TWO widowers from Wrexham fell in love after meeting at a Slimming World Group.

When Hazel Day and Richard Phillips both joined different Slimming World groups five years apart, never would they have anticipated they would fall in love at the age of 74 and 77  and lose a staggering 6 stone between them.

The pair both joined different Slimming World groups, Hazel in 2019 and Richard in 2014.

Sadly losing their partners in the last few years impacted considerably on their weight loss journeys, despite their best efforts.

In February 2022 Richard moved groups and began to hit it off with Hazel.

Week after week they sat together, gradually sharing their widowed status, and how they’d struggled since being alone, meeting fellow members for a birthday meal was made so much easier for each of them having discovered that they were not alone in this painful grieving period. 

Since then Hazel and Richard have really been inseparable, the pair said: "Our relationship has blossomed steadily over the last 9 months and we are now looking forward to moving into a new home together, and to a long and happy life together in the future.

"We have so much to be grateful for by joining Slimming World, we have been inspired by so many fellow members and are truly humbled by all the support and help we have received throughout our journeys. 

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"We’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who we’ve met at Slimming World, we count you among the best of our friends and wish you all every success along the Slimming World Highway.

"Best of all, we met each other and have a wonderful life in front of us, something neither of us imagined or expected before February 2022!"

Consultant Sue Jones of Acton group, said: "Hazel and Richard have made such an impact on our Friday morning group, it really is such a privilege to support such a lovely couple and be part of their journey to target. 

"Potential members think losing weight is hard work and quite frankly, without support it really really is.  It doesn’t have to be that way though, Slimming World is about weight loss and a healthy lifestyle, but it is so very much more, for lots of our members this is a lifeline."