Sun, 09 Mar 2025

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 Legacy of weight-loss pioneer remembered

Margaret Miles-Bramwell's colleagues remember her life and legacy ahead of her funeral on Monday.

* Margaret Miles-Bramwell, the founder of Slimming World, has died at the age of 76.
* She started her business in a church hall in Alfreton, Derbyshire in 1969 and it expanded into a network of over 3,500 consultants and 700,000 members.
* Mrs. Miles-Bramwell was awarded an OBE for services to health and charity and also received an honorary master's degree from the University of Derby.
* She founded the Slimmers Making It A Little Easier For Someone (SMILES) charity in 1997 and pioneered the first NHS weight management referral scheme in 2000.
* Mrs. Miles-Bramwell was named Business Woman of the Year at the National Business Women's Awards in 2023 and had been included in the Top 100 Influential People list for 2025.
* Colleagues described her as "revolutionary" with a "massive heart" who wanted to end the shame, guilt, and judgment faced by those struggling with their weight.
* The estimated number of lives affected positively by Mrs. Miles-Bramwell's work is in the millions, according to Marie Gregory, a colleague who has worked at Slimming World for nearly 14 years.
* Debbie Lockwood, a training and development manager, described Mrs. Miles-Bramwell as "just gorgeous" with a wicked sense of humor and said she built communities that empowered people to take control of their weight loss journey.
* Rebecca Robinson, a director of communications, said Mrs. Miles-Bramwell left a huge legacy that will continue through the work of Slimming World.
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