Slimming World group leader from Lancing reaches national final for weight maintenance

Slimming World’s Top Target Consultant 2019 aims to highlight weight maintenance and celebrate group leaders who have shown a commitment to maintaining their target size.

Natasha Bunby, who runs groups in Littlehampton, and Michelle Ferris Talbot, who runs groups in Angmering, were among 32 consultants from across the UK and Ireland to bag a place in the finals.

They lost out to footballer’s wife Kathryn Cooke from Bradford in their bid for the title but are still proud of what they have achieved.

Natasha, who lives in Lancing, has sustained her 11st weight loss since September 2012, while Michelle lost 5½ stone and it still trim six years later.

Natasha weighed 21st 5lb at her heaviest and joined Slimming World because her health and confidence were suffering.

She said: “Before I lost weight, I struggled to incorporate activity into my daily life but Slimming World helped me to become more active and now I attend my local Impulse Leisure gym in Lancing regularly, which has really helped me to manage my weight.

“This particular gym is wheelchair accessible, which is super important for people like myself as I have secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and not all gyms are wheelchair friendly.”

Natasha supports more than 150 slimmers at her groups, held on Mondays at 5.30pm and 7.30pm at Parkside Evangelical Church, St Floras Road, Littlehampton.

She won a Slimming World gold award last summer, recognising her exceptional work at Parkside Littlehampton Slimming World, with 150 members or more attending each week and losing weight successfully.

Michelle, 44, weighed 16st 4½lbs at her heaviest and joined Slimming World in October 2011. She reached her target weight one year later.

She said: “Before I lost weight, I didn’t do any real exercise. Slimming World helped me to become much more active, though, and now I walk regularly, which has really helped me to manage my weight.”

Michelle supports 240 slimmers at her groups, held on Thursdays at 5.30pm and 7.30pm and Fridays at 9.30pm and 11.30pm at Worthing Rugby Club in Angmering.

She won a Slimming World silver award last spring, recognising her exceptional work at Angmering Slimming World, with 100 members or more attending each week and losing weight successfully.