A weight has been lifted in Hatfield following the news that people can now return to Slimming World group sessions following the further easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Members can now book to attend sessions at the Lord William Cecil Memorial Hall in the town centre, with safety measures such as social distancing, face masks and hand sanitiser in place.

Chairs and tables, as well as the weighing equipment, will also be cleaned between sessions.

Amy Jefferies, who runs sessions on a Monday evening, said: “While the guidance announced this week means that some social activities are being limited, we are pleased to say that our Slimming World groups can still get together.

“That's because as well as the companionship that members love, we are providing a paid-for weight loss service.

“In group, we're going to extra lengths to ensure that all hygiene and social distancing measures are firmly in place, including wearing face coverings during group and allowing extra time for cleaning before and in-between sessions to make sure we're all safe and sound.”

Slimming World's in-person group sessions will be a welcome return after the organisations supported members through Zoom meetings during lockdown.

Amy was quick to praise the efforts of members during the pandemic, and she believes the extra motivation provided by the return of group sessions will see them make even more progress.

“In just one week, the weight losses alone have shown how much our members love being together in group and how powerful that experience is to achieving such great results,” she said.

“There’s nothing quite like the magic of our in-person groups though, and research of our members during lockdown has shown that while our members have loved attending their virtual groups they’ve missed the motivational power and accountability of meeting in person each week.

“Obesity is a huge issue in the news at the moment with evidence showing that carrying extra weight makes it harder for the body to fight COVID-19, and the Government announcing brand-new plans to tackle obesity across the UK – which Slimming World are very proud to be part of.”

To book into a session or for more information, contact Amy on 07702 911 160.