Williton ladies the first to try piling up pounds by losing weight (From Somerset County Gazette)

Williton ladies the first to try piling up pounds by losing weight

6:30am Tuesday 12th March 2013 in News By Hannah Green

A HEALTH initiative has been launched which helps people lose weight while bringing rewards to the community.

The Community Pounds Project helps members of community groups lose weight through NHS funding, with groups receiving £50 for every resident who has a BMI (Body Mass Index) of more than 25 and then £1 for every pound they lose.

The Children’s Centre at Williton is one of the first to take advantage of the scheme and parents from the centre will be working out and exercising at Watchet Gym as part of the initiative.

Funding, gained by leisure company 1610, pays for access to the gym and for trained staff to support local people in their bid to lose weight and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Mandy Godsell, active lifestyles officer for 1610 in West Somerset, said: “We are very keen to promote health and fitness throughout West Somerset and not just focused at our existing leisure facilities at Minehead and Dulverton.

“With this new scheme local residents can come along to the Watchet Gym, receive nutrition and exercise advice from specialist staff or trainers and be supported in their efforts to lose weight and at the same time gain further funding tohelp their local community.

“What better incentive can there be to earn a community pound for a pound lost on the scales?”

For more information, call Mandy on 01643-708815.