"I focus on a trophy that stands for something much bigger than football," says Man Utd striker - after the government confirmed its decision to end free school meal vouchers during the summer
Tuesday 16 June 2020 13:11, UK
Marcus Rashford says he is "not beaten yet" after the government rejected his plea for the food voucher scheme to be extended.
The Manchester United forward has refused to give up his campaign to allow vulnerable children who have been eligible for free meals during the coronavirus lockdown to carry on receiving them over the summer holidays.
He wrote an emotional open letter to MPs in which he said "the system isn't built for families like mine to succeed", but the Department for Education said it would not reverse its decision.
Boris Johnson's official spokesman says the Prime Minister will respond to Rashford's letter "as soon as he can" and praised him for "using his profile in a positive way to highlight some very important issues".
Labour MPs will use a debate in parliament on Tuesday to call for an extension of the free school meal voucher scheme in England.
Rashford, who has raised £20m to boost food distribution with the charity FareShare, has admitted to using food banks and receiving free meals as a child.
Writing in The Times on Tuesday, he said: "Today I focus on a trophy that stands for something much bigger than football.
"A U-turn on the decision to stop the free food voucher scheme continuing over the summer holidays could help us reach the next round but we still have a very long way to go as a country to eventually lift the trophy.
"In this case, the trophy is combating child poverty.
"I don't claim to have the education of an MP in parliament, but I do have a social education. I am clued up on the difference a U-turn decision would make on the 1.3 million vulnerable children across the UK who are registered for free school meals because 10 years ago I was one of them."
Rashford, whose letter was praised by education leaders and teachers' unions, added in a series of tweets: "When you wake up this morning and run your shower, take a second to think about parents who have had their water turned off during lockdown.
"When you turn on your kettle to make a cup of tea or coffee think of those parents who have had to default on electricity bill payments just to make ends meet having lost their jobs during the pandemic.
"And when you head to the fridge to grab the milk, stop and recognise that parents of at least 200,000 children across the country this morning are waking up to empty shelving.
"Recognise children around the country are this morning innocently questioning 'why?' 9 out of 30 children in any given classroom are today asking 'why?' 'Why does our future not matter?"'
Rashford's letter to MPs was backed by London mayor Sadiq Khan.
Mr Khan wrote on Twitter: "I might be a Londoner and Liverpool fan, but I fully support @ManUtd's @MarcusRashford.
"As a child I benefited from free school meals. The Government must extend its free school meal scheme for disadvantaged children over the summer holidays. (And his mum should be very proud.)"
The Labour Party will be calling for the decision to be reversed as part of its Holidays without Hunger campaign.
In response to Rashford's letter, a Department for Education spokesperson said: "Free school meals are ordinarily term time only, and the national voucher scheme will not run during the summer holidays."
They added: "Thousands of children will also receive additional support through our Holiday Activities and Food programme, which offers activities and free meals throughout the summer holidays."
In Wales, the devolved government's education minister Kirsty Williams said she had "already committed to providing free school meals over the summer holidays".
"Well done Marcus Rashford - I wish you all the best in this campaign," she added.
