A NEW weight-loss support group from Denton has been named overall winner of the Andrew Gwynne Local Business Awards.
BEEWEIGHED, which only launched in January 2019, was selected from more than 4,000 nominations for over 250 local businesses across Audenshaw, Denton, Dukinfield and Reddish to land the accolade.
The group offers a weekly weigh-in and group support meeting at Denton Cricket Club and also in Hyde, irrespective of what diet plan you choose to follow, and all its staff have had experience of losing weight themselves.
BEEWEIGHED founder Lynda Leadbetter has more than 17 years’ experience helping people lose weight and is massively passionate about helping people achieve their weight goals.
She said: “It was a huge surprise just to be nominated, but to win was just overwhelming. I’ve only been trading since January and to be recognised like this after less than a year was wonderful.”
Linda’s background as a Weight Watchers leader encouraged her to pursue opening her own business after she noted a gap in the market.
She continued: “I ran many successful meetings, mainly at the Denton Labour Club, but I started to realise a lot of my members weren’t following the Weight Watchers’ diet.
“They were trying their own plans and coming along to the meetings to get weighed. It got me thinking about setting up my own support group where there were no rules, so to speak.
“So, I quit Weight Watchers in July but because of a clause in my contract I wasn’t allowed to do anything in relation to weight loss for six months. I used that time to set up BEEWEIGHED.”
Launched on January 5, BEEWEIGHED takes its name from the symbolic worker bee synonymous with Manchester and it was not long before the company’s popularity started to soar.
Lynda said: “Initially we started out having just one meeting per week, but so many people turned up that within three weeks we increased it to two meetings.
“Now we’re up to four meetings per week in four different locations, and we’re still growing.
“Everyone supports and encourages each other, and the atmosphere is wonderful. It doesn’t feel like work.
“I’m so grateful to everybody who nominated BEEWEIGHED for this award. I love doing what I’m doing and it’s amazing to know that people out there love it too.”
• To find out more about BEEWEIGHED, visit their website at www.beeweighed.co.uk
The winners:
AUDENSHAW
Runner up:
Stamford House Hair
and Beauty.
Winner:
Poppins Ladies Hair Salon.
DENTON NORTH EAST
Runner up:
It’s A Dog’s Life Café.
Winner:
Tranquility Cosmetics.
DENTON SOUTH
Runner up:
Bienvenuto Ristorante.
Winner:
Sweet Blossom Snaps.
DENTON WEST
Runner up:
Weatherheads Butchers.
Winner:
Sculpt Activewear.
DUKINFIELD
Runner up:
Domingo Pizza.
Winner:
Church Street Chippy.
REDDISH NORTH
Runner up:
Knit2Tog.
Winner:
I Knead Pizza.
REDDISH SOUTH
Runner up:
Christy’s Car Hospital.
Winner:
Heaton Hops.
OVERALL WINNER
BeeWeighed, Denton.