Woking Speakers Club · Where Your Voice Matters

About us

Everyone starts somewhere.

Our members come looking for confidence and leave with something much more useful: the ability to speak clearly, think on their feet, and hold a room.

Woking Speakers Club has been running since 2006, part of Toastmasters International, the world's leading organisation for public speaking, with over 300,000 members across 122 countries. We meet at Woking United Reformed Church, two minutes from the town centre.

Our members come from a variety of backgrounds. Some come because they've got a wedding speech looming. Some because a job promotion depends on it. Some just because they're tired of sitting quietly in meetings when they have something to say. All of them find more than they expected.

"I joined dreading every work presentation. Two years later, I volunteer for them."

Club member since 2019

Visiting as a guest is free, so you can see the club for yourself before you decide to join. You won't be asked to speak until you're ready, and you'll leave knowing exactly what the club can do for you.

2×

meetings a month,
2nd & 4th Thursday

1924

Toastmasters founded: the world's longest-running speaking club

Genuine confidence: not just in speeches, but in meetings, interviews, and everyday conversation
Leadership skills: learn to run meetings, chair discussions, and give constructive feedback
Impromptu speaking practice that transforms how you handle unexpected questions and off-the-cuff situations
Access to the global Toastmasters network, useful for jobs, travel, and finding a club wherever you are
Option to have a mentor: a more experienced member who's been exactly where you are now

Meetings

Two hours that go faster than you expect.

Every meeting follows the same running order, but the content is different each time.

Warm up · 15 min

The warm-up

Everyone gets 15 seconds on a shared topic. Guests can simply say "pass"; no one will mind, and no one will notice.

Prepared speeches · 30–45 min

Prepared speeches

Three or four members deliver talks they've been working on, anything from a first nervous four-minute speech to a polished, funny, moving twenty-minute keynote. The range is part of what makes it so compelling to watch.

Break · 15 min

The break

15 minutes to grab a drink and network with other members. For first-time visitors, this is the best time to ask questions; everyone is approachable and happy to chat.

Evaluations · 20 min

Evaluations

Each speaker receives a structured evaluation from a designated member: two minutes of thoughtful, kind, and genuinely useful feedback. It's one of the things members say they value most.

Table topics · 20 min

Table Topics: speaking off the cuff

A topic is announced and you've got thirty seconds to think before you speak for up to two minutes. This is the one part of the evening guests can join in too, but only if you've told us you'd like to, so you're never put on the spot. Most find themselves quietly eager to have a go within a visit or two anyway.

Drinks afterwards

After the meeting most people head to a nearby pub, soft drinks and coffee very much included. It's optional, but this is often where first-time visitors decide they're coming back.

Join a meeting

We meet on the 2nd and 4th Thursday every month, from 7:15 pm to 9:45 pm. No booking needed, no charge. Just turn up.

Upcoming meetings

Woking United Reformed Church
White Rose Lane, Woking, Surrey GU22 7HA

2nd & 4th Thursday · 7:15 pm–9:45 pm

5 min walk from Woking station

Town-centre car parks are a few minutes’ walk away. Limited parking is available at the venue for early birds.

Open in Google Maps Tell us you're coming (optional) →

Booking isn't required, but if you let us know, someone will be looking out for you by name.

Your first visit

We're here to help.

Here's what it feels like to walk in as a guest.

7:15

Finding your way in

Doors open at 7:15 pm, with the meeting starting promptly at 7:30 pm, at Woking United Reformed Church, a 5-minute walk from the station, with town-centre car parks nearby. A member will be watching for you at the entrance; you won't have to find your own way to a room full of strangers.

You'll have someone with you

The member who greets you will often sit with you for the evening. You're briefly introduced to the room (no speech, no spotlight) and they're your go-to for any questions, including during the break.

There's no pressure to speak

Guests are never put on the spot. If you're asked anything and don't want to, "pass" is a complete answer. Most first-timers just watch: that's exactly what the seat is for.

Stay as long as you like

Slip away after the meeting, or stay for a relaxed social chat nearby afterwards (entirely your call, no expectations either way). And come back as many times as you need before deciding anything.

Still nervous? Good. You're in exactly the right place.

Every member who's ever walked through that door felt exactly how you feel right now. The club was built for this moment. Come and see.

Plan your first visit →

Member stories

What changes.

Here's what that looked like for some of our members.

Swarna K.

Project Manager · Member since 2021

Before

"I could present facts and figures, but I was never sure I was truly connecting with the room."

After

"Now I turn even dry statistics into stories. People engage, and I can see the impact."

"Toastmasters reintroduced me to my own voice, and taught me it's the vehicle that carries the message."

Ernie H.

Engineering Manager · Member since 2024

Before

"Though I was comfortable speaking in front of others, I have always been anxious when needing to speak without a script."

After

"I can stand in front of an audience and speak from the heart, knowing they will provide nothing but support."

"You might think you are joining to improve your public speaking skills, but the benefits of joining the club reach further than the tangible: the friendships, the support, and the community."

Rameez H.

Account Manager · Member since 2025

Before

"I would deliver presentations in a monotonous tone of voice while my hands shook."

After

"I can now deliver a speech or presentation with a more varied tone, even if my hands still shake a little."

"I love that Toastmasters is the safest place for me to do my best or my worst! The club is so supportive and I always feel safe enough to try, learn, and grow."

Club in action

Life at the club.

Meetings, socials, competitions, and a few of our favourite quotes, updated regularly.

Who comes here?

If any of these sound like you, you're in the right place.

The ambitious professional

Good at the job, overlooked in the room. Wants to change that.

The reluctant best man

Six months to prepare. Starting from zero. Quietly panicking.

The new graduate

Entering the workforce. Knows that how you communicate matters as much as what you know.

The career changer

Starting over in a new field. Needs to establish credibility fast and convince people to take them seriously.

The returning parent

Back after time away. Confidence shaken. Wants their voice back, and a reason to get out on a Thursday evening.

The community seeker

New to the area, or just keen to meet people nearby. Comes for the speaking and finds a ready-made local community.

Membership

When you're ready, joining is easy.

Let us know, complete a short online application, and pay the new member fees.

Come as a guest

Turn up to any meeting: no booking, no charge, no obligation. Watch, listen, stay for a social chat afterwards if you like. Repeat until you're sure.

Join and pay online

When you're ready, head to our join page, pick the month you're starting, and enter your details as you pay, securely by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. It takes just a few minutes. A member of the committee will contact you with onboarding information.

Guest visits

Free

no booking needed, just turn up

Joining fee

£20

one-time fee, paid when you join

Membership fee

£15/mo

billed every six months (£90)

When you first join, you pay for 7 to 12 months up front, depending on the month you join, to line up with our renewal dates in March and September. That's still just £15 a month.

See the cost for the month you join

I'm ready to become a member

Takes just a few minutes, online.

FAQs

The questions most people ask.

Honest answers to the things people want to know before they feel brave enough to ask.

Do I have to speak on my first visit?

Absolutely not. The most you'll be asked for is your name at the start, and even that's optional. The 15-second warm-up round is open to guests, but "pass" is a perfectly good answer. Nothing else is expected of you until you decide you're ready.

How many times can I come as a guest?

As many times as you need. There's no awkward moment where someone corners you about joining. We'd genuinely rather you come back five times and be certain than rush into something that doesn't fit.

What does membership cost?

Guest visits are always free. Membership is a £20 one-off joining fee, then £15 a month (billed in six-month blocks of £90). For what you get (structured development, mentoring, and a community), most members consider it exceptional value. Full breakdown in the Join section.

How do I join?

Come to a meeting, then join and pay online from our join page whenever you're ready; it takes a couple of minutes. No paper form, no interview, no audition.

When do I give my first speech?

Whenever you are ready and feel comfortable to do so. We find that most members end up giving their first speech within their first few meetings, and you'll typically be scheduled about four meetings ahead.

What if I'm terrified of my first speech?

That's normal, and that's what Toastmasters will help you overcome. Your mentor will help you prepare it, your club will root for you while you're up there, and your evaluator will tell you what was great about it before anything else. First speeches at Woking Speakers are remembered fondly, not cringed at.

Get in touch

The next step is the smallest one.

Send us a message, turn up on the night, or just follow us on Facebook to get a feel for things first. Whatever works for you.

First name

Last name

Email address

What brings you here?

Which meeting would you like to attend?

Message

Message sent!

Thanks for getting in touch. We'll reply within a day or two, and hopefully see you at a meeting soon.

Whether you're preparing for a best man speech, trying to get promoted, or simply tired of your voice shaking in meetings, there's a place for you here. Drop us a message and we'll make sure your first visit is as easy as possible.

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LinkedIn Follow the club · @woking-speakers-club

Email us info@wokingspeakers.org.uk

Find us Woking United Reformed Church, GU22 7HA