'The fight to protect our most vulnerable children is far from over'
Marcus Rashford has been awarded an MBE for services to vulnerable children in the United Kingdom as part of the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours list.
During the early weeks of lockdown, the Manchester United and England forward lobbied the Government into a U-turn over its free school meals policy. As a result, many children in need received meals throughout the summer weeks.
Rashford's efforts to combat child hunger have seen him go on to establish a child poverty task force, which has formed ties with some of the leading food brands and supermarket chains in the UK.
In a statement shared to his social media platforms, Rashford said:
'I'm incredibly honoured and humbled. As a young black man from Wythenshawe, never did I think I would be accepting an MBE, never mind an MBE at the age of 22. This is a very special moment for myself and my family, but particularly my mum who is the real deserving recipient of the honour.
'The fight to protect our most vulnerable children is far from over. I would be doing my community, and the families I have met and spoken with, an injustice if I didn't use this opportunity to respectfully urge the Prime Minister, who recommended me for this honour, to support our children during the October half term with an extension of the voucher scheme, as the furlough scheme comes to an end and we face increased unemployment.
'Another sticking plaster, but one that will give the parents of millions of children in the UK just one less thing to worry about.
'Let's stand together in saying that no children in the UK should be going to bed hungry. As I have said many times before, no matter your feeling or opinion, not having access to food is NEVER the child's fault.'
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