Award for Congleton slimmer as she celebrates ninth anniversary
It is a double celebration for a Congleton health and lifestyle coach.
Slimming World Consultant Laura Bounford has proven she's weight-loss royalty after winning a Sapphire Award for her work in helping people in the area to slim down and improve their health.
Laura, who runs the Thursday & Friday Slimming World groups at Wellspring Church in Congleton, was thrilled to receive the award for inspiring dozens of people in the local area to slim down.
The accolade sees Laura, who lost 6st 11lb with Slimming World herself, become a Sapphire Consultant.
The gong was given to Laura just as she was celebrating her ninth anniversary as Congleton's Slimming World champion.
The award was created in 2014 to celebrate Slimming World's 45th anniversary and is given to all Consultants in the UK and Ireland who welcome 45 new members to their group over a two-week period. Sapphires stand for truth, sincerity and constancy.
"More than two-thirds of the adult population are overweight in the UK, with the National average standing at 63.5% of adults that are so severely overweight that they're putting their health at risk," said Laura.
"Cheshire East is above the national average at 68.3% and Staffordshire Moorlands area is currently even higher, at 68.8%.
"Sadly 21% of children are struggling with their weight too. As a child who struggled with her weight I know how that feels, these are not just statistics, they are real people with real feelings and I'm determined to help anyone out there who wants to make a change.
"The effects of carrying excess weight can be devastating to ones physical & mental health, and people deserve to know that there is help and support available if they want to take control".*
"Lots of people want to lose weight but they often don't know how, just like me before I discovered Slimming World myself as a member back in August 2012.
"Often, when someone comes along to my group they tell me that they've tried losing weight before and it hasn't worked so they feel like failures. I reassure them that it isn't them who failed but the programme/s they followed, usually because the diet was too strict or because they didn't get the right support & guidance with the behaviours and psychological side of losing weight. This leaves people thinking that they can't do it – that they'll never succeed with any diet – but members in our Wellspring Church groups have lost 333st 7.5lb since January alone."
"I'm so proud to have achieved this award. This year Slimming World's celebrating 53 years of helping people to lose weight and keep it off, although obviously I haven't been a Consultant for all of that time – I opened my first group on 31st July 2013, 9 years now! It's this experience, the latest research and behaviour change expertise and the wonderful training that all Consultants receive through the SW Academy which makes the organisation so enormously successful. I'm confident that Slimming World really is the best and healthiest way to lose weight and keep it off, and all of my members – including these 45 new members – will be healthier and happier thanks to Slimming World."
Laura first joined Slimming World as a member herself, back in August 2012 and after discovering she could lose weight without going hungry, whilst eating all of her favourite foods.
Her Congleton group offers a money-back offer if you are dissatisfied with your results after four weeks.
"We all want to feel happy in our own skin, to feel more confident and be healthier too.
"If you don't lose weight taking part in the full package that research shows guarantee's your success, then we will give you your money back.
"This was something vital to me when I started my own weight loss journey, as I was unemployed.
"This couldn't be more relevant today, with the cost-of-living crisis we are supporting each other through. I didn't believe I could lose weight, and when money is tight, it's so important to have that reassurance & I'm so glad I took advantage of that all those years ago - and I'm even more pleased that I get to let others reading this know it's open to them too."
Laura was hooked and became passionate about helping others wanting to lose weight just like her.
After losing 4st 7lb in 8 months at her Tuesday morning group in Congleton, the group were told that another Congleton group was in need of a new consultant, and only members who know what it's like to lose weight are offered the opportunity to run a group within the organisation to ensure every group has a caring, understanding, empathetic consultant of their own who understands.
The 33-year-old, originally from Mow Cop, has now helped hundreds of Congleton residents for almost a decade.
As well as helping Congleton slimmers, Laura also serves residents of Biddulph.
"After years of failed dieting attempts my confidence was rock bottom before I discovered my local Slimming World Group. It really did save my life," she revealed.
"Even after losing weight so well, my confidence was still very low and I didn't believe in myself at all.
"My Consultant at the time, along with my fellow slimmers in group believed in me, and encouraged me to go along to the local opportunity events that Slimming World hold each month to find out more about what being a consultant entails. I was terrified, and wouldn't go alone so dragged my best friend along for morale support. Long story short, I ended up having an interview the very next day and wow, what a whirl-wind it's been ever since and I wouldn't change it for the world, it's an incredibl ride I'm lucky enough to still be on.
"I couldn't imagine my life without Slimming World. I love my groups and I'm so proud of every single one of my members because I really do understand the courage it takes to make that first step into group. It changed my life, and I've had the privilege and honour of welcoming hundreds of local men & women across my nine year career now, and I'm so thankful that I've been able to play even the smallest part in their own personal journey."
If you'd like to sparkle and shine like the newly-crowned Sapphire Consultant Laura get in touch with her, and visit one of the meets at Wellspring Church on Canal Road in Congleton (opposite Congleton War Memorial Church) every Thursday at 9am, 5.30pm & 7pm and Friday at 9.30am.
Congleton: You can join Laura & her award-winning groups as they head toward their 10th year, and be a part of the decade of success.
For more information & money saving offers contact Laura on 07595 535 816, or simply go along at one of the above times to find out more.
Slimming World was founded in 1969 by Margaret Miles-Bramwell, OBE FRSA, after she became frustrated at the restrictive diets and lack of non-judgmental support available for people who wanted to lose weight. Today, 53 years later, the organisation is still based on the same foundations.
Slimming World members follow the club's Food Optimising eating plan, which encourages slimmer's to make small, easy lifestyle changes to the way they shop, cook and eat so they make healthier choices and lose weight without ever going hungry or feeling deprived. Slimmers also attend a weekly group to weigh-in and receive support in a warm, friendly environment where they share their recipes, celebrate success and ideas for coping with challenges.
You can find more about them by clicking here, and about what being a consultant entails here.
Congleton: You can also find more about Laura's story by clicking here.
*Source for these quotes: [Office for Health Improvement & Disparities: Local public health profiles 2020/21]
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