
In our latest case study, Shirah Bamber from The Foxton Centre in Preston talks us through the ways in which they use Twitter to support the work they do as a charity.
The Foxton Centre has been working with rough sleepers, street sex workers, young people, people with alcohol abuse issues and other people in the community who need their support for over 40 years.
The Foxton Centre has been working with rough sleepers, street sex workers, young people, people with alcohol abuse issues and other people in the community who need their support for over 40 years.
Social Media Success by The Foxton Centre...

"Since launching our official @TheFoxtonCentre Twitter profile in 2012, it has repeatedly proven itself a valuable resource.
[Picture: Tim Keightley, CEO of the Foxton Centre with Mark Alexander, a trustee who got involved through Twitter.]
The basis of our Twitter strategy is simple: engage past, present and future stakeholders (audiences) and raise The Foxton Centre’s profile, on and offline. In this endeavour we regularly participate in local Twitter hashtag hours (for example: #prestonhour, #Lancashirehour, #NorthWestHour), and have clearly identified who is the author of our tweets so that individuals know whom they are speakingwith.
The most recent Twitter success we have had happened just this week, when one of our service users asked me (Shirah, the author of all things Twitter at The Foxton Centre) if I could try to locate someone who would be willing to donate a greenhouse for our allotment project. Making no promises, I quickly sent a tweet out asking just that, and then left for a meeting. An hour later I looked at the Twitter account to see that almost immediately that tweet had been retweeted, and a greenhouse promptly offered! Other successes from Twitter ‘campaigns’ have included finding a new Trustee, volunteers, donations for raffles and silent auctions, financial donations, participants in fundraisers, and partnering businesses.
Not every tweet prompts a retweet or response, and we do not expect it to be the only source of donations, etc. We do, however, strongly believe in its strength to help us build our profile both in the local area, and online. Accordingly, we are continually conscious of the reality that anyone and everyone can read what we have to say on Twitter, including our service users. We are careful to remain professional and respectful while also engaging in the social aspect of Twitter."
For more information about The Foxton Centre...
www.facebook.com/TheFoxtonCentre
www.thefoxtoncentre.co.uk
[Picture: Tim Keightley, CEO of the Foxton Centre with Mark Alexander, a trustee who got involved through Twitter.]
The basis of our Twitter strategy is simple: engage past, present and future stakeholders (audiences) and raise The Foxton Centre’s profile, on and offline. In this endeavour we regularly participate in local Twitter hashtag hours (for example: #prestonhour, #Lancashirehour, #NorthWestHour), and have clearly identified who is the author of our tweets so that individuals know whom they are speakingwith.
The most recent Twitter success we have had happened just this week, when one of our service users asked me (Shirah, the author of all things Twitter at The Foxton Centre) if I could try to locate someone who would be willing to donate a greenhouse for our allotment project. Making no promises, I quickly sent a tweet out asking just that, and then left for a meeting. An hour later I looked at the Twitter account to see that almost immediately that tweet had been retweeted, and a greenhouse promptly offered! Other successes from Twitter ‘campaigns’ have included finding a new Trustee, volunteers, donations for raffles and silent auctions, financial donations, participants in fundraisers, and partnering businesses.
Not every tweet prompts a retweet or response, and we do not expect it to be the only source of donations, etc. We do, however, strongly believe in its strength to help us build our profile both in the local area, and online. Accordingly, we are continually conscious of the reality that anyone and everyone can read what we have to say on Twitter, including our service users. We are careful to remain professional and respectful while also engaging in the social aspect of Twitter."
For more information about The Foxton Centre...
www.facebook.com/TheFoxtonCentre
www.thefoxtoncentre.co.uk
Thank you to The Foxton Centre!
We are very grateful for the time Shirah has taken to write this for us. Thank you!
Do you have a success story to tell?
If you have a story to tell about how you have used online communications to help with the work you do, we want to hear about it!
Get in touch via hello@communityonboard.org.uk or call 07949 248119.
Get in touch via hello@communityonboard.org.uk or call 07949 248119.