Free Multiply workshops have been offered by Buckinghamshire Adult Learning for eligible residents to celebrate National Numeracy Day
Established in 2018 by the charity National Numeracy, National Numeracy Day emphasizes the importance of numerical skills in daily life and career advancement and encourages both children and adults across the UK to improve their number skills to reach their full potential.
The government funded Multiply program helps adults without a maths GCSE at grade C or equivalent to improve their confidence with numbers. Courses cover basic maths in engaging contexts like healthy cooking on a budget.
More advanced topics include budgeting, data handling, and mastering Microsoft Excel. These classes cater to diverse needs and empower learners to handle numerical challenges confidently.
The Multiply initiative is part of Buckinghamshire Council’s Opportunity Bucks program, which focuses on improving outcomes in ten wards across Aylesbury, Chesham, and High Wycombe.
Councillor Anita Cranmer, Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services said, “With the right support, anyone can build their confidence with numbers. Our Buckinghamshire Adult Learning team is supporting local residents improve their confidence with essential skills such as digital, literacy and maths.
“All of the Multiply courses and training are designed to fit around daily life, making it easy and convenient to take part. Whether you’re looking for support for you and your family, career progressions, job opportunities, gaining qualifications, managing household budgets, cooking healthy meals on a budget, or helping children with homework, we’ll help you find the right course for you.”
For employers, investing in their workforce’s numeracy skills is crucial for business growth and productivity. Buckinghamshire Adult Learning offers Multiply courses tailored to business needs, fostering a culture of continuous learning.
Ken, a Multiply learner from Aylesbury, shared his experience, he said, “I found the budgeting Multiply course you ran to be very helpful, particularly the money helper website which allowed me to list every single payment each month in detail to help me identify where it would be possible to cut down some of my monthly outgoings.
“This gave me a sense of more control over my spending. The advice on using comparison websites was very useful to compare not just insurances but also banking services and even local petrol prices.”
Popular Multiply courses like ‘healthy cooking on a budget’ and ‘getting to grips with spreadsheets will continue this summer.
To enroll in Multiply courses, visit the Buckinghamshire Adult Learning website.
