Chris Brankin has been presented with an award to recognise her 21 years service as a group leader for Slimming World.

Chris was a discontented child-minder and playgroup supervisor back in 1987 and was looking for something new and started running her local Slimming World group.

Little did she realise she would still be there 21 years later. She said: “Over the years I have done several different roles within the company but have always come back to the one I love the most – caring for members in my groups.

“I have been in management roles as well but nothing beats the feeling of helping people in the group and watching them change as their weight comes off and so here I am, back where I first began.

“Unfortunately, I do not know exactly how much weight has been lost in Sleaford since I started but it must total thousands.”

Chris now runs three separate groups including a new Saturday group in the Riverside Church.

She added: “I have seen many changes to the way losing weight is achieved over the years and the freedom of choice we have now is second to none.”