“You made a big difference to my life and my girls' lives."

That's the message coming from women taking part in a Croydon fitness group aimed at helping the clinically overweight.

'Move it, Lose it', run by Palace for Life Foundation, recently won an award at the London Sport Awards, something its health and wellbeing manager Bethany Towle was more than pleased about.

“We’re absolutely delighted that Move it, Lose it was recognised by London Sport, especially given the inspiring programmes that we were nominated alongside," she said.

“One of the main successes of this programme was bringing together like-minded women, a number of whom had depression and anxiety, to socialise and share their barriers to exercising and getting healthier."

The group took on women with health issues ranging from type two diabetes and early menopause, to hypertension and arthritis.

One Move it participant, who did not wish to be named, went from being inactive to going to the gym three times a week, losing more than seven stone in 20 months.

The 53-year-old is now helping her family lead a healthier lifestyle by educating them and encouraging them to exercise together, doing activities like swimming and trampolining.

“Changing your diet doesn’t change your lifestyle," she said.

"You have to do the moving as well: it’s the whole package and this programme has been revolutionary, not only for me but for my family.”

Another of the women who took part lost five stone in 18 months and took part in Palace for Life Foundation’s 'marathon march' last year, walking the 26.2 mile charity walk across London.

“You made a big difference to my life and my girl’s lives," the 51-year-old said.

"They are all eating more healthily thanks to seeing mummy lose weight.

"I have found a new independence thanks to building muscles in the right places allowing me to keep moving.”