On top of leading healthier lifestyles, Slimming World member Daniel Wells, 42, and his Consultant Julie Edwards, 49, are now representing Slimming World in their 14-strong official marathon team this April. The Slimming World members, Consultants, and Head Office staff come from across the UK and Ireland and between them have lost more than 81st (514kg).
The team are raising money for Cancer Research UK, the Irish Cancer Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK, Slimming World’s official charity partners.
Daniel, a police officer, is running for Cancer Research UK and is aiming to increase awareness of how keeping a healthy weight and moving more can improve people’s health and help reduce the risk of developing 13 types of cancer.
Julie is running for Alzheimer’s Research UK and wants to increase awareness of how keeping a healthy weight and moving more can improve health and wellbeing. According to Alzheimer’s Research UK’s ‘Think Brain Health’ campaign, being active is one of several ways people can help protect brain health and reduce their risk of dementia in later life.
Julie became a Slimming World Consultant after she had successfully lost 2st 2lbs (14kg) as a member and wanted to help others achieve their goals. She says: “I moved to America to be an Au Pair when I was 18. The different foods, surroundings and culture saw my weight increase quite quickly. Fourteen months later, I returned home and met my future husband. I had an active social life and was very content so didn’t pay much attention to my weight.
“We got married in 2000 and I knew at the time that I wasn’t truly happy with my weight. It was a beautiful day, but I couldn’t help feeling disappointed that I hadn’t lost any weight for my special day. I had my two boys in 2004 and 2006 and by the end of my second pregnancy I had crept up to 14st. I did lose some weight, but I was still very self-conscious.
“My turning point was shortly after attending a black-tie event and a family holiday. I looked back at the pictures, and they broke my heart. The happy memories we made were suddenly dampened by how sad looking at the photos made me.”
Daniel joined Julie’s Slimming World group at the St Martin & St Hilda Church Hall in Lancashire in January 2022.
He says: “As a soldier in the Army, I was deployed on a lot of operations around the world and dealt with very tough situations. It was rewarding, and I became well decorated for my service and even received a Commendation from the Queen. However, the toll it took, and the effects, not just on me, but my fellow serving soldiers meant it was a very dark time in my life. I started to exercise less and gained significant weight as I turned to comfort eating and drinking in excess as a coping mechanism.
“While in the Army I took on a specialist role which meant I could forego some of the physical requirements of mainstream military, so I had the perfect excuse not to exercise. Although there was no reputational impact as the job saw me use my brain and not my body, the impact it had on my pride was too much to handle. I started to actively avoid courses and deployments I needed for career progression because of my weight, as well as steer clear of social interactions with family and friends. I cancelled family holidays as I couldn’t face the idea of going on a beach holiday wearing only shorts.
“I’d been a Slimming World member in the past, so I knew that if I returned to group, I’d be welcomed back. I was feeling low, and although there wasn’t anything I could do to change the horrors I had witnessed during my time in the army, there was something I could do about my weight. I needed to find the courage to take control of my own life, and to take responsibility for my own future health.”
Daniel, who has lost 4st (25kg), followed Slimming World’s healthy eating plan, with the support of Julie and his group, and loved that it gave him the knowledge and skills to make changes to the way he ate and not miss out on his favourite meals, like steak and chips and spaghetti Bolognese.
He says: “My blood pressure has always been on the high side, and the extra weight pushed it to unhealthy levels. Similarly, I have always suffered from heart burn, and this was medicated prior to being in the Army. Losing weight with Slimming World however, has stopped this completely and I no longer get heartburn.”
Throughout their weight loss journeys, Daniel and Julie have both explored Slimming World’s physical activity support programme, which helps members to embrace and integrate active habits into their everyday life. The programme recognises a wide range of activities, to suit all ability levels and budgets, and supports members to increase activity from their own individual starting point and at their own pace.
Julie says: “Before joining Slimming World I played netball once a week, but I never felt like I was reaching my full potential. Slimming World showed me that I can take my time to build up my fitness levels with achievable goals, which keep me inspired. Getting back into running and regular activity has kept me motivated to aim for my next goal. I always encourage my members to get involved in an activity they love, so to be able to run the London Marathon with Daniel is a dream come true and a definite career highlight and a reminder of how rewarding my job is.
“As a Slimming World Consultant, I am passionate about raising money for our important charity partners and want to do my bit to help continue the research into curing dementia.”
Daniel says: “Julie has been amazing throughout my weight loss journey. She has helped me believe in myself and supported me every step of the way. I’m so pleased that she is also part of the 2025 Slimming World London Marathon team, and we can experience this together. We’re both running for incredible charities and I am proud to be raising money for Cancer Research UK, a charity very close to my heart as a member of my family has prostate cancer, which has spread to his lymph nodes, and into his bones. My family is just one in a long line affected by this awful disease.”
Money raised for Cancer Research UK, Irish Cancer Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK helps fund vital research. Anyone who would like to sponsor Daniel and Julie can do so by visiting: Julie’s page and Daniel’s page
Julie’s Slimming World groups are held every Thursday at All Saints Church Anchorsholme and Saturdays at St Martin & St Hildas Church Hall. To join, call Julie on 07854 427608.Or, to find your local group, visit the website.