Melksham slimmers raise £600 for Cancer Research

A GROUP of slimmers from Melksham have so far raised over £600 for Cancer Research UK as part of the ‘Walk all over cancer with Slimming World’ campaign in August.

The champion slimmers, who attend the Melksham Town Hall and Spencer’s Slimming World group, raised the money by walking along the canal in Melksham, some walking as far as the Caen Locks in Devizes and back again.. 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.

Recently crowned Woman of the Year, Ann Stanford from the Friday morning Spencer’s group celebrated by walking along the tow path having just been told by her consultant that she is now cancer free.

Ann who joined the group in January of this year was told by her consultant that she should lose weight.   “At first I was really upset then I thought, well, I’ll show him and by the end of July this year I reached my 3 stone target,” she said.

Man of the Year member Josh Cotton from the Melksham Town Hall group has lost over 4 1/2 stone since joining the group in March this year. He has walked over 360,000 steps throughout the whole month even though he said he couldn’t have done that before losing weight.

Josh said, “Before I lost the weight a challenge like this would have felt completely out of reach. I barely had the energy to go about my day, let alone go for a walk. I would never have thought I could do something like this. Slimming World helped me break free and has given me back the life I dreamed of.

“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 the Walk All Over Cancer steps has been the icing on the cake of my weight loss journey.”

Weight loss Consultant Carmen Middleditch who runs the Town Hall and Spencer’s Slimming World groups each week 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 my members, including Josh and Ann who set themselves the challenge of walking more this August and absolutely smashed it!

“I’m sure my 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 helping to support Cancer Research UK’s life-saving research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all cancers.”

For more information about the Slimming World groups or their Walk All Over Cancer campaign event contact Carmen on 07828 487 569 or pop along to the group which is held every Wednesday at 5.30pm and 7.30.pm at The Town Hall and every Friday at 9.30am and 11.30am at Spencer’s Social Club.