactive and practical presentation filled with useful advice for everyone.

Leigh-Anne was our first speaker of the night with her thought-provoking speech, *12 Seconds*.She shared the idea that r...
15/05/2026

Leigh-Anne was our first speaker of the night with her thought-provoking speech, *12 Seconds*.

She shared the idea that research shows it takes at least 12 seconds for the brain to focus and shift its pattern of thinking. Without that pause, negative feelings can become hardwired into our minds.

Her message reminded us not to dwell on the negative, but instead to intentionally focus on the positive. As she explained, we are often fully present in our problems, yet only half present in the good moments in our lives.

Sometimes, all it takes is 12 seconds to pause, reset our thinking, and allow our brains to encode more positive thoughts.

One of the most powerful takeaways from her speech was: *“We don’t have a happy problem, we have an attention problem.”*

Thank you, Leigh-Anne, for such an insightful and meaningful speech.

Last Wednesday, our Toastmaster for the evening was Roshean. As this year’s club president and a dedicated member of Hor...
15/05/2026

Last Wednesday, our Toastmaster for the evening was Roshean. As this year’s club president and a dedicated member of Hornby Toastmasters for almost five years, she led the meeting with confidence, warmth, and enthusiasm.

The theme she chose for the night was *Teamwork* — a wonderful reminder that growth, leadership, and success are never achieved alone. Through the speeches, table topics, and evaluations, the evening highlighted how supporting one another helps us all become better communicators and leaders.

Thank you, Roshean, for running such an engaging and inspiring meeting!

Speech Highlight 🎤Gaylene shared a heartfelt speech titled “Makes Your ComeBack Greater Than Your SetBack.” She spoke ab...
30/04/2026

Speech Highlight 🎤
Gaylene shared a heartfelt speech titled “Makes Your ComeBack Greater Than Your SetBack.” She spoke about her hip replacement surgery journey—the fear leading up to the operation and the steady, positive progress during recovery.
Through her story, she gave us a real glimpse into how challenging everyday life became during that time, and the resilience it took to keep going.
Her experience was both moving and inspiring, showing true strength and determination in the face of adversity. 👏

Speech Highlight 🎤Donna delivered an insightful speech on “Knowing Your Negotiation Style.” She explored key approaches ...
30/04/2026

Speech Highlight 🎤
Donna delivered an insightful speech on “Knowing Your Negotiation Style.” She explored key approaches including defending, accommodating, compromising, and collaborating—helping us understand when and how each style can be applied effectively.
Drawing on her own work experience, Donna brought these strategies to life with practical examples, making the topic both relatable and useful for everyday situations.
A thoughtful and practical speech that gave us valuable tools for better communication and decision-making. 👏

Speech Highlight 🎤Michael delivered a powerful speech titled “When Words Are Not Enough.” He gave us meaningful insight ...
30/04/2026

Speech Highlight 🎤
Michael delivered a powerful speech titled “When Words Are Not Enough.” He gave us meaningful insight into the realities of life for the deaf community.
Through his speech, Michael highlighted that deafness is not just a small inconvenience—it can often mean isolation and significant communication barriers. He also shared the history and development of sign language, helping us better understand its importance as a vital tool for connection.
An eye-opening and thought-provoking speech that reminded us of the power of communication beyond words. 👏

Address

Hornby Community Care Centre, Goulding Avenue
Hornby
8042

Opening Hours

7pm - 9:15pm

Telephone

+64273782713

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Hornby Toastmasters posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category