Engagement with weight management programmes can be complex. Across the UK, only 37% of those who enrol on a programme will go on to complete it.
At Maximus, we believe a community-based approach can help service users feel more engaged. Participants can connect with likeminded people in places they are already familiar with, like schools, health settings or community centres.
And few places are more integral to a local community than its football club.
That’s why our Beezee in Oxfordshire team has partnered with Oxford United in the Community, the official charity of Oxford United Football Club, to help local people learn more about balanced nutrition, increase their physical activity and make their mental wellbeing a priority.
Drawing upon our local expertise
Since September 2024, our Beezee by Maximus team has provided free health and wellbeing programmes for people across Oxfordshire. They deliver bespoke support aimed at families, adults and men, either online or in-person.
Our behaviour scientists and nutritionists have already supported over 1600 local people to become a healthier weight – empowering individuals to make small, realistic changes that work for them. And with a 70% completion rate, our support is well above the national average.
By partnering with a trusted local institution like Oxford United in the Community, we aim to encourage more residents to take that next step in their health and wellbeing journeys. This includes signposting participants to our weight management programmes so they can continue to receive holistic, localised support.
Tailored support for football fans
Our specialist team will be delivering a ‘Fuel Well’ workshop on Monday 4 August 2025 – the second in a series of three health and wellbeing workshops run by Oxford United in the Community at the Club’s Horspath Road training ground.
The workshop, which is part of the Club’s Match Fit initiative, will help 60 adults understand more about health and nutrition through expert-led interviews, roundtable discussion and a Q&A.
Participants will also receive free access to an exclusive Match Fit app, which features digital resources and expert insights from the men’s and women’s first teams, as well as local partner organisations.
Matt Everett, CEO of Oxford in the Community, explained: “We will work closely with existing local providers of advice and services such as Beezee by Maximus, whilst adding a layer of content specific to Oxford United Football Club to hopefully inspire and help people to make positive changes to their health and wellbeing, however small they may be.”
Engaging hard-to-reach demographics
The workshop is just one way we are working with local communities to improve health outcomes across the UK, especially for harder-to-reach demographics like men or those on a lower income.
In England alone, 64.5% of adults are estimated to be overweight or living with obesity. But with only 42% of men likely to enrol on a weight management programme following GP referral, compared with 61% of women, it is vital we find ways to boost engagement.
That’s why taking a targeted approach to weight management is vital.
Our Gutless programme provides one example, helping men meet local, likeminded individuals through weekly online sessions. And by partnering with Oxford United in the Community, and hosting the workshop at the Club’s training ground, it’s a great way to engage local people who are emotionally invested in the team.
The workshop even concludes with an optional tour.
Learn more about the programme
Working together, in the heart of a community, is essential to drive and maintain engagement with weight management programmes – and help local people take that next step towards healthier lifestyles.
If you or someone you know is aged over 18 and lives in Oxfordshire, reserve a place on the workshop today.
