An Ashby-based former Army chef - who was isolated and lacking in confidence - has discovered a new lease of life after completing two of Leicestershire County Council's Multiply adult numeracy courses.

Peter Jopson has improved his confidence with numbers so much that he now volunteers on the first course that he took part in, helping other learners and giving them tips on cooking and using numbers in everyday life.

He is now encouraging other people who would like to improve their numeracy skills to sign up for the free Multiply courses, which are offered by Leicestershire County Council under a three-year government-funded programme to help adults in the county improve their numeracy skills and use them in everyday settings in practical ways.

Peter signed up for the Cook, Meet and Eat course, which was run in Coalville in October last year, after finding out about it at a job fair.

The four-week course was a revelation to Peter, who found himself using the skills he learned as an Army chef to help other learners.

He then went on to enrol on the Keeping Tabs of Costs course, where he learned how to compare prices to get the best value and create a budget to keep track of costs.

Peter Jopson with his certificate for completing the Cook, Meet and Eat course

Peter's tutor was so impressed with his progress and his attitude to helping other learners that she suggested that he became a volunteer.

He has been volunteering on the Cook, Meet and Eat courses since the start of the year.

Peter has also completed an Indian cookery course at the GoLearn centre in Enderby, where he learned how to make keema, chapatis, samosas, tikka dahl, chilli paste and bhajis, and is able to share those new skills with the learners as part of his volunteering.

He said: "At first, I found it daunting returning to learning, but Sharon and Elanor put me at ease and once I started talking to the other learners, I relaxed and enjoyed it, and looked forward to it every week.

"Although I can cook, I felt I refreshed my maths skills by costing recipes and ingredients, and learned about saving food waste and bulk cooking.

"The course helped me to socialise and meet new people, so I gained confidence as well as being able to share and support others with my experience and knowledge of cooking.

"Due to volunteering, I have learned how to work with different learners with varied cultures and learning difficulties and I am now able to support learners' individual needs. I am out of my flat a lot more and have met an array of different people and have been able to share my knowledge and experience. I really enjoy this and look forward to every course I volunteer at.

"I would highly recommend attending the Multiply courses, as it's never too late to learn new skills."

Multiply adult numeracy courses are open to anyone aged 19 and over without a maths GCSE at grade C/4 or equivalent, or who has lost their skills with numbers. All the courses are free of charge.

Councillor Christine Radford, cabinet member for adults and communities, said: "Numeracy is a vital skill that has so many practical applications in everyday life, and boosting numeracy skills improves lives.

"Peter is living proof that these courses really can help to improve confidence, change lives and open up new opportunities.

"We are now in the third year of our Multiply programme, which has helped hundreds of people to boost their confidence with numbers and improve their skills."

Leicestershire County Council was awarded £3 million in government funding for the programme, which has allowed it to deliver hundreds of free courses, workshops and support, to adults who do not already have a GCSE grade C/4 or higher in maths or equivalent and need to improve their numeracy skills.

Multiply is led by the county council's Adult Learning Service, working with partners including further education colleges and training providers, charitable and voluntary groups, and employers to deliver free numeracy courses and programmes throughout the county. Multiply courses are available across Leicestershire in person or online, at work or home, either on a part-time or intensive basis.

More information and enrolment is available by calling 0800 988 0308 or online HERE.