Happy birthday Twitter

Cumbrians ranging form the deputy chief constable to business owners and charities are lining up to sing the praises of Twitter as the micro-blogging site prepares for its fifth birthday.

Twitter will celebrate turning five next month with over 190 million users. They're sending 65 million messages of 140 characters or fewer around the world each day.

Until quite relatively recently if you search Twitter for 'Cumbria' you'd find little more than a string of mesasges from Londoners commenting on their rainy/sunny disappointing/amazing weekend in the Lakes.

Now there is evidence that Twitter is transforming communications around the county, opening up new opportunities for businesses, creating new networks for charities and allowing all kiinds of people to broadcast their thoughts on everything from the privatisation of forests to what they're watching on TV.

Cumbrian MPs Tim Farron, Jamie Reed and John Woodcock are avid users of Twitter, using it to update their constituents and gain instant feedback. A whole host of organisations from Cumbria police, the RSPCA, councils, the air ambulance and Cumbria NHS use Twitter to pump out their news and information around the clock.

To find out more about why Twitter has mushroomed in Cumbria the News & Star asked Twitter users to send us their views.

First up was Stuart Hyde, deputy chief constable of Cumbria police, who describes himself in his Twitter profile as "Pie eating Man Mountain, keeping Cumbria safe".

"Twitter is very effective way to chat, share, learn and meet people. It can connect us to anyone and evryone to us. There's a positive impact on us and opptunity for others to tweet about us," he said.

Rebecca Watson, of Derwent Pencils, was one of those to highlight how Twitter has become a boon for businesses. "For Derwent it's a valuable marketing & customer services tool that's lets you link with people directly in an informal manner. It's also brilliant for new product ideas and new product feedback from customers."

Smaller businesses are benefitting too. Kirsty Giblin of Simply Bows and Chair Covers said: "Twitter has been an invaluable marketing tool since I began using it just a few months ago.

We've used it to raise brand awareness and make connections with other brillaint suppliers and venues. who from my twitter connections have invited us to meet with them and given us preferred supplier status and reccomend us to their brides."

Carlisle website designer Gemma Bell, of Elevensixdesign, said: "Twitter provides excellent support for people who work on their own who can chat to others in the same situation for help and advice.

"I think probably the best thing I find about Twitter is the lovely range of people I've met that I never would normally have come across, I've made some great friends on Twitter.

"I've had some business from Twitter, but that's not what it's about for me! just an added bonus."

Networks have sprung up in Twitter around Cumbrian issues such as rural broadband, forests and the fight to save Penrith's cinema.

Charities and community groups find it a great way to promote themselves. Charlotte Rowley, of the Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: "We can now talk directly to people interested in our charity and in Cumbria's wildlife, getting news out instantly. We've also found its been good in attracting new supporters.

"Twitter is great because people often retweet (pass on) our tweets, reaching thousands of people. For example today, Simon King, Wildlife Wisperer retweeted us which means our message gets out to all his followers."

Other tweets sent in response to the News & Star's appeal for contributions included:

• Graphskill Ltd, of Cleator Moor: "We are trying Twitter to help promote UK Manufacturing (#ukmfg). It is also great for getting advice."
• @BroughtonLass; "Great for keeping up with an eclectic group of people; fascinating snippets of life; get involved politically. And it's fun!"
• @kendalbod: "Twitter works for me as my life's essentially worthless and it gives me a temporary high when somebody @s me"
• Cumbrian artist Alan Clarke (@thecommonpeopl): "Twitter is a-live and I can get instant responses night or day gr8 when I need support with our little boys diabetes."
• @orange_witch: "I live abroad but my family are in Cumbria and when the shootings happened Twitter was the place I could get information fast"
• @GroverXV: "Twitter works because the news, current affairs and info I want are fed directly to me already curated by others"
• @AyersExtreme (Carlisle Explorer Scouts): "Twitter is gr8 2 keep up 2 date with news & opportunities from @UKScouting as well as sharing ideas with Scouts around the UK"

* Next month the News & Star is organising a major event on Social Media for Business at Tullie House. If you would like more details contact Nick Turner on nturner@cngroup.co.uk or @nickincumbria