07
July
2017
|
10:00
Europe/Amsterdam

Slimmers’ clothes raise £3.3 million in two weeks

Successful slimmers taking part in the Big Slimming World Clothes Throw have collected a whopping 122,739 bags of the clothes they’ve slimmed out of, raising more than £3million worth of stock for Cancer Research UK in just two weeks.

The campaign, which is now in its fifth year and ran over two weeks this June, invited Slimming World members to celebrate their weight losses by donating the clothes that no longer fit them – and that they know they won’t need again – to Cancer Research UK. The fundraising drive aims to raise awareness that maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the risk of developing many types of cancer. This year it was backed by singer and presenter Peter Andre who launched his own foundation with Cancer Research UK – the Peter Andre Fund – after sadly losing his brother to cancer.

The 2017 Big Slimming World Clothes Throw has been the most successful bag collection to date, with £3,306,630.25 worth of stock collected by Slimming World groups – a 57% rise on 2016 and a 272% rise on the first year the campaign launched in 2013*.

With an average bag value of around £25, the Clothes Throw campaign has now raised more than £9m since it launched in 2013. This year the average bag value was £26.50.

 

Peter Andre
Around three quarters of people don’t know that maintaining a healthy weight reduces the risk of developing the disease – up to 13 types, in fact! I really hope that with the Big Clothes Throw we’ve helped spread the message of how weight affects cancer risk.
Peter Andre

Peter Andre, who donated some of his own clothes to the campaign, will meet some of the slimmers who got involved, as part of a competition put on by the weight loss company. Slimmers who found a ‘golden bag’ among the usual purple bags have been entered into a prize draw, with five winners set to be selected at random and invited to an event in London later this summer.

Peter says: “I’m thrilled to be involved with the Clothes Throw this year and it’s amazing to see how ‘insania’ slimmers have gone for the event! I donated some jeans and t-shirts myself which felt really liberating. It’s great to know such a simple task can help raise money to fund research that will save lives, and to think that someone else might love the clothes as much as I once did too!

“Cancer Research UK is a charity very close to my heart and I know cancer touches the lives of so many others, too. Around three quarters of people don’t know that maintaining a healthy weight reduces the risk of developing the disease – up to 13 types, in fact! I really hope that with the Big Clothes Throw we’ve helped spread the message of how weight affects cancer risk.

“I’m so excited to meet some of the inspirational Slimming World members who took part so I can personally thank them for their amazing donations – what better way to celebrate success on the scales than by making space for some brand new togs that show off a new slimmer figure.”

Johanna Mather, who coordinates the national campaign from Slimming World HQ in Derbyshire, says: “We’re absolutely over the moon to have broken the £3 million barrier this year. We’re determined to do everything we can to help people lead healthier lives, so helping fund cancer research at the same time as helping people to lose weight is really rewarding.

“At Slimming World, we support our members to lose weight through long-term, healthy lifestyle changes and encourage them to become more active which helps reduce cancer risk. We know from our members that cancer is a cause that is close to their hearts and so we’re all hugely committed to supporting the work of Cancer Research UK to help beat cancer sooner. Having such a dedicated and engaged group of members and Consultants makes it all so much easier to achieve.”

To find out more about the Big Slimming World Clothes Throw, or find your nearest warm and friendly group, visit: www.slimmingworld.co.uk.

*Table to show increase in Big Slimming World Clothes Throw fundraising from 2013-2017

Year

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Bags donated

34,849

38,240

73,492

81,574

122,739

Total fundraising income

£888,586

£1,004,480

£1,698,837

£2,110,020

£3,306,630

£ percentage rise on previous year

NA

13%

69%

24%

57%

(NB: Average bag value varies each year. This year value was £26.50)

Notes to Editors

Slimming World was founded by Margaret Miles-Bramwell (OBE, FRSA) in 1969. There are now more than 18,000 groups held weekly across the UK and Republic of Ireland via a network of 4,000 community-based Slimming World Consultants, who receive specific training in the role of diet and physical activity in weight management, as well as sophisticated behaviour-change techniques.

Slimming World’s healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, is based on the science of satiety and energy density. Our phased activity programme, Body Magic, eases members into activity until it becomes an intrinsic part of their daily routine. The principles behind Slimming World’s philosophy are based on a deep understanding of the challenges faced by overweight people and a recognition that those who struggle with weight carry a double burden, the weight itself and a burden of guilt and shame about their weight. Slimming World’s programme integrates practical, up-to-date advice with a highly developed support system based on care and compassion, and Consultant training focuses on facilitating behaviour change in a warm and friendly group environment. Consultant training is delivered through the Slimming World Academy. Slimming World also invests in a comprehensive research programme to develop its support for long-term weight management. The group support provided by Slimming World is recognised as effective by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the NHS.

For more information about Slimming World’s approach visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk or call 0344 897 8000.

For the Press Office please email public.relations@slimmingworld.co.uk