Members of Toastmasters International clubs from across Hertfordshire celebrated the organisation's 100th anniversary in Welwyn Garden City.

Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield Frank Marsh and Mayoress Michelle Marsh were guests of honour at a dinner and awards ceremony at the Best Western Hotel on Saturday, October 19.

Toastmasters International, founded in California in October 1924, is a global organisation of 16,000 clubs helping people develop public speaking, communication and leadership skills.

Clubs represented at the event included Hertfordshire Speakers, North Herts Speakers, East Herts Speakers, West Herts Speakers, Stevenage Speakers and Cornerstone Communicators.

In his after-dinner speech, Mayor Marsh congratulated members on the milestone anniversary and raised a toast to the next 100 years of the organisation.

READ MORE

Last year's area director Katuta Lumpa, who led the team that organised the centenary event, inspired the audience with his story of how - thanks to Toastmasters - he went from being tongue-tied to being able to speak confidently in front of a large audience.

He urged members to invite guests to visit clubs in their area and experience the Toastmasters first-hand, to help them become better communicators and leaders.

Toastmasters was founded by Dr Ralph C. Smedley, and began as a group challenging boys and young men to speak for five or six minutes in turn, with older men serving as speech evaluators.