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.
Their photograph, '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 photograph was entered into the competition to mark Social Enterprise Day on Thursday 20 November; a national day to celebrate and promote social enterprises - businesses set up to tackle a social or environmental need.
The results of the photo competition run by the Social Enterprise Coalition were announced on Thursday 20 November 2008 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, judged by RISE - the south west Regional Infrastructure for Social Enterprise.
Lucy Findlay, Chief Executive of RISE, said: "We chose Devon Drummers because we thought the photograph really exemplified the best of social enterprise. Three women who were originally excluded from social gatherings and creative stimulation, clearly having a great time trying out a new activitiy. We are thrilled they are now the national winners as well."
Jonathan Bland, Chief Executive of the Social Enterprise Coalition said:"The photograph competition was conceived as a way to celebrate social enterprise in action, changing lives and communities. Upstream is an incredible example of a social enterprise that is innovative, entrepreneurial and truly changes lives. We congratulate them on their success in the competition."
Upstream encourages people to get involved in stimulating creative, learning and social activities that build self-confidence and self-esteem, prolong their active life, and help them to remain independent for longer.
People can make new friends, share new skills and experiences, find life more interesting, and talk about everyday ways to take better care of their own mental, physical and social health.
Upstream also include some intergenerational activities to bring older and younger people together.
Simon Goodenough, Director of Upstream, says: "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.
"Upstream sees people daily make huge leaps of faith in themselves and each other, renewing hope and self-confidence, regaining control of their own health and quality of life. I am astonished at the courage and resilience of our participants, so many of whom have led difficult lives.
"We are also delighted and fortunate to be working with professional and community colleagues who appreciate the proven benefits of our creative approach to life, which also reduces costs to the NHS."
"Its a piece of cake" says Simon
"Even more important than the recent Devon Drummers, at the NICE Annual Conference in Manchester Upstream won the NICE Shared Learning Award 2008 in Public Health with our submission on the NICE Guidance on Behaviour Change"
Simon tells us "Maintaining our creative approach , I was armed with an outsize (approx 8 cubic feet), mouth-watering, multi-textiled slice of cake especially made by Upstream participants, mentors and providers, that required an entire seat to itself on the train to Manchester. It went down a storm"
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