Leeds United squad pledge £25k to help hungry children

Simon Lloyd

‘We stand with you MarcusRashford.’

Leeds United players have pledged £25,000 to support hungry children, with captain Liam Cooper vowing they will stand with Marcus Rashford in his attempts to help vulnerable children living in poverty.

The Manchester United forward had expressed his disappointment on Wednesday night after MPs voted against Labour’s bid to extend the free school meals initiative into the school holidays. Since then, he has spoken of his pride at the community response – with countless businesses and local authorities offering to provide food for those entitled to free school meals.

Leeds City Council are one of the authorities to step forward, joining forces with several businesses in the city to help provide food for those in need throughout the half-term week.

Quote tweeting an article detailing their efforts, Cooper confirmed the Leeds players’ involvement:

‘Let’s do this Leeds!’ Cooper tweeted. ‘No children should ever go hungry. £25k guaranteed from the @lufc squad. We stand with you @MarcusRashford’.

Let’s do this Leeds! No children should ever go hungry. £25k guaranteed from the @lufc squad. We stand with you @MarcusRashford 🤍 https://t.co/qOr4qIdIbB

— Liam Cooper (@LiamCooper__) October 24, 2020

Having helped out at a Manchester food bank on Friday, Rashford said he has been overwhelmed by the community support, particularly with many of them struggling with the financial impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Even at their lowest point, having felt the devastating effects of the pandemic, local businesses have wrapped arms around their communities today, catching vulnerable children as they fell.

“I couldn’t be more proud to call myself British tonight.”

The England international also posted a tweet which echoed these sentiments on Friday evening.

I’m signing off with a feeling a pride tonight. The superstars of this nation lie in local communities. Even after taking the biggest hits you have wrapped your arms around your community to catch children as they fell. I really can’t thank you enough, you’re amazing ♥️

— Marcus Rashford (@MarcusRashford) October 23, 2020

News of Wednesday’s Commons vote has been greeted with widespread public outcry, with a petition created which calls for an end to the subsidisation of meals for members of parliament. The petition has already attracted more than half a million signatures.