Slimming World Managing Director heralds the “power of community” as big-hearted organisation raises an incredible £30 million for Cancer Research UK
The UK’s leading weight management organisation Slimming World has hit a major fundraising milestone having raised £30m for Cancer Research UK. Managing Director Lisa Salmon says the astonishing achievement is testament to the incredible community spirit within its groups.
Lisa says: “We’re blown away by the dedication and generosity of our members, Consultants and staff who’ve helped us to reach this milestone. This truly remarkable figure shows just how powerful a community can be when people come together and are united around a shared purpose.
“That’s exactly what happens in our Slimming World groups each week. Members come together with a common goal of reaching the weight or size they want to be, and as well as achieving their own goals they help, support and motivate others to hit their targets. And on top of that they’ve raised money for this hugely important cause too.
“It’s not surprising though because I truly believe there’s nowhere quite like a Slimming World group. We know that even after one session at Slimming World, almost every new member leaves filled with self-belief, self-confidence and self-determination.[1] The support, motivation and accountability that comes from losing weight alongside people who understand how it feels to live with overweight and to want to make a change cannot be replicated.
While the arrival of weight loss injections has undoubtedly changed the weight management landscape, we passionately believe that lasting weight loss success will only come when people receive support to change their diet, activity and, crucially, mindset. That’s why we’re welcoming everyone who wants to lose weight – including people taking weight loss drugs – to our groups.
Since 2013, Slimming World has raised money to help fund essential life-saving research and raise awareness that losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight brings big benefits including the reducing risk of developing 13 types of cancer.
The partnership between Slimming World and Cancer Research UK was important to Slimming World’s founder, Margaret Miles-Bramwell OBE, who passed away in February this year. In 1997 Margaret founded the charity SMILES – Slimmers Making It A Little Easier For Someone – which has raised millions of pounds for a range of charities close to Margaret’s heart.
Staff at Slimming World’s Head Office in Alfreton, Derbyshire, are also passionate about supporting the charity. Earlier this year, staff at the Derbyshire-based Slimming World HQ took to the local woods for a group walk in celebration of another successful year sponsoring Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life series.
Eve Mitchell, Associate Director of Supporter Relationships at Cancer Research UK, says “We’re so thankful to Slimming World members, Consultants and Head Office staff for all their fantastic work in raising £30m since 2013. From donating clothes through the Big Slimming World Clothes Throw to lacing up your trainers for Race for Life, every pound raised is helping to bring about a world where everybody lives longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.”
[1]Between 2nd and 31st January 2024, 7,106 Slimming World members who joined their local group that week completed an online survey asking for their feedback about their experience. The survey found 98% were committed to their weight loss, 96% felt that they could lose weight and keep it off, 97% were motivated to make changes to their lifestyle in order to lose weight and 89% were more confident to manage the things that had previously got in the way of them losing weight.