All her life, Ally Kirby struggled with weight, until a humiliating slip on a German water slide made her resolve to change.

Now, after losing 2 stone and dropping two dress sizes, she is relaunching a Slimming World group in Wells and inviting others to join.

Ally says she always pretended she didn't care what others thought, but inside she longed to feel accepted, attractive and confident. She tried diet after diet only to fall back into comfort eating, telling herself that being a "big girl" was just part of who she was.

She first lost 3 stone ahead of her wedding, feeling fantastic — but life took its toll. Her husband passed away, she relocated across the country, and raising her children alone while working full time made looking after herself difficult. Over time, the weight gradually returned, and she came to see how their reliance on takeaways was also affecting her children's health.

The turning point came on holiday in Germany. Joining her children on a water slide, she wobbled, lost her balance and rolled off the raft. Mortified, Ally resolved she did not want to be the "fat mum" who always sat out.

Since then, she has lost 2 stone, dropped two dress sizes, and rejoined Slimming World. As someone who is gluten free, she has learned to make healthier choices that suit her dietary needs — and she cooks meals that her children eat too, so she only has to cook once. She says Slimming World has given her confidence, friendship and precious "me time."

Her belief in herself has carried over to other areas of her life — she even gained a grade 7 in English GCSE at the age of 46.

Ally will relaunch the Wells Slimming World group at Wells United Church, Union Street, BA5 2PU, on Wednesday 22 October at 5:30 pm and again at 7 pm, and she would love to welcome new members.

If there's one thing she has learned, it's this: it's never too late to start again.

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