Two Southport Slimming World consultants who have lost 23 stone between them have now raised thousands of pounds for Queenscourt Hospice after completing a daring skydive.
Kelly Barker and Fiona Foulder completed their challenge at the Black Knights skydive centre in Lancaster at the weekend.
They leapt from an aircraft at 15,000 ft, determined to help patients and their families being cared for by their local hospice.
So far they have raised over £4,600, with people able to donate here: Fiona Foulder is fundraising for Queenscourt Hospice
Just a few years ago, Fiona Foulder was fighting for every breath. Living with severe brittle asthma, she weighed over 16 stone and had been put onto life support in Intensive Care nine times in three years. Her life hung in the balance, and heartbreakingly, she was denied access to life-saving treatment because of her weight.
But everything changed when Fiona joined Slimming World.
She embraced food optimising, lost over four and a half stone, and finally became eligible for the treatment that saved her life.
She said: “Every time I was admitted, I genuinely believed I might not come out. “I felt utterly powerless. Slimming World gave me back hope. It helped me take control of my health and it ultimately saved my life.”
That moment of transformation sparked a new purpose. Fiona became a Slimming World Consultant in Southport, where she spent nine years changing lives in her local community. She then stepped into a leadership role as Team Developer for three years, mentoring fellow Consultants and helping them grow. Today, she proudly serves as Slimming World’s District Manager for Merseyside, leading with compassion, experience, and the kind of empathy that only comes from lived transformation.
“To now be in a role where I can help others find that same hope, it’s the greatest privilege,” she says. “Because when people feel truly supported, they realise they can change and in some cases, save their lives.”
Kelly’s Story: From Pain to Power
At her heaviest, Kelly Barker weighed 28 and a half stone. She lived in constant pain — physically and emotionally. Every step hurt. Every glance felt like judgement.
She was humiliated in public, ashamed in private, and deeply embarrassed by the reflection staring back at her. The isolation was suffocating. She didn’t know which way to turn.
“I had hit rock bottom,” Kelly says. “I wasn’t living. I was barely existing. I was in pain every day, ashamed, and full of fear. I felt invisible yet exposed. I avoided mirrors, photos, even eye contact. I was terrified of dying and leaving my son without a mum, but I was equally terrified of trying and failing… again!”
When she was offered bariatric surgery on the NHS, the fear of complications and not surviving the operation was overwhelming. That fear became her turning point.
In a final bid for change, she walked into Fiona’s Slimming World group and found not just a weight-loss programme, but a lifeline. “I put my trust in the group, in the power of the community, and I’ve never looked back.”
With unwavering support from her Consultant and fellow members, Kelly lost an astonishing 18 and a half stone. Her transformation was so profound, she was crowned Slimming World’s National Woman of the Year 2023 — a title that symbolised not just weight loss, but rebirth.
Today, Kelly balances two roles that speak to her heart. She’s a dedicated primary school teacher and a Slimming World Consultant, running vibrant, inclusive groups in Ainsdale and Southport. She’s helping others take their first brave steps toward change, just as Fiona once helped her.
Real Change Starts Within
Fiona and Kelly didn’t just struggle because they didn’t know how to shop, cook and eat in a healthier way. They struggled because of the emotional weight behind every bite. That’s why Slimming World’s approach works. It combines healthy eating with deep psychological support.
Members learn to understand their triggers, rewrite their inner critic, and build resilience. They shift from guilt to self-belief, from restriction to possibility. And that’s what creates lasting change, not just on the scales but in the heart, for life.
A Community That Saves Lives
Slimming World groups are more than weigh-ins. They’re lifelines. Safe spaces where people are seen, heard, and uplifted. Where shame is replaced with encouragement, and isolation with belonging.
For Kelly, Fiona’s group was that sanctuary. It wasn’t just about food. It was about being surrounded by people who believed she was worth saving. And now, both women are paying that support forward, creating that same magic in their own communities.
The Skydive: A Leap of Love for Queenscourt Hospice
In August 2025, Fiona and Kelly did something extraordinary. They jumped out of a plane from 15,000 feet, not for thrill but for love. Their charity skydive raised vital funds for Queenscourt Hospice, a place that holds deep meaning for both women and the Slimming World community.
Queenscourt provides compassionate palliative care across West Lancashire, Southport, and Formby. Fiona and Kelly have seen its impact firsthand on members, families, and friends. “Queenscourt is so important to us,” Fiona says. “It’s touched the lives of people we care about deeply. Supporting it is our way of saying thank you and making sure that support is there for others when they need it.”
Thanks to the incredible love and support of their families, friends, Slimming World members, and the wider local community, Fiona and Kelly raised over £4,500. They are deeply grateful to every single person who donated, shared, cheered them on, and helped make their leap of love a reality. That generosity will help Queenscourt continue its vital work, offering comfort and dignity when it’s needed most.
This Is More Than Weight Loss. It’s a Movement of Hope
Fiona and Kelly’s journey proves that with the right support, people can rise. From hospital beds and rock bottoms to skydives and national stages. They’ve gone from barely surviving to thriving, and now they’re lighting the way for others.
This isn’t just about weight.
It’s about reclaiming health, rediscovering joy, and rebuilding lives. It’s about community, courage, and the belief that no one has to struggle alone.
And sometimes, it’s about jumping out of a plane to prove it.
Kelly’s Slimming World groups are Ainsdale Methodist Church on a Friday at 5.30 and 7.00 and Fleetwood Hesketh on a Saturday at 8.30 and 10.00
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