Don’t let the seagulls have all the fun! Come and join Worthing Speakers Club at Speakers Corner!

One of the most widely shared of all fears is Public Speaking. It’s so common that there is a specific name for it – GLOSSOPHOBIA. Estimates vary but it’s thought that about 75% of the population suffer some degree of fear of public speaking. Symptoms range from mild anxiety to outright panic attacks. And these symptoms can be experienced regardless of whether addressing a crowded hall full of people or within the comparative intimacy of a job interview.

And yet, I am sure that we have all been to public events or watched debates on TV in which speakers have stood up and eloquently addressed their audience. Even if you did not agree with their arguments, you may have at least admired the ease with which they delivered them. In response, you may have experienced a little lightbulb moment in which you thought “I wish I could do that!”

On a more personal scale, you may have encountered an ever-confident friend bragging about how they sailed through an interview to land their dream job. And in response, you may have found yourself thinking “I wish I could do that!”

This ability to confidently communicate in any kind of public situation – whether to a HR person in an interview room or a baying crowd – has always been a highly prized skill. For a minority of people, it comes as a natural gift. But for most of us mortals, it’s a skill that we need to learn, much like riding a bicycle or learning how to play the piano. And if you do not have that skill, then you may well be missing out on a great many opportunities that life has to offer.

The good news is that if you live in the Worthing area, there is a convenient and low-cost way for you to learn the art of confident public speaking. It’s called Worthing Speakers Club and we have been proudly serving the local community for well over a decade. We meet twice a month at the Ardington Hotel. But from time to time, we like to get out in the fresh air and put on a show for the good citizens of Worthing.

If you would like to take those first steps towards becoming a more confident person and better communicator, we have just the ticket for you! On Saturday, June 28th at 2pm, we will be holding our annual Speech on the Beach event. It's free to attend and we hope to have the Mayor and the Town Crier ( Bob Smytherman ) in attendance. Weather permitting, we can guarantee a fun-packed demonstration of public speaking skills. And yes, we do encourage audience participation!

You will find us at Speakers Corner, near Splashpoint, located near the CrabShack diner at the eastern end of Worthing promenade.

So what are you waiting for? Don’t let the seagulls have all the fun! Come on down and say hello to us at Speakers Corner on June 28th at 2pm. Members of Worthing Speakers Club will be on hand to answer all of your questions.

If by any chance the weather forecast looks bad, be sure to check for updates on our X (‘Twitter’) account at: https://x.com/WorthingSpeaker/status/1423925360434028548