Bradford District Care Trust is restarting its free weight loss groups this month, following a successful scheme last year.

The groups will be run at 11 locations across the district by the Care Trust’s health trainers, who will provide expert advice to support people to reach and maintain their healthy lifestyle goals. Sessions will cover various subjects including information about different food groups and portion control.

The groups are open to anyone aged over 18 years living in the Bradford area. Unlike many crash diets, where people restrict food and then risk gaining weight when they return to old habits, the Care Trust’s programme helps people make small changes that are easy to maintain, which are far more likely to be successful in the long-term.

Catherine Jowitt, Practice Health Champions Lead at the Care Trust, said: “There are lots of benefits to losing weight including increasing your energy, improving mobility, reducing blood pressure and improving mood. We’ll work with people to help make changes to their lifestyle and behaviour by setting goals and supporting people to achieve them.”

One local lady, Susan*, a former care worker who joined the groups which ran in September 2017, was delighted with her progress and cannot wait for the new groups to start; she has already lost a stone and a half and is keen to keep going. She says that the information and support she was given made her feel like finally, ‘the penny has dropped at the age of 54!’

Susan said: “I found out about the groups from a leaflet at my GP practice. I’ve always been overweight and I felt like, after trying other groups and diets, this was my last chance to properly try to lose weight. I found that everything is explained so simply, and you are not told to cut foods out or made to feel bad. The focus is on the way you cook and the amount you eat, so it doesn’t feel like a diet. I enjoy my food much better now. I can’t rate the groups highly enough for people who want to lose weight – finally I’m in control of food, rather than food controlling me.”

The weight loss groups will start on the following dates and run for 12 weeks. People need to commit to attend the full programme:

• Hollyns Health and Wellbeing, Allerton Health Centre, Bell Dean Road BD15 7WA (Tuesday 10.00am to 11.30am) 9 January 2018
• Central Hall, Alice Street, Keighley BD21 3JD (Thursday 1.00pm to 2.30pm) 11 January 2018
• Carers Hub, Horton Park Health Centre, Horton Park Avenue BD7 3BN (Thursday 2.00pm to 3.30pm) 11 January 2018
• Shipley Health Centre, Alexandra Road BD18 3EG (Thursday 5.30pm to 7.00pm) 11 January 2018 – this group will have a British Sign Language interpreter
• Ashcroft Surgery, Newlands Way BD10 0JE (Monday 10.15am to 11.45am) 15 January 2018
• Girlington Community Centre, Girlington Road BD8 9NN (Monday 1.00pm to 2.30pm Women only) 15 January 2018
• Bankfoot School, Bolingbroke Street BD5 9NR (Friday 9.00am to 10.30am) 26 January 2018
• The Family Practice, 2 Saplin Street BD8 9DW (Monday 10.45am to 12.15pm) 29 January 2018
• Kala Sangam, St Peter’s House, Forster Square BD1 4TY (Saturday 10.00am to 11.30am) 3 February 2018

Two other groups that began on 3 January will accept new starters at the second session on 10 January:

• The Ridge Medical Practice, Cousen Road BD7 3JX (Wednesday 11.00am – 12.30pm) 10 January 2018
• Richard Dunn Sports Centre, Rooley Avenue BD6 1EZ (Wednesday 7.15pm – 8.45pm) 10 January 2018

People interested in joining the groups can contact the Health Trainer Service on 01274 322666 or email healthtrainers@bdct.nhs.uk.

*Name has been anonymised for confidentiality reasons.