At Spinnaker’s annual award ceremony and Christmas Dinner on Saturday 6 December 2025, the following members were recognised:

Most Improved Speaker – Megan Kloppenburg
George Nicholson Trophy – Ash Vincent
Knight Award for Motivation – Katina Beauchamp
Toastmaster of the Year – Ron Blackwell

Most Improved Speaker – Megan Kloppenburg

The Most Improved Speaker award for 2025 goes to a member who has shown a remarkable development in her public speaking style and ability by coming 2nd in the Area J1 International Contest, and 2nd at the Division J International contest.

Megan has also chaired Spinnaker meetings, performed the role of table topics mistress twice, has been general evaluator, conducted 4 speaker evaluations, been awarded the best speaker of the night twice and best evaluator. She has completed the Visionary Communication Level 3 Pathway. Our favourite speech by Megan this year was on “communicating change to teenage daughters”.

When she was chairperson, since it was World Photography Day, Megan asked members to submit their favourite photo showing an aspect of their week, which were displayed on the screen and discussed. This was a great hit and added to the liveliness of the meeting.
She is also the club treasurer.

George Nicholson Trophy – Ash Vincent

The George Nicholson Award is awarded to a first-time winner of a Prepared Speech Contest, and this year it goes to Ash Vincent. Ash joined Spinnaker on 1 April with the Speechcraft course, and since then has been like a dynamo, attending the District Conference and meeting the International Director, giving speeches and evaluations, and completing the grammarian role with words of the day being “audacity” and “radical”. In his role as Sgt of Arms, Ash is responsible for setting up and packing down our meeting venue, managing our online Zoom presence, organizing the supper supplies and club assets. He attends club officer training, and club executive meetings. Ash won the Spinnaker Humorous speech contest in October, and was top dog at the Area J1 contest last week. Our favourite speech by Ash opened with “Standing in my room, ready to pack my gym bag… and then …”

Knight Award for Motivation – Katina Beauchamp

The Knight Award for Motivation is awarded this year to Katina, who has gone beyond the club in her Toastmaster activities, organising, attending, hosting and judging at Area, Division and District events, speaking outside the club, and achieving higher level Pathways projects.

Katina has completed 5 speeches this year, and 4 evaluations. She has chaired 3 meetings, been general evaluator twice, is working on two concurrent pathways, the Visionary Communication and Team Collaboration Paths, received the best speaker award, and this year is the Division G Governor.

Katina, as club secretary, continues to display outstanding leadership skills in helping to manage the Spinnaker club and the wider Toastmasters community.

Our favourite speech by Katina entitled “Again” was a childhood story of driving from Germany to Greece with her parents, and constantly asking for a fairy story to be retold by her mother.

Toastmaster of the Year – Ron Blackwell

This award goes to the Toastmaster who has made a significant contribution to the club during the past 12 months. This year it goes to Ron Blackwell.

As President, Ron steered the club to Distinguished status in the 2024-25 year, and is currently VP Public Relations. He has delivered several speeches, but his major contribution has been as Speechcraft Coordinator for our Midwinter Speechcraft Series where he organised and delivered the 4-session programme as part of his Distinguished Toastmaster Award. And to top it off, four of the five participants actually joined the club – an amazing achievement. Ron has also conducted 4 speech evaluations, evaluated Table Topics, and came second in the Area J1 Evaluation Contest. Ron is working on the Engaging Humour Pathway. His table topics on the Valentines theme, speeches on Mentoring and the Toastmasters Promise, and chairing the Matariki meeting, were memorable and entertaining.