Havant woman loses weight but gained the life she had been waiting for - and now runs Slimming World groups in Bedhampton and Leigh Park

It’s easy to skim past the familiar phrase “Slimming World changed my life” when reading magazines or scrolling through headlines. It can feel like a well-worn cliché — comforting, perhaps, but distant. Yet every so often, a story comes along that gives those words real depth, heart, and undeniable truth.

For Sam Jones, recipient of the Margaret Miles-Bramwell Rising Star Award 2025, those words are not a tagline — they are her lived reality, every single day.

Sam’s journey with Slimming World is not defined solely by the remarkable 4½ stone weight loss she has achieved and maintained for over three years, nor by the fulfilling career she has built as a consultant. Her gratitude runs far deeper than that. It’s rooted in something profoundly personal — something she once feared might never happen.

After 31 years of longing to become a mother, and enduring nine rounds of IVF, Sam’s dream finally became reality. At the age of 52, she gave birth to her twin daughters — a moment that captured national attention, with headlines celebrating her as a “miracle mum at 52.” Today, as her girls approach four years old, Sam still finds herself pausing, reflecting, and — in her own words — “pinching herself” at how lucky she is.

Sam is the first to acknowledge the role that modern fertility science played in her journey. But she speaks just as passionately about the turning point that came before it. Prior to joining Slimming World, eight rounds of IVF had been unsuccessful. It was only after losing weight and transforming her health that her ninth round finally worked.

For Sam, the connection is clear. While science made it possible, she firmly believes her healthier body gave it the chance to succeed.

That belief fuels everything she does today.

As a consultant, Sam brings not just professional expertise but deep empathy and lived experience to her groups. She understands the emotional complexity of weight, fertility, and self-belief — because she has lived it. And now, she’s seeing that impact ripple out into the lives of her members.

Nothing excites her more than the growing number of pregnancy success stories within her own groups. Currently, four of her members are expecting babies — two still attending sessions and two taking a short break ahead of their arrivals. Among them is a particularly inspiring journey: one member who lost an extraordinary 12½ stone (over 50% of her body weight) and, after years of trying, finally conceived.

For Sam, these moments are everything.

Her groups — held in Leigh Park on Thursday evenings and Bedhampton on Saturday mornings — are thriving communities built on encouragement, understanding, and real-life transformation. She is passionate about helping anyone and everyone lose weight in a healthy, sustainable way, and her approach is inclusive. Whether members are following the Slimming World plan alone, using weight-loss medication, or have undergone bariatric surgery, Sam ensures they feel supported every step of the way.

But perhaps what truly sets Sam apart — and what makes her such a deserving Rising Star — is her unwavering gratitude. Not just for what she has achieved, but for what she has been given.

She isn’t thankful just “today,” or “this week,” or when she reflects on milestones. She is thankful every single day — when she wakes up, when she supports her members, and especially when she looks at her daughters.

Because for Sam Jones, Slimming World didn’t just help her lose weight. It helped her gain the life she had been waiting for.