Axminster Community Waffle House has received a £1,000 prize from the Devon Community Foundation after winning a photo competition.

The Devon Community Foundation, which facilitates finding for local communities to help them and the people within them reach their full potential, launched the photo competition to see snapshots of the work carried out by voluntary groups and charities all over the county.

The Community Waffle House's pictured was awarded first place, with judges saying it portrayed "an unadulterated, raw and honest peek inside a corner of the voluntary and community sector, that really captures a glimpse at the heart of why it exists".

Although the photo might not suggest a celebration in a conventional way, they thought the strong representation of the heart-felt caring that drives community work and of the trust in that space, captured by the intimacy of the photo, held much to celebrate.

The Community Waffle House is a community interest company, set up with the aim of helping to form friendships in the Axminster community in a bid to reduce the impact of loneliness and unwantedness. 

Waffle House director Matt Smith, who took the photo, said: "One of our great passions is to see people making unlikely friendships. I caught this photo of two of our friends at Waffle chatting after one of our groups.

"It had been a rough day and watching these two ladies supporting each other was one of the most beautiful things I have seen.

"I never thought in a million years we would win - I'm not sure I've ever won anything like this in my life!"

For more details on the Devon Community Foundation visit devoncf.com