Duo impress rugby star with 10 stone loss

Two women from Telford have celebrated reaching the finals of a national weight-loss competition after shedding more than 10 stone between them. Kelly Nurse and Carla Smith were two of only 42 women from across the UK and Ireland to reach the semi-finals of Slimming World’s Woman of the Year 2025.

They celebrated their achievement at the finals in Derbyshire, where they met former England rugby international James Haskell.

Kelly Nurse, 39, who lost 4 stone 13.5 pounds, was voted to represent her St Georges & Priorslee group nationally. Carla Smith, 41, lost 5 stone 1.5 pounds, bringing their combined total loss to over 10 stone.

Kelly, who slimmed from 14 stone 5.5 pounds to 9 stone 6 pounds, said her weight was affecting her health and confidence.

She said a stroke and other health issues “jolted me into doing something about it,” leading her to join Slimming World.

Kelly found she could still enjoy her favourite meals, such as roast dinners and curries, by cooking them in a healthier way.

Carla found her weight loss encouraged her to become more active. She started walking and doing light exercise before tackling the Couch to 5k running programme.

Carla now runs four times a week and takes part in the Telford Park Run, saying the activity helps her “mentally and emotionally too.”

James Haskell, who earned 77 caps for England, congratulated the pair. He said: “Carla and Kelly have done something truly inspiring. They’ve taken control of their health, built their confidence and developed life-long healthy habits.”

He added: “It shows that with the right support and mindset, you can achieve the things you set out to. They’ve become stronger – physically and mentally – and for that they’re both real role models.”

Jodie Gibney, who runs the groups the women attend, said she is proud of what they have achieved, noting they have “grown in confidence and self-belief.”