A VILLAGER has been recognised for his leadership achievements with a ‘coveted’ award.

John Christie from Longhope gained his Distinguished Toastmasters Award and received his lapel badge at the Toastmasters’ Divisional Conference earlier this month.

John is a member of the volunteer board of Young Enterprise Gloucestershire, a Gloucester Harbour trustee and a Lydney Yacht Club trustee, and worked as a rivers pollution control officer for 25 years with Severn Trent Water Company and its predecessors.

John said: “I got involved with Gloucester Speakers when I met Jan Collins, a speaking coach who invited me to the Voice of Wales Toastmasters Club in Usk in May 2008.

“I saw a great opportunity to improve my public speaking, presentation and leadership skills and to build confidence.

“I joined Gloucester Speakers Club in December 2017 as well as maintaining membership of Voice of Wales Toastmasters Club.”

Kate Nixon, Glou- cester Speakers vice- president for public relations, said: “To gain this coveted award, John has taken on leadership roles in the famous public speaking club as well as championing an innovative program that brought the Toastmasters’ philosophy to a group of 15 to 16 year old students in Wales.

“The students, none of whom had English as a first language, took on leadership roles and prepared and gave public speeches as part of the nine-week course under John Christie’s caring and supportive tutelage.”

John said: “At Toastmasters we provide a supportive environment for people to grow as leaders and gain confidence in public speaking.

“By taking on management roles in the club, we provide opportunities for others to do the same.

“By giving speeches, we give the gift of learning to others in the club. For every speaker, there is an evaluator and an audience and the learning is a shared experience.”

“Beside the course for teenagers,” Kate said, “John’s journey of 11 years from the ice-breaker speech of a new member to the accolade of distinguished toastmaster saw him take on leading roles, such as vice-president for education, and president for the Voice of Wales Club, area director and providing educational events, as well as giving 40 speeches to advance his skills.

“He also took on the role of conference director for a divisional conference in Gloucester for Wales and the Southwest

of England. He was the division J conference director for the one day conference held at the Hatherley Manor Hotel, near Gloucester.

“This division of District 91 (UK South) covers an area from the M25 to the West Wales coast, south of Birmingham and north of Swindon.”

Visit https://toastmasterclub.org for more information about Gloucester Speakers .

“We welcome guests who can sit back and listen to the speeches of the meeting,” Kate said. “They can even take part should they choose.

“I visited twice before becoming a member of the club, and it is one of the best things I ever did.

“Anybody is welcome to come to our next meeting on May 28.”