KIND-HEARTED group members in the Vale of Clwyd have been helping out a worthwhile community initiative.

Slimming World members who attend groups in Denbigh and Ruthin have raised £170 towards a food shop for the Vale of Clwyd Foodbank.

Slimming World consultant Steph Thomas, who has run the groups in Denbigh and Ruthin for five years, organised the charity collection instead of a big Christmas raffle.

She said: “With the cost of living and everyone feeling the pinch with the pennies, I suggested to my members we do something to help give back to our local communities instead of a big Christmas prize for in group.

"Our members have the knowledge about how to make healthy, wholesome family-friendly meals from food basics, so we thought we would extend our food optimising knowledge, the plan Slimming World members follow to see weight loss success, and to buy basic food essentials that can help food bank users make healthy meals, but also meals that stretch further too.

"Members discuss in group about how slimming doesn’t have to be expensive.

"They have exclusive access to their own website where we have plenty of features about shop and save top tips, meal plans on a budget, and fabulous recipes that even use just five ingredients!"

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Steph added: "We raised £170 and I had the joy of doing the shop.

"We were able to supply store cupboard staple items like tins of beans, chopped tomatoes, tins of tuna, as well as a few more pricier items like biscuits, baby food, tinned lean meat - all of which these items have been great fully received.”

This isn’t the first time Steph and her members have helped raise money for a good cause, either.

Over the last four years, they have raised over £1,000 for Alzheimer’s Society by taking part in Elf Day each December.