TAKING the terror out of maths for those who have difficulty with the subject, and with numbers generally, has been Mary Murray's mission for many years.

A numeracy and GCSE maths tutor, Mrs Murray, from Ponthir, has been a tutor with Torfaen Adult Community Learning for 15 years, having started out as a volunteer.

And now she is among six teachers from across Wales to be honoured for their work with an Inspire Award - run by the Learning and Work Institute with support from Welsh Government - which celebrate the achievements of exceptional tutors and mentors.

"So many people have had bad experiences, it’s my job to undo this," she said.

"I use my own learning path to encourage them to join classes.

"My mission is to show learners that maths can be fun and not the scary subject they thought it was at school. Not only will it keep their minds active, but it will provide social interaction.

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"For parents and grandparents, it’s a great way of keeping up with their children, and often leads learners to think more about their careers."

The Inspire Award recognises tutors who have shown outstanding passion and commitment to encourage, support and teach other adult learners to pursue their goals and transform their lives.

"Mary’s commitment to supporting and guiding learners who did not have the opportunity to learn earlier in their lives is fantastic," said Councillor Richard Clark, Torfaen councils' executive member for economy, skills and regeneration.

"We are all very proud of Mary’s achievements and delighted to see her receive much deserved recognition on the national stage.

Anyone interested in joining one of Mrs Murray's maths classes, or who may be looking to become a tutor themselves, can contact Torfaen's adult community learning team on 01633 647647.