Margaret Miles-Bramwell, the founder of weight loss company Slimming World, has died aged 76.
Miles-Bramwell died in Majorca on Sunday morning, surrounded by her family.
The company said in a statement she “touched the hearts and changed the lives of millions of people”.
She founded Slimming World in Alfreton, Derbyshire, in 1969 and was made an OBE by the then Prince Charles for services to the health of the British public in 2009.
Her company worked with the NHS on its first weight management referral scheme in 2000, which allowed doctors to refer overweight patients to Slimming World.
Speaking after receiving her royal honour, she said: “In the early days, in the sixties, there was some help around but it was the sort that used humiliation tactics.
“I really felt that we needed to treat overweight people with respect and courtesy and as adults and not as children who needed a slap or something. That was really what inspired me.”
Miles-Bramwell also owned a theatre in Majorca and the British boat builder Pearl Yachts.
She was named Business Woman of the Year at the National Business Women’s Awards in 2023.
Read more from Sky News:
How Trump’s tariffs could impact consumers
Grammys: Everything to know
Kate wants focus on her work not her outfits
Follow our channel and never miss an update
Lisa Salmon, Slimming World managing director, said: “Margaret steered her ship in the way she lived her life – with a generous spirit, passionate conviction, a wicked (and rebellious!) sense of humour and a fierce belief in doing the right thing.”
“Our job now is to continue to keep her legacy alive by doing the very same thing,” she added.
