Marcus Rashford - An Inspiration - And he is still fighting to improve the lives of children.

[vowels]

I have just read a BBC article on Marcus Rashford, a Manchester United player. This inspirational young man has been raising awareness of the poverty and hunger that too many children are enduring today.

Marcus Rashford has drawn on his experiences growing up in poverty to highlight the help that is desperately needed. His mother was a single mother of five children, who despite working full-time, was unable to provide for her family.

Mr. Rashford passionately believes that the Government needs to continue to give £15 lunch vouchers to children who are entitled to free school meals as this summer, there will be no means for the children to access summer clubs that supply children with their midday meal and as a consequence, many children will go hunger.

The Rashford Family have told their story to highlight the difficulties many families suffer, even those were parents work. Marcus Rashford is doing his part by giving his time and money to try to help families who are struggling in the way his family struggled.

Please watch Marcus Rashford being interviewed on BBC Breakfast, read his letter on Twitter. @MarcusRashford

Marcus Rashford’s family must be so proud of him.

[Colette-S]

Amazing. Such an inspiration during troubled times. Hoping kids take hope from what he is doing rather than other idiots up and down the country

[silverfox46]

Watched part of the full interview on BBC breakfast this morning. I’m not a football fan, but what an shy, unassuming young man he came across. None of the brash **I'm a footballer

No matter how hard life was for him , his mother obviously taught him lessons in life and how to be grounded. How refreshing , he must earn a lot now playing for Man Utd but still humble. Well done young man, an example for young people to admire

[Pumba75]

It’s a brilliant thing he’s doing. 22 years old - setting a great example.

[Omega1]

A very impressive young man. He has raised something like £20m (cash and corporate food donations) during lockdown for charities with a focus on poverty. He got the ‘ball rolling‘ with £60k of his own money.

[WhereIBelong]

The fact that he is actually bringing it to the fore is really inspiring, I am so glad the mainstream news is giving air-time to this.

Children growing up with limited access to food seems a complete anachronism - we had a lot of toast for lunch growing up 50 years ago. I always though it was odd that we had a 2 course meal for free during the week in term time, then at the weekends and holidays went without. (I loved school!)

[Anne]

Glad he's got more publicity for it Sustain have been campaigning

[Pumba75]

He’s written a follow up piece in The Times today - worth a read if you’re able to access it.

Hope this gets some traction with the government - relatively speaking, its low cost and would help some of the most vulnerable in our society.

[joanna23]

I agree he is inspirational in giving his message. He could have stayed quiet but has decided to speak out. In Wales they have giving Free School Meal funding through Summer holidays. It’s awful it was removed in England given the current circumstances.

[vowels]

The lunch fund will continue over the summer months in Wales and Scotland, but those children most in need in England and Northern Ireland will not be given this necessary help.

I have to agree with Marcus Rashford, it is shocking that so many children live in poverty today and that so many of them go hungry.

It is a terrible indictment on all of us that this is a situation that faces children in each of our four nations.

My Parish, like most others, have always had a box for parishioners to leave donations for the local food bank. Now we are organising more formal food collections because the need is so great. We are a small Parish but have had requests from over 100 families for assistance. And that is with families receiving the lunch vouchers.

It is terrifying to think how greater that need would be without that small Government assistance.