Newark Speakers Club name Ian Jones, of Radcliffe-on-Trent, as Speech Champion ahead of national public speaking competition

A public speaker is to begin a journey to national competition after being named club champion.

Ian Jones, of Radcliffe-on-Trent, was named Speech Champion of Newark Speakers Club at the group’s January 15th meeting.

Four contestants battled it out in a close fought contest, and Simon Kemp, of Southwell, was a “very commendable” runner-up.

Ian will now represent the club at the area heats on March 2, against the Lincoln, Nottingham, Loughborough (Charnwood) and Derby and District club winners.

If he wins there will go on to regional heats on March 17, and then, the club hopes, the national finals in April — and the club believe he has the talent to bring back silverware.

The club’s contest involved an impromptu three minute speech and a prepared six to eight minute speech. As well as being judged on various criteria needed to make a good speech by three judges, there are also heavy time penalty points for being over or under the time.

Before presenting the awards the chief judge, Anne Eldridge, a past district president, gave some useful advice to all the speakers who took part.

Newark Speakers Club’s next meeting is on February 5, and is its evaluation contest, where the contestants listen to the same speech, have ten minutes to make notes and then come back in one at a time to give feedback on the speech again in front of three judges and the audience.

It will be held at the Newark Salvation Army Community Centre in Balderton from 7.15pm to 9.30pm. Guests are welcome to attend to provide an audience for the speakers.

After the contest has finished, the club will be able to answer any questions and tell visitors how the club operates, what it offers, how it can help develop confidence and improve speaking techniques and the benefits of being a member of an Association of Speakers Clubs club.