It's a place where south Bristol women lose weight get healthy, gain confidence, meet new friends and get into new hobbies and interests.

Women in south Bristol are making important personal life changes at a new drop-in group concerned with healthy living and "self-empowerment" at Knowle West Health Park.

Mum-of-two Sally Clements started the Fit and Fab group just a few weeks ago, when she found there was a huge demand in the area for healthy living help and advice, and since then it has become a lifeline for some local people.

Ms Clements, 47, was working as a health trainer and massage therapist at Knowle West Health Park, when she received lottery funding to put together Pathways to Health.

This offered men and women six free sessions about lifestyle and behaviour change, which could be anything from losing a stone, giving up smoking or trying to cut out caffeine.

With discussion, reflexology and massage offered, Ms Clements said the sessions gave people the confidence to face their problems head-on.

But she discovered that her sessions were very popular, and that support was often still needed after the sixth session.

Ms Clements, of Bishopsworth, said: "Because we offered six sessions only, some people's challenges were quite large, and by the sixth session they were just beginning to make a bit of a change.

"They were just starting to get used to coming to me and some people got a bit concerned that they wouldn't be able to continue on their own.

"So I spoke to my management team and we managed to set up a drop-in group, called Fit and Fab.

"Everything is based around health and lifestyle. People use this time around other people to work out for themselves why something is not quite right.

"A big issue here is weight, so we concentrate on exercise and being more mobile. Some people have eating disorders that they don't realise stem back to their childhood."

Fit and Fab has been running for two hours every Thursday since May. It is open to anyone, with classes ranging from 25 to 30 people at a time.

Sessions have included cookery and taster sessions in gardening and essential oils. They have also enjoyed yoga and dance lessons.

"It's about self-empowering Knowle West; a whole community coming together in healthy living," said Ms Clements.

Samantha Owen, 29, has gone from having no confidence and being a stone heavier, to a popular and chatty member of the group.

Ms Owen, of Knowle, started working at the health park café after a catering course, and decided to join the Fit and Fab club.

Just a few weeks later, Ms Owen is a different person.

She said: "It has really helped with my confidence. It's given me the chance to speak to different people. I used to be very shy, but with these sessions and my job, everyone knows me, and I've become quite popular here."

Elizabeth Morey, 79, of Whitchurch, started attending chair exercise classes at the health park after having a number of operations on her feet.

Mrs Morey, who has eight grandchildren, and a great-grandchild, said: "Reflexology helped me tremendously and then I found out about the meetings. I also have the early stages of bone cancer, so coming here makes me feel like there's nothing wrong with me. I look forward to coming each week. I love coming here, it makes me feel like I'm not the only person with problems."

Jan Cattrall, 48, of Knowle, gave a dream therapy course at Fit and Fab this week. She said: "It's great coming here, because it gives us a chance to get things off our chest. It's been brilliant, because I'm new to Bristol. Everyone of us in the group has some form of problem. For me it was depression, and this has been a huge confidence boost.

"We're also encouraged to bring our own interests into the group, so I decided to give a talk about dream therapy, which I have an interest in."

Next Thursday, August 20, the group will be trying some belly dancing, and on August 27 they will enjoy a pamper morning, with taster sessions in massage, reflexology and Indian head massage.

For more information, call the Knowle West Health Park on 0117 903 0024. Sessions cost 50p and are from 9.30am to noon, with a free crèche.