Funeral held for Slimming World founder

The funeral cortege passed by the Slimming World headquarters and staff paid their respects

A service to celebrate the life of Slimming World founder Margaret Miles-Bramwell has been held.

Mrs Miles-Bramwell died at her home in Mallorca, Spain, last month, aged 76.

The cortege went past the company's head office in Somercotes, Derbyshire, close to where she started out in 1969, before going on to Derby Cathedral.

She was made an OBE in 2009 for services to the health of the British public and her charitable work.

Staff said Margaret Miles-Bramwell was more of a friend than a boss

Guests were asked to observe a traditional black and white dress code with donations invited to the charity Blood Cancer UK.

Slimming World started in a church hall in Alfreton, Derbyshire, in 1969 - but expanded to become a network of more than 3,500 consultants and about 700,000 members, according to the company.

She was named Business Woman of the Year at the National Business Women's Awards in 2023, and had been honoured in the Top 100 Influential People 2025.

Ruby Parsons, a senior stylist at Hair and Beauty Slimming World in Somercotes, said: "She was just a pleasure to be around.

"Don't get me wrong, it was nerve-wracking - but that wasn't because of how she made you feel but because you wanted to please her.

"She was everything to us, she wasn't just a boss, she was a friend."