Stamford Toastmasters to compete on national stage

Two members of a speaking club have made it to the national finals of a competition.

Colletor Gumbo and Geoff Huntington, members of Stamford Toastmasters, impressed judges with their speaking at local and district competitions.

Colletor, 20, and Geoff, 36, will go on to the Toastmasters national final in May to compete against winners from across the country.

Club president Dean Cornish said: “There are 16,000 clubs internationally and for two members of one club to get to the district finals is quite incredible.

“It shows the excellent level that we have achieved at a club in a town much smaller than many of our counterparts.”

Toastmasters is an organisation to help people improve their public speaking skills and the Stamford group, which was set up by James Hurford and Greg Pognowski, has been meeting in the town for the past few years.

The format involves members giving prepared or unprepared speeches before being given constructive feedback on their speaking skills.