A new slimming group has been set up in Bolton by a woman who hopes to use her own achievements to help others.

After losing two stone during the process, Helen Keegan, 52, decided to train as a consultant for Slimming World, the UK’s largest group-based weight loss organisation.

The group, which meets every Monday, is based at Rose Hill United Reformed Church in Great Lever.

Helen says that the group is built on the foundations of support, encouragement and fun, which she thinks is key to the weight loss process.

She said: “ It all starts with feeling you’re not alone. I couldn’t have reached my personal achievement target and stayed at my target weight without the weekly help and understanding of my own consultant and group.

“I will be there to support every one of my members along the way.”

Helen joined the scheme two years ago, and hopes her experience with the plan will help others find the motivation and support they need to lose weight.

She added: “I have been overweight for most of my adult life and had tried to lose weight so many times by following numerous diets, but they weren’t sustainable because I’d get tired of restricting what I ate.

“Slimming World is different. I never felt like I was on a diet, the eating plan encourages you to eat lots of tasty filling foods and nothing is banned.”

Slimming World is based on three main ideals – healthier eating, moving more, and support on your journey.

Their healthy eating plan, called Food Optimising, steers away from traditional calorie counting by offering 'free foods' that don't need to be tracked, such as lean meat, fish, pasta, potatoes, fruit and vegetables.

For more information on Helen's new group, contact her on 07711 701262 or head to one of her meetings, starting at 6pm.