All aboard! Slimming World celebrates 50th anniversary with golden bus tour

Founded in 1969 by Margaret Miles-Bramwell, the weight loss organisation is touring the UK and Ireland on its Golden Anniversary Bus to mark the milestone.

As part of the tour the Slimming World team visited Byron Place shopping centre in Seaham on Thursday, July 25, to invite the public on board the bus to meet slimmers from the North East and learn about the ways it can support those looking to lose weight.

Throughout the day hundreds of people visited the bus and were able to check out cooking demonstrations showing how to prepare healthy meals.

Sue Thompson, Slimming World district manager, was delighted to see so many people turn out to learn about the company.

Sue, from Chester-le-Street, lost an incredible 16 stone with Slimming World, and has gone on to inspire others with her story.

On the event, she said: “The Slimming World Golden Bus is touring for 12 weeks and visiting different places every day.

“It is the biggest thing we have ever done and it has been brilliant.”

Super slimmers aboard the bus included Lisa Wharton, from Sunderland, who lost 5st with Slimming World after joining with husband Graeme – who lost 7st 7lb – in January 2013.

Lisa, 46, went from 16st 2lb to 11st and now runs her own group at Rhyope Community Centre on a Saturday.

She said: “As we celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary we are looking back on what we have achieved.

“We never take for granted where we are now as we worked to do it and now the Slimming World way of life is something I could never give up.”

District manager Sue continued: ”We have seen people who have been to Slimming World before coming to talk to us and we have also had people queuing to get on the bus as it pulled up in the morning.

“It’s lovely for people to meet our inspiring members and learn from the cooking demonstrations.

“I think people think its expensive to eat healthily but the demonstrations show just how easy and cheap it can be.”