After a number of years watching many toastmasters at various functions Richard Palmer found that there was no common standard amongst those working in the profession, and although some were excellent others were not demonstrating an acceptable level of professionalism.
Richard decided, having worked as a toastmaster and master of ceremonies, to formalise his training with an established guild of professional toastmasters. His intention was to become a member of a guild and to demonstrate his passion and ideals. Richard found the training did not meet his expectations and was not up to the standard he had hoped for. Services being delivered were not to his exacting standards and were being delivered in a less personable manor than those which Richard feels his clients should receive and deserve.
Having worked to an extremely demanding and high standard in the IT industry, where things were either right or wrong and there was no room for error in regards to your clients, Richard decided to push for the ISO 9001:2000 now updated to ISO 9001:2008 standard for the administration of his business, to make sure that his clients would know what to expect even before the service was delivered. Part of this standard also includes ensuring that your client is satisfied after the work is complete.
Richard found there were no set standards or qualifications for toastmasters and each of the organisations that offer training for toastmasters differed in their training content, delivery and method of teaching. But more importantly other organisations representing toastmasters had either no code of ethics or in particular cases a code of ethics that did not meet Richards high standards.
It is somewhat flattering to see that some of our Code of Ethics have been adopted, word for word or with slight amendments by some other organizations. It is even more interesting to see that the Code relationg to drinking whilst wearing our uniform ie. on duty, has somehow been forgotten.
For example toastmasters from a number of organisations are allowed to consume alcohol whilst working, which the English Toastmasters Association does not consider professional.
To raise the bar within the entire profession and to bring it into the 21st century Richard along with the other founder members, Linda Palmer and Russell Rainger, decided to start the English Toastmasters Association and registered the name as a trademark on the 25th March 2004.
To make sure the English Toastmasters Association did not suffer the pitfalls of other organisations, firm foundations were built during the first 3 years, and on the 1st March 2007 the association welcomed its first member.
The English Toastmasters Association is now the fastest growing, (at present the second largest organisation for toastmasters in the world) quality association for toastmasters in the UK and indeed world wide, and has a clear and set vision to raise the value and quality of services that toastmasters offer to their clients.
The History of Toastmasters
For an ineresting insight as to how and why the red jacket was first worn in London in 1894 by William Knightsmith, please go to the History of Toastmasters. We will be adding more information about our history and how our work has changed over the decades and where we feel that we are now! We will also try to give an insight into the future of our profession as we see it. Thank you for your interest and please remember that much of the information that will be found on this site is copyright.
English Toastmaster assisting the photographer at Manor of Groves, Hertfordshire.
Photograph courtesy of
Essex wedding photographer
David Court www.courtoncamera.co.uk
For further information please call 01245 222392 / 07971 409977
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