OKEHAMPTON Slimming World consultant Vickie Mills has proven she is red hot after winning a Ruby Award for her work to help people lose weight.

The accolade sees Vickie, who has been a consultant for eleven years, become a ruby consultant.

The award was created in 2009 to celebrate Slimming World's 40th anniversary and is given to all consultants in the UK and Ireland who welcome 40 new members to their group in one month. This year is Slimming World's 45th anniversary.

Vickie, who runs the Okehampton Slimming World groups at Fairplace Church, said: 'More than two-thirds of the adult population are overweight and that includes Okehampton.

'In fact, in Okehampton 62% of adults are so severely overweight that they're putting their health at risk. Lots of people want to lose weight but they often don't know how or where to turn for help.

'When members come to my group they tell me that they've tried losing weight before and it hasn't worked so they feel like failures.

'I reassure them that it isn't they who failed but the programme they followed, usually because the diet was too strict or because they didn't get the right support.

'This leaves people thinking that they can't do it – that they'll never succeed with any diet – but members in our Okehampton group have lost 73 st 7lbs since January and I know these 40 new members will be equally successful too.

'I'm delighted to have achieved this award. I truly believe I have the best, most rewarding job in the world – there's no better feeling than helping someone to feel good about themselves – so winning this award really is the ruby red cherry on top.'