Slimming World founder Margaret Miles-Bramwell dies age 76 – here are 5 things you need to know about the pioneering entrepreneur
Margaret Miles-Bramwell, the entrepreneur who built Slimming World 56 years ago, has passed away at the age of 76.
Miles-Bramwell launched the business in 1969 in Alfreton, Derbyshire, near Somercotes, with a single weight loss group. Now, Slimming World has a network of over 3,500 consultants, and the company's headquarters now employ 400 staff members.
Slimming World announced that she died on Sunday morning at her home in Mallorca, surrounded by family. In a statement, the company said, ‘She leaves this world a healthier place’.
Here’s what you need to know about the pioneering founder:
1.Miles-Bramwell battled with her weight since childhood
Born in April 1948 in South Normanton, Miles-Bramwell battled with her weight from childhood. Determined to offer a more compassionate approach to weight management, she aimed to support people not only with weight loss but also ‘to help people shed the burden of excess weight without shame or guilt’.
2. Miles-Bramwell was awarded an OBE in 2009
Miles-Bramwell’s contributions to public health were recognised in 2009 when she was awarded an OBE. Slimming World described her as; ‘a loving and much-loved daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and the proud owner of several successful businesses in Mallorca and the UK’.
3. She had a great sense of humour
Slimming World Managing Director Lisa Salmon paid tribute, saying; ‘Margaret steered her ship in the way she lived her life – with a generous spirit, passionate conviction, a wicked (and rebellious!) sense of humour and a fierce belief in doing the right thing. Our job now is to continue to keep her legacy alive by doing the very same thing.’
4. She believed in treating overweight people with respect
Speaking about her career in 2009 – after receiving her royal honour – Miles-Bramwell looked back at the weight loss industry in the 1960s and its use of ‘humiliation tactics’.
She believed in treating overweight individuals with respect, dignity, and understanding. ‘My dream was to have a club that really did help people achieve what they wanted to do, achieve their dreams – not my dream, their dreams. So my dream was to have a slimming club that was light years ahead of anything else that was around at the time.’
5. Her legacy has impacted millions
Miles-Bramwell remained chairwoman of Slimming World until she passed. The company acknowledged the profound impact she had on millions of lives, stating: ‘Margaret touched the hearts and changed the lives of millions of people, including all of Slimming World’s Consultants and staff who will feel her loss deeply.’
Slimming World expressed condolences to her family: ‘Right now, our thoughts are with Margaret’s family – her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We take comfort, as we’re sure they do, in the hope that Margaret is now reunited with her beloved husband Tony who passed away in 2021.’
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