Actress and National Numeracy ambassador Denise Welch has teamed up with her fellow Loose Women panellist Ruth Langsford for a natter about numbers, showing people across the UK that however you feel about maths, you’re certainly not alone.
Opening up about numbers can be the first step towards improving everyday maths skills and confidence.
The pair caught up for an insightful discussion about numbers, in which they both admitted their struggles, which began at school.
Ruth revealed: “It was when I got to grammar school and suddenly I remember the first maths lesson and they were doing long division or something. Anyway, I just remember the teacher putting all these sums up on the board and everybody went, heads down. And I was about to go, ‘Sorry, what's…? I don't….[understand]’
“And then I realised everyone else was writing away and I started to cry and the teacher eventually came over and I was like, ‘I don't know how to do this.’ And I really think from that moment, I never caught up. I got left behind and then instead of trying harder, I just went, ‘I can't do it.’”
“When you get into adult life, you just avoid anything that requires maths, don't you?...I was remembering in the car when Jack would be practising his times tables and doing them out loud. And I was just nodding…I couldn't say to him, ‘No, no, no, you've got one wrong, darling.’”
Meanwhile, Denise spoke about her everyday relationship with numbers and how it affects her: “I used to look at my school timetable, which I can see in my mind's eye, and I would see double maths and double maths used to make my palms sweat and I would be crying. Rather than thinking, ‘I've got to get better at this,’ it instilled such a fear, which has lasted to this day.
“I am terrified. I have to add up under the table. I have never really been able to do my times tables.
“We're laughing about it because you kind of have to have a sense of humour about certain things. Money management has been the bane of my life...Anything to do with my tax, or with mortgages, I still do that: ‘La la la la la la la’ [puts fingers in ears].”
Denise and Ruth ended their Big Number Natter however, by encouraging people to try the National Numeracy Challenge.
“I would love to have been shown some techniques to make life a little bit easier,” Denise said.
“And that is why National Numeracy are encouraging people to do what they call the National Numeracy Challenge. It only takes 10 minutes and you can find all the details on the website.
“This is not saying that you're suddenly going to become, you know, a maths genius. It's just going to help you with different tools to get through life.”
So why not join Denise and Ruth in having your own Big Number Natter with friends, family or colleagues? You may be surprised and find that others feel the same way you do about maths.
You can join celebrities and experts on social media by sharing your own number stories using #BigNumberNatter.
Use our free resources to help you get started:
The Big Number Natter is part of National Numeracy Day, which this year has the theme of money.
There are plenty of fun, free resources and activities for both adults and children at the National Numeracy Day website:
National Numeracy Day is brought to you by independent charity National Numeracy, the campaign's Founding Supporter since 2018, KPMG, and a group of pioneering organisations who are dedicated to improving the nation’s numeracy confidence and skills.
