Former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, have unveiled The Richmond Project – a new charity focussed on improving numeracy skills young people in England.
Named after the North Yorkshire home and constituency Sunak continues to represent as a Conservative Party MP for Richmond and Northallerton, the project is set to be launched later this year as a registered charity.
Murty took to social media to lay out her vision for the charity: “Maths anxiety is real, but opportunity starts with confidence! Later this year, we’re launching The Richmond Project, a new charity focused on helping more people build confidence with numbers – because we believe numeracy unlocks opportunity.
“Right now, half of the working-age adults in the UK have low numeracy skills. That impacts everything like getting a job, managing household bills, even navigating daily life. Both of us have seen firsthand the power of education to change lives. Now, we want to help more young people and adults build the confidence with numbers ensuring a happier life.
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“It’s early days, but we’re excited to share more soon. Watch this space!”
During his time as prime minister back in 2023, Sunak had launched a review into how best to ensure all pupils in England study some form of mathematics up to the age of 18 as part of his strategy to change an “anti-maths mindset” that he said was holding the country back. The former investment banker had also committed to extending Maths Hubs – unique partnerships of schools and colleges coming together to support maths teaching.
Last week, the British Indian leader took on another charity role as ambassador for the UK’s Prostate Cancer Research and raised the issue in Parliament.
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“Prostate cancer is now the UK’s most common cancer – yet there’s still no national screening programme for the most at-risk groups,” said Sunak, calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer for a targeted screening programme for the disease.
