From our Saturday mornings in Stevenage to the national stage in Birmingham. A moment I will never forget.
There are moments in life when you find yourself wondering whether something is really happening.
For me, one of those moments came in June 2026, when our Stevenage Old Town Saturday Slimming World group was named one of the top five groups out of 12,000 across the UK and Ireland!
Even writing those words now gives me an enormous sense of pride.
Our lovely Saturday morning group, where we share our successes, work through our challenges, swap recipes, laugh together and encourage one another every single week, had been recognised as a finalist for Slimming World's Group of the Year 2026.
Top five. Nationally.
Wow!
From Stevenage to the Slimming World Oscars!
The announcement came at Slimming World's annual awards ceremony, affectionately known as the Slimming World Oscars, held at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham. To be there, celebrating alongside other consultants and hearing our group recognised among the very best in the country, was an incredible experience. Of course, it was my name attached to the nomination as the group's consultant, but I knew exactly who deserved that recognition.
Every single one of our members.
The people who arrive at group week after week, sometimes celebrating a wonderful loss, sometimes needing a little encouragement, but always contributing something special to the atmosphere we have created together. I remember saying to The Comet that every member of our Saturday group was an absolute star.
I meant every word.
What makes a group worthy of national recognition?
It would be easy to think an award like this is simply about how much weight people lose.Our members have certainly achieved some remarkable weight-loss successes, and I could not be prouder of them but this recognition was about something much bigger. It celebrated the supportive community we have built, the friendships that have developed, the motivation our members share and the way people help one another make lasting changes.
I have watched members arrive feeling nervous, uncertain or convinced they will struggle. Over time, I have seen those same people grow in confidence, make friends, achieve personal goals and begin to believe in themselves again. Some have gone on to achieve things they never imagined possible. Others have simply discovered a welcoming place where they feel understood, encouraged and never judged. That matters enormously to me.
I know what it feels like to be the person walking through the door
Long before I became a consultant, I was a Slimming World member myself. I remember feeling unhappy with my weight, struggling with everyday activities and wondering whether I would ever be able to make the changes I desperately wanted. It took seeing another member's success to inspire me to give Slimming World a try. That decision changed so much for me.
I went on to lose more than eight stone, but I gained something equally important: a real understanding of how powerful kindness, encouragement and belonging can be when someone is trying to change their life. It is why I became a consultant, and why I still care so deeply about the experience every person has when they join one of my groups. I never forget how it felt to be that new member.
Years of hard work, thousands of little victories
Our Group of the Year recognition did not happen overnight.
Over the years, we have celebrated Gold and Diamond Awards, target achievements, personal milestones, friendships, charity events and countless wonderful moments together. There have been members who have changed their lives in extraordinary ways, people who have discovered a love of activity, and friendships that have continued far beyond the group room. There have also been difficult weeks, setbacks and moments when someone has needed extra support. That is real life, and it is why having a group of people around you who genuinely understand can make such a difference.
Our national recognition reflects all of those moments, not simply the ones that come with a certificate or a trophy.
A little group with an enormous heart
When The Comet shared our news on 28 June 2026, it was wonderful to see our members' achievements and our group community celebrated beyond the walls of our meeting room. I felt so proud to see our Stevenage group recognised on a national stage.
As a consultant and Team Developer, I have been fortunate to enjoy some very special experiences with Slimming World, but this achievement will always hold a particularly special place in my heart. It is a reminder of what can happen when people come together, support one another and believe that change is possible. We might meet in a school hall on a Saturday morning, but the encouragement, friendship and confidence that grow there can reach far beyond it.
To every member who made this possible – thank you
To everyone who has been part of our Saturday group, whether you have been with us for years or joined more recently, thank you.
Thank you for your encouragement, your honesty, your kindness, your laughter and the support you give one another.
Thank you for allowing me to be part of your journeys and for making our group such a special place to be.
Out of 12,000 Slimming World groups, ours was named among the top five.
That is something we can all feel enormously proud of.
We may not have taken home the overall title, but being recognised among the very best was a tremendous honour.
And do you know what?
Every Saturday morning, when I see the encouragement, determination and friendship in our group, I am reminded exactly why we got there.
What a group. What a community. What an incredible achievement!
Sarah x
Our Group of the Year achievement was featured in The Comet on 28 June 2026, in an article by Sophie Skyring titled “Stevenage Slimming World group finalist for top weight loss award”.
Would you like to be part of our award-winning community?
You do not need to have everything figured out before you join us. Just come along, receive a warm welcome and discover what we can achieve together.
Visit my Slimming World page for details of my current groups in Stevenage and Hitchin.
