Grantham woman gives ‘support and motivation’ to members of Friends On A Journey in their weight loss journeys

After making a promise to a friend who passed away that she would lose weight, a Grantham woman’s launch of her own weight loss company has continued to grow and support others.

Hannah Paterson began her weight loss journey on January 3, 2013. This was after her close friend died suddenly in 2012, and she made a promise that she would “lose weight for the both of us”, said Hannah.

After this, she attended a Weight Watchers group in Melton Mowbray and has since lost over eight stone.

In 2017, she was then invited to become a Weight Watchers loss coach, but when the Covid-19 lockdown struck, she was unfortunately made redundant.

It was then her friends who encouraged her to establish her own weight loss company and in May 2021, she officially launched Friends On A Journey Ltd.

Hannah said: “A big girl from puberty, I was brought up on a very healthy diet of meat, vegetables, and fruit, three meals a day, all meals lovingly home cooked from scratch and very rarely a takeaway in sight.

“My weight gain was down to changes in my body development, portion control and secret snacking.

“At the age of 15 I was a size 16, at the age of 20 when I got married my wedding dress was a size 20.

“My weight escalated over the years as I had my children and at my biggest I got to a size 32.

“My friend and I had discussed losing weight many times, but time passed, and we never got around to doing it as controlled by our busy lives, children’s needs, and clubs.

“Friends reached out to me and encouraged me to find courage within myself to stand out of my comfort zone and set up an independent company.

“I give support to the members in Friends On A Journey by finding the best plan for each member that fits both around their lifestyle and their finances.

“I give support and motivation each week by believing in each member’s personal journey, helping them to have the same belief within themselves, in turn achieving and maintaining their goals.”

Since launching in 2021, the company is now made up of over 100 members in eight groups across Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

These include groups in Grantham, Bingham, Melton Mowbray and Keyworth.

Hannah added: “My journey continues and my support grows and develops.

“I welcome all members wherever they are in their journeys as in the words of Winston Churchill, ‘Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts’.”

To find out more about Friends on a Journey, go to https://www.friendsonajourney21.com/.

Friends on A Journey runs sessions at the Alive Church, in Grantham, on Mondays at 9am, Wednesdays at 6pm and Saturdays at 8pm.

The group also runs sessions at Bingham Rugby Club, in Brendon Grove, on Thursdays at 9am.