Talented Luton teacher heads to Vancouver for Toastmasters public speaking final!

A talented Icknield High School teacher will be competing in an international public speaking contest held in Canada.
Vinette (centre) winning the Manchester competitionVinette (centre) winning the Manchester competition
Vinette (centre) winning the Manchester competition

Vinette Hoffman-Jackson, who has lived in Luton for over 15 years, will be heading to Vancouver in August to challenge the speakers from all over the world in a bid to be crowned the Toastmasters International Speech Contest’s ‘World Champion of Public Speaking 2017’.

The eloquent teacher has recently won the District heats held in Manchester on May 13, beating finalists from all over the UK and Ireland

Vinette said: “I am very very excited and am quite looking forward to speaking to over 3,000 people.

Vinette is supported by her mother (pictured), sister and three sons: Matthew 19, Jonathan, 12, and Ethan, 5 (all above).Vinette is supported by her mother (pictured), sister and three sons: Matthew 19, Jonathan, 12, and Ethan, 5 (all above).
Vinette is supported by her mother (pictured), sister and three sons: Matthew 19, Jonathan, 12, and Ethan, 5 (all above).

“My semi-final speech will be the same one as I used for Manchester: ‘From Breaking Point to Turning Point’.

“Three years ago I was a single mum going through a rough patch; I drove to Stockwood Park in Luton and a gentlemen tapped on my window and said ‘sorry to distrub you but your lights are still on!’ - I thought ‘I am still alive, it’s time to move on!’”

For the final, Vinette hopes to tell a story of ‘taking part in the race’, recalling how she always wanted to come first, in life, until one day a driver she had wanted to overtake went round a corner and collided with a bus, which killed the car driver at the scene.

Vinette practises with the Luton Speakers who meet every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at the University of Bedfordshire, and the Luton Communicators, who meet every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month at Chaul End Community Centre, Luton.

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