My friend and colleague Geoff Wain, who has died aged 91, spent much of his life demonstrating how useful and fascinating mathematics can be. He inspired and supported many teachers during a long career at the University of Leeds and in retirement founded the charity MathsWorldUK, with an aim to create a national maths discovery centre in the UK.
He had always had an interest in the public image of mathematics, wanting everyone to appreciate its beauty and power. He acted as secretary of the Joint Mathematical Council of the UK, and co-chaired a national committee on the popularisation of maths, leading to an international conference in Leeds in 1989 and to the Pop Maths Roadshow, which attracted more than 250,000 visitors in its tour of UK cities in 1989-92.
