Family
GAME CHANGER It’s rare we see a celebrity fighting to give people like us a voice. So when footballer Marcus Rashford called out the government over its neglect of hungry school children, it was a big moment
I
t seems everybody wants a piece of footballer Marcus Rashford right now. The Manchester United and England player hit the headlines in June when he forced the government to provide free school meals over the summer. Since then, Marcus has received a lifetime achievement award and been featured on the front cover of Vogue magazine as a leading activist of our time. But, growing up, his story is not so different to many of ours.
on the government to reverse its decision not to provide free school meals during lockdown: “This is not about politics; this is about humanity. Can we not all agree that no child should be going to bed hungry?”
THIS IS NOT THE END
Celebrities, members of the public and political figures all got behind Marcus’s appeal. But could he really force the prime minister to change
his mind? It didn’t take long. Boris Johnson NOT ABOUT POLITICS a U-turn and announced a £120 made Born in Wythenshawe, Manchester, to ‘Summer Covid Food Fund’ for million a single parent family, Marcus and his in England. Families that children school siblings relied on breakfast clubs and free d £15 a week per child in receive d qualifie school meals to get by. “My mum s. Parents around the voucher food worked full-time, earning d a huge breathe country Quids in! says the minimum wage, to relief. of sigh make sure we always Could your kids qualify for It’s a good had a good evening free school meals? They save but more start meal on the table, the average family £370 per year. needs work but it was not In England, each child on free school done be to enough,” said meals means an extra £1,000 for the to want we if Marcus in his school too. Support for schools in poverty food stop letter to MPs. Scotland and Wales works a little for good. Speaking to “The system differently but is still based on BBC, Marcus said: the was not built the number of pupils needing want this to be don’t “I for families like help it. People are of with end the meal s. mine to succeed, year round. all ng struggli regardless of how hard that need to steps more There’s my mum worked.” gn.” campai this beyond taken be Marcus teamed up with the food charity FareShare UK and raised STRIKING A POSE around £20 million. This was enough to Since the launch of his campaign, Marcus supply three million meals a week to has become the youngest person, at just the most vulnerable families. Marcus’s 22, to receive an honorary doctorate from campaign to end child hunger united the the University of Manchester. He was country. It gave hope to thousands of us even on the front cover of an edition of who struggle to feed our kids. Vogue magazine, which highlighted the Soon it was clear to Marcus this wasn’t achievements and campaigns of black enough. Around 1.3 million children in people and those forcing change. England are registered for free school Marcus is proof that there are meals. Since the schools shut, one quarter people out there fighting our corner of these children received no support. and using their influence for good. In an emotional letter, Marcus called
22 | Quids in!
“Can we not all agree that no child should be going to bed hungry?”
