A DEVON project that tackles exclusion and isolation of older people has won a national photograph competition.

The Upstream project in Mid Devon, which receives funding from Devon County Council, works with communities and health professionals to identify people who have become isolated or are at risk of isolation for all sorts of reasons, including where they live, family and personal reasons, ill-health, disability, community fragmentation, and much more.

The groups competition entry titled Devon Drummers shows three older women participating in an African drumming class at Upstream and is a great example of how the project is making a remarkable difference to people's quality of life.

The picture, taken by staff mentor Laura Conyngham, includes a former local teacher, a former pub landlady and a lifelong farmer enjoying each other's company while trying out African drums for the first time.

The results of the photo competition run by the Social Enterprise Coalition were announced today by Kevin Brennan, the Minister of the Third Sector, at an event in London celebrating Social Enterprise Day.

Devon Drummers was chosen by England's Social Enterprise Ambassadors after first winning the south west regional heat of the competition, judged by RISE – the south west Regional Infrastructure for Social Enterprise.

Simon Goodenough, director of Upstream, said: "All our participants and our professional colleagues will be thrilled and amazed to receive this national award. They definitely share this success.

"This highlights the huge value of a stimulating and creative approach to genuine social enterprise, in which local solutions determined by local people doing things they enjoy and understand are seen to be the answer in tackling much wider issues."