Marcus Rashford MBE launches petition calling for Government action on child poverty

Marcus Rashford MBE launches petition calling for Government action on child poverty.

BACK in June, the Manchester United and England forward forced a Government u-turn on the provision of holiday food vouchers, and has now stepped up his campaign to end child hunger and food poverty.

Rashford, who was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his services to vulnerable children last weekend, is appealing to the public to support his bid to help less fortunate childrenn.

“Whatever your feeling, opinion or judgment, food poverty is never the child’s fault…let’s protect our young,” he said, adding: “Let’s wrap arms around each other and stand together to say that this is unacceptable, that we are united in protecting our children.

“Today, millions of children are finding themselves in the most vulnerable of environments and are beginning to question what it really means to be British.

“I’m calling on you all today to help me prove to them that being British is something to be proud of.”

And this morning, Rashfod tweeted: “Remember when I said I was going to need your help…For the millions who do not have the platform to be heard. Let’s stand as a ‘United’ Kingdom to #endchildfoodpoverty. Sign the petition today.”

It reads: “Government should support vulnerable children & #endchildfoodpoverty by implementing 3 recommendations from the National Food Strategy to expand access to Free School Meals, provide meals & activities during holidays to stop holiday hunger & increase the value of and expand the Healthy Start scheme.”

The petition has already received more than 61,000 signatures. At 100,000 signatures, the petition will be considered for debate in Parliament.

The football ace also retweeted a post which reads: “The mother of a three-year-old boy in my Pre-School took her own life today. Two weeks ago, she lost her job. On Monday, she was told she had to wait 6 weeks until her first Universal Credit payment.”

The original post explained the mother was “unable to get a food parcel because she couldn’t prove she needed it. And today, she took her own life, and has left a three-year-old boy and his 7-year-old sister without a mother, and now in the care of total strangers from social services.”

Rashford captioned the harrowing post “THIS is the reality we are faced with Broken heart please sign the petition.”

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Tara Rippin

Tara Rippin is a reporter for Spain’s largest English-speaking newspaper, Euro Weekly News, and is responsible for the Costa Blanca region.
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