The award nominated 100 Women First Programme helps to build confidence, upskill, re-train and get women into the job of choice.  However, body image can be a huge barrier for people when returning or looking for employment.  

To help overcome this, 100 Women First put a Business case together to Slimming World, asking for their own private group. This was unheard of by Slimming World Consultant Sharon Lewis-Turner, but with her help, a private group was started. Collectively, in just over twelve weeks the group has lost an astonishing eighteen stone. This has not only benefitted each individual’s health, but also the local infrastructure, such as the NHS.

It has also inspired one member, Stephanie Tucker, to apply to become a consultant herself. On Friday she passed her interviews and first steps and is now a Trainee Slimming World Consultant. “I would never have had the confidence to do something like this before Joining 100 Women First” says Stephine.

Now in its second year, funding for the three year project has been provided by the HPC Community Fund, managed by Somerset Community Foundation to help local communities mitigate the impacts of Hinkley Point C and maximise opportunities that arise from the development for the communities (in Somerset) through schemes, measures and projects which promote economic, social or environmental well-being of those communities to enhance their quality of life.  By Joining 100 Women First we were able to pay for training for a volunteer at the local Sedgemoor Pantry, she has also joined the Slimming World Group and lost over one stone in her first two weeks, giving her confidence and nutritional knowledge to share with the local community.

The 100 Women First project has created a model of innovative and collaborative working, to bring about social and economic change, to tackle the drivers of gender pay disparity, low aspiration and develop community engagement and social connectivity with the local community.

Over three years the project aim to support a minimum 300 women through mentoring, apprenticeships, training, voluntary work, business start-up and ultimately employment.

If you would like to find out more please contact traceyarmstrong-stacey@sedgemoor.gov.uk