Public speaking!

Last night watching Celebrity Masterchef I was assailed by memory! A mental return to a different time when I was a different person took hold.

It was the sight of a much older Sid Little that grabbed me. He looked good I thought and then tried not to look in the mirror.....

During the seventies I got a call one early evening....Sid Little was unable to do the talk he had been booked to do....would I step in at the last moment?

Well! I was used to public speaking and indeed was on the North West Speakers circuit....getting around all over the place regularly but usually I had time to plan it....this time I didn't....I can't now remember what I talked about that time...I do remember it was for a parent teachers group In the school hall and there was a lot of laughter....the audience had got geared up to listen to a comedian so I did my best to make them laugh....

Public speaking has been a great help in my present job! I remember the expression on the face of the bishop when I explained that preaching was something I could probably do....

I talked to groups of all sorts and sizes....as few as twenty In someone's front room to halls of over a hundred...I had even got onto the after dinner speaking circuit...I enjoyed those a lot!

All of this came to a halt after my husband got a job in Chester. We lived in North Wales and it was too far to go back! During this period I did a couple in Chester but then we were on the move again!

Once in Essex no one down there knew me so my speaking career came to an end...

I do still use the skills gained then though...if I don't make people laugh at least once during the sermon then I think I've failed...

I have given talks here occasionally....but never to fill in for a missing comedian...Small groups with wonderful names like "The Golden Age club" sometimes ask me to talk....i can still do this and I have a sermon to write for Sunday... Ahem!

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