Session Review – Speech Structure – Monday 6th October

Speech Structure: Opening– Middle – Closing

This week at the Wimbledon Speakers Club, we explored the three essential building blocks of every great talk: a strong opening, a clear middle, and a memorable closing.

Ben kicked things off with an engaging introduction, setting the tone for an evening all about speech structure and storytelling.

After quick 30-second icebreakers, we were treated to an excellent work presentation from Iain — this gave him a chance to try something with a real world impact and is something we offer to all speakers.

We then moved into Round 1: Team Story in Three Parts. Working in trios, members created mini-stories by drawing random “Opener”, “Middle”, and “Closer” cards. The results were imaginative, funny, and surprisingly coherent — showing how teamwork and structure can bring spontaneous ideas to life.

In Round 2, we shifted to individual two-minute speeches. Each volunteer chose a topic card and delivered a short talk using the same three-part structure. It was a great opportunity to practice clear openings, focused middles, and impactful closings — all under friendly time pressure (which hardly anyone was able to stick to!)

A huge thanks to Maria for providing wonderfully full and supportive feedback. Likewise, Paul’s reflection on our words and Liv’s excellent timekeeping reminders provided us with plenty of lessons for the future.

A warm welcome to our new attendees — Luca, Jan, Juliet, and William — we hope to see you again soon!

📅 Next session: Wednesday 22nd October, 6:45 PM