Fylde coast Slimming World consultants worry venue losses will impact public health

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, some group leaders on the Fylde coast have found themselves without a venue after some were yet to reopen, or decided not to accept groups back amid social distancing concerns.

Groups are due to recommence from August 10, but Fylde coast consultants have lost around 50 per cent of their previous meeting places.

Natalie Meadows, a team developer based at South Shore Tennis Club, explained how she felt the loss of venues would impact the health of members of the public struggling with their weight.

Although the tennis club had been "fantastic" with helping her and allowed her to stay, Natalie was concerned for her team and their members.

"We knew there would be an issue with venues, but it's worse than we expected to be honest. We've lost around 50 per cent of the places we held our meetings in before the pandemic," she said.

"We desperately need somewhere to host our meetings in all areas, but especially Fleetwood, Poulton and Blackpool town centre.

"I look after nine consultants, who have 40 groups between them. We know people will have put weight on, through stress or emotional eating due to worrying about the virus.

"We need to be able to help them, and we know that face-to-face contact works. We haven't seen a lot of our members for over 20 weeks, so we need to get back to normality."

Mrs Meadow's concerns came as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a range of measures to help people shed the pounds, including a ban on some junk food promotions and stricter advertising controls.

The most recent report from Public Health England (PHE) showed 65 per cent of adults in Blackpool were classed as overweight or obese in 2018-19.

This was the same as the average figure for the North West, but slightly above England's national average of 62 per cent.

Separate PHE figures showed that 29 per cent of children aged four to five years old in Blackpool were overweight or obese in 2018-19.

This rose to 39 per cent of children by the time they reached Year 6.

Professor Dame Parveen Kumar, board of science chairwoman at the British Medical Association, said obesity can have a “devastating” impact on people’s health, including the increased risk from the coronavirus.

“As the Government’s new strategy recognises, this has been a real wake-up call for the nation," she added.

"It’s imperative that we use this opportunity to make changes for good, not only for society today, but also for generations to come.”

The financial implications of venues remaining closed was also of concern for Natalie and her consultants, as their self-employment has left them without an income during the lockdown.

Kerry Betteridge-Rowland, 42, is a mum of four boys and a full-time consultant for the slimming company.

Her husband Stephen caught Covid-19 in April after a passenger coughed in his taxi. After Blackpool Vic medics saved his life, he was out of work for the duration of the lockdown - leaving the family with no income.

Now Mr Betteridge-Rowland has found new employment, but the family is left facing an uncertain financial future as Kerry's Slimming World venues aren't accepting groups back.

"It's been so difficult, the money I earn from my job is so important for our family," Kerry said.

"A lot of religious buildings aren't reopening, and some social clubs aren't allowing groups back in, we think it's because they've been deep-cleaned.

"Fortunately I've managed to move some of my groups to the Unitarian Church on Lytham Road, but I was based near St John Vianney's and also at Highfield Road before.

"South Shore Tennis Club is also letting more of us go there, but I have lost a lot of members. I run a few morning groups with elderly members, and they can't travel that far.

"It touches your heart because they ring me asking me for help, but I can't find venues in the areas where I held my meetings with them before the virus."

Venues for Slimming World members are needed all over the Fylde coast, but particularly in Blackpool town centre, Poulton, Fleetwood, and around the Bloomfield area of Blackpool.

If you are able to provide consultants with somewhere to host their meetings, contact Natalie Meadows on 07823771318 or email [email protected] .