https://www.riversidecommunicators.org/

Toastmasters Riverside Communicators, 44 York Street, Twickenham (2026)

20/06/2026

🌟 Riverside Communicator’s AGM Highlights17th June 2026.🌟
A year to remember reaching a milestone of highest achievement to Smedley Level.

What a fantastic evening of speeches, laughter, learning, and reflection on reaching a milestone of highest achievement to Smedley Distinguished Club Award Level.

President Bayan Carter warmly welcomed members and guests before handing over to Luke Thomas, who expertly managed the evening as Toastmaster.

🎙 Prepared Speeches
🐶 Brendon McCormack – The Dog Who Taught Me to Stay (Icebreaker)
Brendon shared a heartfelt story about how his dog helped him overcome uncertainty and gain the confidence to put down roots and make important life decisions.
🎉 Charlotte Oliver – It's Just Another Floor
With humour and honesty, Charlotte reflected on turning 50 (the 5th level) and the expectations we place on milestone ages. Through personal stories and observations about life and getting older, she reminded us that life is a continuous journey of learning and growth and that none of us have it figured out or have all the answers and that’s fine.
📊 Michael Yogarajah – The Power of Power BI
Michael introduced us to the capabilities of Power BI, demonstrating how data analytics can transform information into valuable insights and support better decision-making.

👏 Evaluations
Insightful evaluations were delivered by Vikash Kumar, Julian Ward, and Farah Hussain, providing speakers with valuable feedback and practical recommendations for continued improvement.

💬 Table Topics
Heather Baker led an engaging Table Topics session, encouraging members and guests to think on their feet and share their ideas through a series of fun impromptu questions.
🏆 Award Winners
🥇 Best Speaker: Charlotte Oliver
🥇 Best Evaluator: Julian Ward
🌟 A Year of Outstanding Achievement

This AGM was particularly special as we celebrated Riverside Communicators achieving the Smedley Distinguished Club Award, one of the highest recognitions in Toastmasters. This achievement reflects the dedication, commitment, and teamwork of our members and leadership team, and highlights the supportive environment we have built together for learning, leadership, and personal growth.

📋 Annual General Meeting
President Bayan Carter gave her final address, reflecting on a year of achievements. Followed by a few minutes speeches by the club officers.
• Julian Ward (incoming President) Head of Mentoring.
• Luke Thomas Vice President Education
• Surinder Ahluwalia Vice President Membership
• Mani Pathmanathan Secretary
• Bhupi Pannu Vice President Public Relations
• Richard Brincau Sergeant at Arms
Special thanks also go to Madhurantika Moulick, Immediate Past President, and Richard Sharkey and Duncan Hammett for their continued support and contributions behind the scenes throughout the year.

✨ Riverside Communicators continues to be a place where individuals build confidence, develop communication skills, and grow as leaders in both their personal and professional lives.
A huge thank you to every member who contributed to our success this year. Together, we have created a thriving club community that
inspires people to achieve more than they thought possible.

📍 Interested in becoming a more confident communicator and leader? We welcome guests to experience a meeting for themselves.
🕢 7:30 PM
📍 York House, Twickenham, TW1 3AA
📅 We meet on the 1st, 3rd & 5th Wednesday of each month

16/06/2026

🌟 Riverside Communicator's Tall Tales Contest Highlights 10th June 2026 🌟

What an evening of imagination, laughter, and storytelling! Our Tall Tales Contest showcased the creativity and talent of our speakers, who took us on unforgettable journeys, extraordinary adventures, and plenty of humour.

Our elegant President, Bayan Carter, warmly welcomed members and guests before Charlotte Oliver expertly took charge as Contest Chair, introducing the contestants and guiding us through a fantastic evening of storytelling.

🎭 Tall Tales Contestants

🐜 Richard Sharkey: Bu**er Off, You've Got Ants in Your Pants
A wonderfully imaginative tale featuring Mr Anton, the Ant-i-social Ant Whisperer. Armed with extraordinary powers and an unusual connection to ants, he embarked on a journey that ultimately led to friendship, acceptance, and everlasting love.

🎸 Smita Narayan: The Agency Dreamboy: Boyband to Husband & Finally Disband
Smita blended personal memories with fantasy, taking us from performing alongside The Beatles as a young girl to forming bands throughout her education, all while sharing lessons about love, music, and the significance of a wedding ring.

🏠 Vikash Kumar: The House That Came with Extras
A family purchases a charming house with an old mysterious well, only to uncover tiny artefacts. After accidentally falling into the well, they encounter a hidden miniature civilisation beneath their garden. What followed was a surreal, humorous, and unforgettable adventure before returning to reality.

🦆 Bayan Carter: The Hungry Duck Bayan took us to a popular nightclub in Moscow, where the audience expected glamorous dancers but got a surprise instead a distinguished English gentleman taking to the dance floor. A humorous and entertaining tale showing that the most unexpected performers can steal the show.

🦜 Duncan Hammett: The Green Invasion
What's green and flies around London? A parrot, of course! Duncan explored the myths and legends surrounding London's famous green parrots, including whether Jimi Hendrix released a pair or did they come from the set of the Africa Queen?

👑 Mani Pathmanathan: Meeting a Real Princess
A humorous tale of royal expectations and mistaken identity, where an encounter with a supposed princess turned out to be with the head of Royalty instead.

🦵 Luke Thomas: The Negotiator
Luke introduced us to a man who negotiated everything in life even finding himself bargaining over the price of a leg amputation! A hilarious tale proving that some habits are hard to break.

💬 Table Topics
Our Table Topics Master, Michael Yogarajah, kept the audience engaged with a series of fun and lively football-themed impromptu questions.

🙌 Special Thanks
• Madhurantika Moulick: Sergeant at Arms, for opening the meeting
• Michael Yogarajah: Vice President Membership, for warmly welcoming and introducing our guests
• Rhithika Srinivasan: Timer, for keeping everyone on track throughout the evening

🏆 Contest Winner
🥇 Best Speaker: Richard Sharkey

👏 Congratulations to all our contestants for entertaining us with their creativity, confidence, and storytelling skills. It was a wonderful reminder that sometimes the most unbelievable stories are the most memorable!

✨ Interested in improving your public speaking, storytelling, and leadership skills? Come along as a guest and see what Riverside Communicators is all about.
📍 York House, Twickenham, TW1 3AA
🕢 7:30 PM Start 📅 We meet on 1st, 3rd & 5th Wednesday of the month

08/06/2026

🌟🎤 Tall Tales Night at Riverside Communicators 10th June 2026 🎤🌟

Come and join us for an evening of imagination, creativity, and laughter as Riverside Communicators hosts its Tall Tales Contest!

Expect entertaining stories, larger-than-life characters, and unbelievable adventures as our speakers compete to deliver the most engaging and memorable tales. Whether fact, fiction, or somewhere in between, you're guaranteed an evening of fun and inspiration.
Riverside Communicators Toastmasters
📍 York House, Twickenham, TW1 3AA
🕢 7:30 PM Start

08/06/2026

Riverside Communicators 3rd June 2026 Meeting Highlights 🌟

Another fantastic evening of learning, laughter, and personal growth at Riverside Communicators!

Rhithika Srinivasan, stood in as Sergeant At Arms, opened the meeting in her unique and welcoming style. Luke Thomas, our dedicated Vice President of Education, stepped in as President and warmly welcomed members and guests. Then, the evening was managed by the confident and stylish Farah Hussain as Toastmaster of the Evening.

🎙 Prepared Speeches

🐎 Arta Saadian An Unforgettable Ride(Icebreaker)
Arta captivated us with a dramatic story of a horse-riding incident where a the horses bolted unexpectedly through a park. Finding herself alone in the middle of a forest surrounded by horses, she shared a powerful lesson about overcoming fear and embracing the beauty of the moment when we stop letting fear take control.

🎤 Elizabeth Lewis Seriously Speaking (Icebreaker)
Elizabeth realised her desire was to become a more confident speaker and that’s what led her to join Toastmasters. Drawing on personal anecdotes from past speaking experiences and weaving in famous quotes about self-discovery, she delivered a thoughtful reflection of knowing yourself and finding your voice.

🔬 Linda Why Do We Teach Science at School?
Linda challenged us to think critically about confidence and truth. Her key message was that confidence alone does not make us right; science teaches us to test our beliefs against evidence and discover what is actually true.

⚽ Michael Yogarajah The Beautiful Game
Michael took us on a nostalgic journey through World Cup history, sharing memorable moments, personal reflections, and the emotions that make football the world's most beloved sport.

🤖 Mani Pathmanathan An Affair in Our Marriage
A humorous and entertaining speech exploring the growing influence of AI on modern relationships, leaving the audience laughing while reflecting on the changing world around us.

👏 Speech Evaluations

Insightful and constructive evaluations were delivered by Madhurantika Moulick, Ben Griffiths, Charlotte Oliver, Fiona McFarland, and Luke Thomas, helping speakers celebrate their strengths and continue their development.

💬 Table Topics
Our Table Topics Master, Ilia Sukhovalov, challenged members and guests with simple yet engaging impromptu questions, encouraging everyone to think on their feet and speak with confidence.

🙌 Special Thanks
Francesca Fabbri Timer, for keeping everyone on track
Luke Thomas Meeter and Greeter, welcoming members and guests
Ruth Ribeiro Stood in as Vice President of Membership and introduced our guests

🏆 Award Winners
🥇 Best Speaker: Arta Saadian
🥇 Best Evaluator: Fiona McFarland
🥇 Best Table Topics: Ruth Ribeiro

✨ Another inspiring evening filled with storytelling, learning, leadership, and connection. At Riverside Communicators, every meeting is an opportunity to grow in confidence and communication skills.

📍 Interested in becoming a better speaker, communicator, or leader? Come along as a guest and see what we do!

🕢 7:30 PM start
📍 York House, Twickenham, TW1 3AA
📧 [email protected]

30/05/2026

🌟 Riverside Communicators – Election Meeting Highlights | 20th May 2026 🌟
What an action packed and inspiring evening, filled with confidence building, leadership, learning and connecting with others. Riverside Communicators at it's best! Our President, Bayan Carter, warmly welcomed members and guests in her unique and engaging style before handing over to Nail Khabib, who managed the evening brilliantly as Toastmaster with energy, humour, and flair.
🎙 Prepared Speeches
• Vikash Kumar > AI is a Tool, Not a Terminator
A thought-provoking speech exploring the evolution and impact of AI. Vikash highlighted how AI is a groundbreaking innovation that can support society, but can never replace essential human qualities such as creativity, empathy, and imagination. His message encouraged us to embrace AI responsibly while actively shaping its future.
• Rhithika Srinivasan > The Beauty of Feeling
A reflective and uplifting speech reminding us that the true beauty of life lies in experiencing and appreciating the present moment.
• Amrit Sahota > Did You Hear That?
An engaging demonstration of the power of non-verbal communication and vocal variety, showing how tone, pauses, and delivery can transform the way we connect with an audience.
👏 Speech Evaluations
Insightful and constructive evaluations were delivered by Michael Yogarajah, Ben Griffiths, and Richard Brincau, each providing valuable feedback and commendations to help speakers continue their growth.
🙌 Special Mentions
• Surinder Ahluwalia (Vice President Membership) for warmly introducing our guests
• Luke Thomas > Meeter & Greeter
• Heather Baker > Timer > kept everyone’s time in check
• Janie Zhou > Sergeant At Arms, for setting up the room and welcoming everyone
🗳 Club Elections
A huge thank you to our Immediate Past President, Madhurantika Moulick, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes encouraging members to step into leadership roles. She expertly conducted the elections by outlining Toastmasters regulations and introducing nominees for each committee position before the new committee was elected. A fantastic job, superbly delivered!
🏆 Winners of the Evening
🥇 Best Speaker: Amrit Sahota
🥇 Best Evaluators: Ben Griffiths & Richard Brincau
📍 Interested in improving your communication and leadership skills?
Come along as a guest and experience it for yourself!
🕢 7:30 PM start
📍 York House, Twickenham, TW1 3AA

15/05/2026

🌟 Riverside Communicators Meeting Highlights 6th May 2026 🌟

Another fantastic evening, inspiring speeches, thought-provoking ideas, and plenty of laughter along the way!

Our gracious President, Bayan Carter, warmly welcomed members and guests, and then Glen Savage, took over as Toastmaster of the Evening, expertly guided us through an engaging and energetic meeting.

🎙 Prepared Speeches

Josephine Quint: Comparison is the Thief of Confidence (Icebreaker)
A heartfelt and relatable reflection on how comparing ourselves to others can affect our confidence. Josephine shared her journey of overcoming fear in public speaking by learning to embrace and develop her own authentic voice.

Rhithika Srinivasan: The People in Your Lives
Rhithika shared her exploration of "energy audit" techniques to help us understand how people make you feel and decide on how you can progress with different types of relationships.

Nail Khabib: Have You Heard AI?
A timely and thought-provoking speech on the growing impact of AI, highlighting both its risks and the actions we can take to use technology more responsibly.

Russell Searle: You Can Lead a Horse to Water
A humorous and creative journey through different leadership styles with anchovies unexpectedly making an appearance! A fun reminder that leadership comes in many forms.

Richard Sharkey: This Ain’t Tinder, This is ToastmastersDon’t Swipe Forward, Pay it Forward
A witty and inspiring speech about the journey from searching for mentor to becoming one and paying it forward. Packed with humour, Aussie-Kiwi rivalry, a mention of Tinder mentoring App startup idea, and Nokia 3310 mentoring.

👏 Evaluations
Insightful and encouraging feedback was delivered by Ben Griffiths, Amrit Sahota, Heather Baker, Francesca Fabbri, and Maitreya Thakur, offering valuable commendations and recommendations for growth of the speakers.

💬 Table Topics
Led brilliantly by Mechthild Ruggier, whose creative impromptu questions brought out confidence, spontaneity, and some fantastic responses from participants.

🙌 Special Thanks To:
Surinder Ahluwalia for warmly introducing our guests
Nail Khabib Sergeant at Arms
Luke Thomas Meeter & Greeter
Josephine Quint: Timer, keeping the meeting running smoothly

🏆 Winners of the Evening
🥇 Best Speaker Richard Sharkey
🥇 Best Table Topics: Farah Hussain
🥇 Best Evaluator Maitreya Thakur

📍 Interested in confidence-building, communication and leadership skills? Come and join us as a guest!

📅 We meet on 1st, 3rd & 5th Wednesday of the month
🕢 7:30 PM start
📍 York House, Twickenham, TW1 3AA
📧 [email protected]

06/05/2026

🌟 Riverside Communicators – Meeting Highlights | 29th April 2026 🌟

A meeting with a difference! Combined with inspiring speeches, practical talk on our websites, and a powerful evaluation workshop, making it a truly enriching experience for all.

Luke Thomas stepped in as President, whilst Bhupi Pannu stepped in as Toastmaster, guiding the evening smoothly from start to finish.

🎙 Prepared Speeches
Linda "What Brought Me Here" (Icebreaker)
A thought-provoking introduction exploring how autism in women is often overlooked, not as a limitation, but as a different way of experiencing the world, bringing strengths like focus, honesty, and deep insight that can be easily missed but are incredibly valuable.
Amrit Sahota "Spring: The Visible Promise"
A meaningful reflection on the arrival of spring and its significance to Sikhs, marking the birth of the Khalsa and its powerful visual identity and the meanings behind the 5Ks they wear.
Janie Zhou "How to Make Something Worth Keeping"?
An engaging and reflective speech encouraging us to think about value, purpose, and what truly makes something meaningful.

👏 Evaluations
Insightful and constructive feedback was delivered by Nail Khabib, Richard Brincau, and Charlotte Oliver, offering valuable recommendations and strong commendations.

🙌 Meeting Highlights
Mani Pathmanathan stepped in as Vice President Membership, warmly welcoming guests and new members
Luke Thomas shared the importance of making the most of the 3 Toastmasters websites
Madhurantika Moulick delivered an engaging 1-hour workshop on “How to Evaluate to Motivate” packed with practical tips for competitions and beyond

👏 Special Thanks
Michael Yogarajah Sergeant at Arms, for opening the meeting
Arte Saadian Timer, keeping everyone on track

🏆 Winners of the Evening
🥇 Best Speaker: Linda
🥇 Best Evaluator: Charlotte Oliver
✨ A fantastic evening of learning, growth, and connection this is what Riverside Communicators is all about.

✨ Want to build confidence and sharpen your communication skills?
Join us as a guest and experience it for yourself!
📅 1st, 3rd & 5th Wednesday of the month
🕢 7:30 PM start
📍 York House, Twickenham, TW1 3AA
📧 [email protected]

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28/04/2026

Evaluation Workshop with Madhu Moulick ✨🎤

Come join us on Wednesday, 29th April 2026, at 7:30 PM for an engaging Evaluation Workshop led by Madhu Moulick.

Learn how to give clear, constructive, and impactful feedback—an essential skill for confident communication and leadership.

📍 York House, Twickenham
👥 Guests are welcome to come along for free and enjoy the evening!

21/04/2026

🌟 Riverside Communicators – Meeting Highlights | 15th April 2026 🌟

Wow another fantastic high-energy evening at Riverside Communicators! With six inspiring speeches, insightful evaluations, and a lively Table Topics session, the meeting truly showcased the power of communication and personal growth.

Our President, Bayan Carter, opened the meeting in her distinctive style, setting the tone for the evening. Julian Ward, our dynamic Toastmaster, then took over guiding the meeting seamlessly with confidence, humour, and flair.

🎙 Prepared Speeches

Aaryan Swarup Why I’m Investing in Communication (Icebreaker)
A confident start to his Toastmasters journey, sharing his motivation to build communication skills and grow in confidence and appreciating the great feedback from members.

Fiona McFarland A Life Made Softer
A heartfelt and humorous journey through life and whilst changing countries. Enriched by a love of animals reminding us of the lessons they teach about presence, empathy, and connection.

Zara Sari – Leadership or Showmanship?
A thought-provoking look at the fine line between authentic leadership and narcissistic behaviour, challenging us to reflect on what true leadership really means.

Nail Khabib – Banana: Pure Luxury
A powerful reminder to appreciate life’s simple pleasures, shaped by personal stories and the surprise contrast of experiencing abundance in other countries.

Michael Yogarajah – What My Wife and I Agree (and Disagree) On
A hilarious but relatable take on married life, valuing other’s decisions and compromising, the art of building a happy relationship.

Francesca Fabbri – Mapping the Maze
Through the voice of one of many of today’s teenagers and the complex life challenges they are facing, Francesca told us how she wants to use Systems Thinking to improve how public services can support young people better.

👏 Evaluations
Insightful and constructive feedback was delivered by all the evaluators: - Madhurantika Moulick, Amrit Sahota, Kim Locherer, Duncan Hammett, Luke Thomas, and Ilia Sukhovalov, with valuable recommendations for continued growth.

💬 Table Topics
Led by Anand Bhamra, who challenged participants with engaging impromptu topics around “Having fun under pressure” bringing energy, spontaneity and laughter.

🙌 Special Thanks

Richard Sharkey – Grammarian (word of the day: Flummery)

Surinder Ahluwalia – VPE, for welcoming our guests

Charlotte Oliver – Timer, keeping us on track

Josephine Quint – Sergeant at Arms, ensuring a smooth start

🏆 Winners:-
🥇 Best Speaker: Fiona McFarland
🥇 Best Table Topics: Ben Griffiths
🥇 Best Evaluator: Ilia Sukhovalov

✨ Another evening of confidence-building, learning, and connection is what Riverside Communicators is all about.

✨ Come and join us as a guest and experience it for yourself!

📅 1st, 3rd & 5th Wednesday of the month
🕢 7:30 PM start
📍 York House, Twickenham, TW1 3AA
📧 [email protected]

11/04/2026

🌟 Riverside Communicators Meeting Highlights 1st April 2026 🌟

What a truly engaging and energising evening! With six inspiring speeches, insightful evaluations, and a lively Table Topics session, the meeting showcased the very best of P***c Speaking in action.

Richard Brincau (SAA) opened the meeting. Luke Thomas (VPE) stepped in as President and managed the meeting as a Toastmaster. Michael Yogarajah kept us perfectly on time, adding his own touch of humour along the way.

🎙 Prepared Speeches
Vikash Kumar Lost in Translation (Icebreaker)
A powerful story of moving from the UK to Spain, navigating language barriers, cultural shifts, and a global pandemic. What began as uncertainty became a journey of resilience, growth, and acceptance, reminding us that belonging comes from connection, not geography.

Amritpal Sahota, The Fool’s Errand (Icebreaker) A reflective journey from feeling like a victim to rediscovering purpose, inspired by honest questions from his children and a renewed connection to his cultural roots.

Heather Baker Not an Old Hand (Icebreaker) A reflection on her public speaking progress and highlighting the confidence and personal growth gained through Riverside Communicators.

Charlotte Oliver Who’s Talking? A thought-provoking exploration of the inner voice and how learning to listen to it can help us to guide us forward.

James Rose When the Season Changed: Through the metaphor of a tree shaped by seasons and challenges, James explored the transition from childhood to adulthood and how adversity builds resilience, leaving us with the powerful question: Would your younger self be proud of who you are today?

Richard Sharkey, This Ain’t No April Fool’s Joke, I Don’t Want To Be The Bread Winner Anymore. A humorous yet insightful speech. It wasn't just about ham cheese Oreo sandwich, but about cravings and comfort zones to the habits we form, encouraging us to reflect on what we are truly feeding on.

👏 Evaluations
Insightful and constructive feedback was given by all; Richard Brincau, Ruth Ribeiro, Madhurantika Moulick, Dom Bertioli, Nail Khabib, Julian Ward, offering valuable commendations and constructive feedback.

🙌 Special Thanks
Mani Pathmanathan (Club Secretary), stepped in as VPE and introduced 12 guests
The Team for support before and during the meeting

Table Topics
Josephine Quint, led a fun and engaging April Fool’s themed impromptu TT questions.

🏆 Winners of the Evening
🥇 Best Speaker: Vikash Kumar
🥇 Best Evaluator: Julian Ward

✨ An evening of learning, confidence building, and connections, this is what Riverside Communicators is all about.
✨ Come as a guest and experience it for yourself!
📅 We meet 1st, 3rd & 5th Wednesday of the month
🕢 7:30 PM start
📍 York House, Twickenham, TW1 3AA
📧 [email protected]

Toastmasters Riverside Communicators

20/06/2026

16/06/2026

08/06/2026

08/06/2026

30/05/2026

15/05/2026

06/05/2026

28/04/2026

21/04/2026

11/04/2026

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