Colourful graphic showing man holding a camera and people against colourful background

About us

We're just a bunch of locals that love Axminster.

What's In Axminster is a community led project that aims to capture Axminster's spirit and charm for the benefit of its locals and those who want to visit. We have curated a complete list of every business, community group and event that is based in our town to make navigating the town quicker and easier.

Along our journey of curating this site, we have lived every day discovering more and more about everything that is in Axminster. We have made friends and learned the town's past and stories. We have captured new sights and seen everyday scenes at new angles. We know first hand that Axminster is a town like no other. There is the small town spirit you see in the films, the friendly faces and unforgettable experiences. Axminster is a town that will always make your day.

Meet the Team

This project would not be possible without our team of local talented volunteer developers, writers and photographers. Find out more about them below.

Director & Designer

Matt Smith

Matt is best known for his community work, in particular for being one of the Directors at Waffle and bringing to life our Community Waffle House. It is that community dedication that gave him the idea for What's In Axminster and the website you are looking at right now.

Writer & Designer

Chessie Dowdeswell

Chessie is a local writer who has just achieved a first class honours degree in Creative Writing. She has used her years of living in Axminster to bring it to life with the writing across this website, including this paragraph! She is currently store manager at Swish and Flick.

Business Liaison

Barrie Hedges

Barrie has been a brilliant supporter of What's In Axminster since the idea came around. Retired from a career in PR and journalism, he is passionate about the power of community and, on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, has led projects including the street banners and For the Love of a Railway

Digital Consultant

Zara Aitken

Zara is a freelance web developer and SEO specialist, helping small businesses get online. Between this, she manages charity projects and enjoys volunteering for local causes and doing her bit for the community. Zara represents what Axminster is all about and her invaluable contributions to What's In Axminster is just a small piece of it.

Photographer

Lucas Barribal

Lucas is a local wildlife photographer and provides a lot of beautiful photos for our website and Instagram. He has a talent for bringing out the most beautiful features of Axminster.