Champion slimmers from Waveney and Great Yarmouth have raised more than £1,500 by stepping out for Cancer Research UK.
The groups took part in the Walk All Over Cancer with Slimming World campaign where slimmers across the UK and Ireland were sponsored to hit a self-selected steps target by their friends and families.
And, to honour their achievements and raise even more money for the charity, the groups got together and held their own celebration event at Normanston Park in Lowestoft on Sunday, September 10, walking 5K together – an achievement many of the group members would never have dreamt possible before losing weight.
Those who took part attend the Slimming World groups across Waveney and Great Yarmouth, and as well as raising vital funds for charity, the members aimed to raise awareness of the fact that keeping a healthy weight can reduce the risk of developing 13 types of cancer.
Claire Johnson from Beccles has lost 8st 5.5lb since joining the group in September 2016. She walked on average 12,000 steps each day throughout the month and walked the whole 5k event distance.
She said: 'Before I lost the weight a challenge like this would have felt completely out of reach. Just walking to put the bin out was a struggle.
'I barely had the energy to go about my day, let alone go for a walk and at times I felt trapped inside my body. I would never have thought I could do something like this.
'Slimming World helped me break free from the shackles I felt were holding me back from living the life I dreamed of. From the moment I walked through the door of my group everything changed. I was welcomed so warmly and instantly made to feel like I was worth something again.
'In our groups we started talking about easy ways to fit steps into our everyday lives and I soon realised how much more I could be walking without much more effort. Parking the car further from work, walking with friends, playing with my goddaughter, taking the stairs instead of the lift – I soon found easy ways to fit in more steps and build up my activity levels at a pace that suited me. I walk every day after work now where as in the past I would have gone home and just watched TV.
'Thanks to my weight loss and my new found love for moving more, I started to feel like myself again for the first time in years. Completing this walk with all of my Slimming World friends and completing the Walk All Over Cancer steps challenge has been the icing on the cake of my weight loss journey.'
Weight loss consultant Liz Sunderland, who runs the Worlingham Tuesday evening Slimming World group, said: 'We had lovely weather conditions for our walk and in true Slimming World-style our members, their friends and families were out in force to support each other. They showed just what can be done when we come together – both in terms of achieving something amazing and raising money for a great cause too.
'I'm so proud of all of the members taking part, including Claire who set themselves the challenge of walking more this August and absolutely smashed it! At Slimming World, we help our members find enjoyable ways of getting more active and encourage them to increase their activity levels step-by-step, until it becomes part of their daily routine. In our groups we all support each other to live a healthier and more active lifestyle. It's amazing to see just how much of a difference their weight loss has made.
'I'm sure our members will inspire more people to get active and improve their health, while also raising awareness of the links between obesity and cancer. The money raised will go towards an amazing cause – one our members feel very passionate about – helping to support Cancer Research UK's life-saving research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all cancers.'
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