Downing Tweet Christmas Party

Been finding it hard to get time to update lately, so I’m a bit behind the times on this  – here goes …

I just have to mention that on Friday 4th December I was privileged to attend the Downing Tweet Christmas Party held at No 10 Downing Tweet, and that was the name of the street – if you don’t believe me look at the picture.

The event was held by Sarah Brown – wife of our Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in aid of the Million Mums Charity – which can be found here : Million Mums and which is in turn part of the White Ribbon Alliance for safe motherhood – which campaigns to prevent mothers dying in childbirth and pregnancy.

The people there were all loosely related by the fact that they use Twitter to try to change the world – and there were some diverse people there – from @orangutans – who runs the Orangutan Land Trust , to singer @BeverleyKnight – well known on Twitter, and for her work with Christian Aid , the Stop AIDS Campaign and The Terrence Higgins Trust . Beverley brought the house down with performances of ‘Shoulda Woulda Coulda” and “Gold”.

Many other celebrities there as well but personally I (and I’d say most of the people there) were rather more excited to meet some of the political bloggers and tweeters that we feel that we know already  but in fact have never met. And they were there in abundance. ( Apologies to anyone I miss out on ) The Fabian’s & Next Left’s Sunder Katwala (@nextleft); the Twitter Tsar & Labour Whip Kerry McCarthy MP (@KerryMP), the stillettoed socialist and scourge of the right Ellie Gellard (@BevaniteEllie), blogger & feminist Grace Fletcher-Hackwood (@msgracefh), Labourlist editor Alex Smith (@alexsmith1982) to name but a small few of the crowd that were there.

Whilst to be honest, I was rather like a kid on Christmas morning, just being in and around No. 10, and would have loved it even if I’d stood in a corner with no one speaking to me all night, in fact it wasn’t like that at all.

The atmosphere was very friendly, not least because most of the people there “Twitter-knew” each other, even though they didn’t know each other too well in real life. This makes for some easy and relaxed conversation – and for me is evidence of the power that Twitter – and related new media – can provide.

Well that’s about all I’m going to say – it was brilliant – Thanks Sarah Brown for inviting me, Thanks Kerry McCarthy for putting my name forward. Oh and did I mention I met Gordon Brown ? Well I did !

Don’t forget to visit the Million Mums website.