Slimming mentor Tania Watson is over the moon after being praised by TV comedian Jason Manford.
Tania, who runs weekly Slimming World groups in Haverhill, met the comedian when he hosted the Slimming World annual awards ceremony.
Jason said: “Throughout the day I met so many inspirational people, not only the slimmers collecting awards but also the amazing people like Tania who run the groups and help them achieve so much. It’s literally changed their lives beyond all recognition.
“I know keeping weight in control is a challenge for a lot of us these days and I think the people of Haverhill are very lucky to have someone who is clearly as dedicated to their members as Tania is and to have such a great support network on their doorstep.”
Tania’s slimming group, which meets at The New Croft in Chalkstone Way, hit the headlines recently when its members lost a staggering 5,000lbs between them during the club’s first year of operation. The weight is equivalent to that of a great white shark.
Tania hopes to help many more people lose weight in 2012, adding: “At this time of year lots of people will be making New Year’s resolutions and pledging to lose weight, and we’d love anyone who wants to make a change to come along and join us.
“When you sit in a group and someone says ‘I’ve lost five or six stone and my life has been transformed’ it’s amazing the difference it makes.”
The group also does work for charity and before Christmas its members collected 147.5 lbs of food items for the Haverhill Food Bank. They have also raised more than £650 for charities including the Teenage Cancer Trust and the East Anglian Children’s Hospice.