Former Paralympian loses 10lbs in three weeks after Slimming World group raises £750 for wheelchair scales

Former Paralympic swimmer Judith Hudson has lost an impressive 10lbs in just three weeks after her Slimming World friends raised £750 to purchase specialist wheelchair scales.

Judith, 55, competed in breast stroke and freestyle swimming events at the Barcelona 1992 Paralympics and has always tried to maintain a healthy weight and fitness, including being a member of Fulwell Methodist Church Slimming World group.

Judith, from Washington, suffers from cerebral palsy. She used to be able to use the standard weighing scales to keep a check on her weight, but as her balance has deteriorated, this had become more difficult.

She said: "I have been going to the group for several years but my balance meant it was getting to the point where I couldn't get an accurate reading from the scales.

"One week it would say I had lost two pounds then the next it would say I had put 10 pounds on.

"People kept saying they could tell I had lost weight by my clothes but it's definitely more difficult when you don't know your weight from week to week.

"It's not the same."

To help ensure Judith felt like a fully inclusive part of the group, her fellow members donated prizes which they raffled off to raise £750 to purchase the wheelchair scales.

The scales have tracks for Judith to wheel onto, taking an accurate weight, minus the weight of her wheelchair.

She said: "We got the scales the week before Christmas and since then I have lost 10 pounds. It's much easier to now get an accurate weight and seeing how much I've lost week to week is a big motivation and makes losing weight much easier.

"The scales have made a massive difference and I can't thank people enough for raising the money."

Judith's Slimming World consultant, Emily King, said: "Judith has always been very motivated but since we have got the new scales she has lost weight every week.

"Getting weighed as part of the group is a massive motivator for people to lose weight and the scales now mean we are fully inclusive and Judith and other wheelchair users can get the full experience."

Judith now hopes the new scales will encourage more wheelchair users to join Slimming World groups.

She said: "Hopefully more people who use wheelchairs will start to attend Emily's group and this will identify the need for more of these scales in other slimming groups."