Wharfedale Speakers Club
Wharfedale is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful of the Yorkshire Dales, a favourite haunt for holidaymakers and day-trippers. Wharfedale Speakers Club meets in Otley, a market town in lower Wharfedale.
The Club takes pride in providing aspiring speakers, including beginners, with a friendly, helpful environment in which to practise and improve the various forms of public speaking.
Founded in Otley in 1979, the club has functioned successfully ever since. In late 2004, we celebrated our 25th year with a grand Silver Jubilee Dinner at Ilkley Golf Club.
The club is a member of the Association of Speakers Clubs, which co-ordinates the activities of around 140 speakers clubs in the UK.
What do we do?
In a normal club meeting, two or three members give prepared speeches of their own choosing but of a given type. These commonly last 6 to 8 minutes. There is also a Topics Session during which members have the opportunity to make short 2 or 3-minute impromptu speeches (which we call Topics) on allocated subjects. All speakers are given friendly, helpful feedback by experienced fellow members. These ‘evaluators’ highlight the good points in the speech and offer helpful suggestions for improvement in appropriate areas. There is a short interval for refreshments.
The above description is of a ‘normal’ meeting, but there are others e.g. educational teach-ins, joint meetings with other clubs, speaking contests, and fun evenings, all of which add to variety.
Constructive evaluation is perhaps the greatest strength of the Association’s methods. Everything is evaluated including prepared speeches, impromptu speeches, chairmanship, etc.
Within the club, we boast neither experts nor teachers. It is a club, not a school, and not a training course in the normal sense. Evaluators are experienced fellow members who know exactly what it is like to join a club and develop speaking skills. They have been there themselves.
Another great strength is The Speakers Guide – an ASC manual on speaking skills that is presented to new members on joining. Apart from its valuable guidance on a wide range of speaking matters, it offers a progressive series of assignments, which the member may choose to follow.
Over recent years, the club has developed a new concept called Prescription Speaking. It is an extra dimension open to all members, and is of special relevance to those who wish quickly to upgrade their speaking skills in order to achieve particular objectives, often associated with work demands or social activities.
Where and when?
We meet every first and third Wednesday in the month from September to May at the Civic Centre, Cross Green, Otley, LS21 1HD. Members arrive about 7.45 pm for an 8.00 pm start. Meetings end at 10.00 pm. There is free car parking nearby and a location map is available. Click HERE to see our location.
Cost?
Membership is currently £30 per season, with a reduction for those in full-time education. This is great value for up to 18 meetings.
The other alternative for those wishing to improve their speaking skills is a training course. Many of these are good. But they are much more expensive and usually offer no possibility of continuing practice before a sympathetic audience with the benefit of constructive evaluation.
Visitors are welcome
Visitors are invited to come along for a couple of meetings, without charge or commitment. Just contact our Secretary or President to clarify any queries and say you wish to attend. Alternatively, you may simply turn up on the evening. You can then observe how we do things and decide if Speakers Club is for you.
Membership is open to men and women of 15 years and over. For beginners, no prior experience is necessary, just a genuine desire to learn to speak well in public. Experienced speakers are also welcome. Their aim will be to improve upon their present level of competence.
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