SHE is winning her battle after a double-lung transplant, but Lynda Ludlow is ready for another fight, joining other local Weight Watchers who are furious about head office plans to close their group.
At a time when obesity is considered one of nation’s biggest health risks, the company’s headquarters on Tuesday gave two weeks notice that it would no longer pay the group’s leader and recorder to organise meetings and offer support to members.
“A lot of my medications have played havoc with my weight; if I hadn’t been coming here I’d be 20kg heavier,” Ms Ludlow said.
“It’s also the self esteem and encouragement that you only get in a group situation, when everyone supports each other.”
At the weekly weigh-in and meeting on Tuesday night, 22 members were told that the company had made the decision because attendance levels were not being sustained.
“The number of people attending weekly meetings needs to be sustained for members to achieve their best results. The decision to suspend a meeting, particularly in a country area, is not taken lightly and is made after taking the history of attendance into account, for a full year,” Weight Watchers spokesperson Clair Cameron told the Examiner on Tuesday.
“For the past year the Glen Innes meeting has had an average of eight to nine members attending each week, including during January and February, our busiest time of year.
“We would be very happy to reconsider opening a meeting in Glen Innes for the spring season, if there is enough interest.”
However the group, which has been meeting weekly for around two and a half years, claims its current active membership is 33 and rising, and needs to continue through winter.
Members pay an up-front registration and a weekly fee. This helps the company employ a local leader and recorder, who help members set and achieve goals, offer support and advice.
While leader Julie Adams and recorder Sue Turner were unable to comment on the plan, there was no shortage of members willing to share their views.
Elizabeth Kaiser has lost 19.9kg in the past six months and says the meeting format is the best encouragement.
“I’ve been trying to lose weight for eight years. The leader gives us tremendous support - I still have a long way to go to reach my goal and really don’t think I can do it without them,” she said.
Kate Keegan, who moved to Glen Innes from Sydney six months ago, agrees.
“I never went to meetings when I was in Sydney. Here I’ve never had so much success - the support is fabulous and is a uniting thing when you’re new to a community,” she said on Tuesday night.
On a table was displayed a company statement: ‘Members that attend meetings lose three times more weight than those who go it alone’.
Mid-afternoon yesterday, after representation from members and media interest, Weight Watchers contacted the Examiner to say a decision on the group’s future would be postponed until June 23, during which time members needed to keep attendance levels in the 20s.
“We are happy to keep the meetings going for another six weeks to see if Tuesday’s support can be sustained,” Ms Cameron said.
“If the high numbers continue, we would be very willing for the meetings to continue.”
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