On Wednesday 4th June, Slimming World was delighted to sponsor a reception in the Scottish Parliament to mark the formation of Scotland’s first Cross Party Group to tackle obesity.
The event was a resounding success: in fact, one of the best attended receptions ever held in the spectacular new parliament building, reflecting the fact that obesity is one of the hottest topics in Scotland right now.
Attendees included around 20 Scottish MPs and the Minister for Public Health Shona Robison (pictured above with Slimming World's MD, Caryl Richards), who said that the Scottish Government recognises that obesity is an increasing problem that poses a huge threat to health. An influential audience included some key figures from the NHS in Scotland, as well as employers, academics and journalists.
The speakers included former rugby international John Beattie, the minister Shona Robison, MSP Mary Scanlon, Dr Laura Stewart from the Children’s Weight Clinic and Caryl Richards, who talked about Slimming World’s unique approach to weight loss, the help that we give to slimmers every week around the UK, and the huge success of Slimming World on Referral in England, generating a lot of interest from the audience in getting the scheme up and running in Scotland too.
Successful slimmers, Consultants and managers from around Scotland came to the event too. Rita Gallogley, a Woman of the Year 2006 finalist who lost 11 stone attended with her son, 16 year old Sean, both members of Ray Mackle’s Chapelhall group, and they were a huge hit with the politicians and health professionals they met.
Scotland has one of the world’s worst obesity rates, second only to the USA. The reception was an important step in raising awareness of what Slimming World can do for slimmers in Scotland – at a time when government is looking for new ways to help the 1.5 million people in Scotland who are overweight or obese - and the first step will be the formation of a Slimming World group within the Scottish Parliament building itself, as a direct result of the reception.
