[ad_1]
When Marcus Rashford learned that he had been awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester this summer, he hung up the phone and addressed his girlfriend, who had just graduated with a novelty in advertising and brand management.
Lucia said Rashford. “How long did it take you to get your degree?” “Three years,” she replied.
‘Well, I just did it in 36 hours!’ Rashford was only having a little fun, but that was how long it took for the Manchester United player to persuade Prime Minister Boris Johnson to swap out free meals for underprivileged kids on summer break.
Marcus Rashford will receive an MBE at age 22 for his efforts to combat child poverty
He is now being honored with an MBE at the age of 22 for his efforts to combat child poverty, and the boy from Manchester’s underprivileged areas is eager to go to Buckingham Palace with proud mom Melanie.
“I know I have to take my mother, she gives me no choice,” Rashford tells BBC Breakfast this morning. So I have to choose between my brothers and sisters, wish me luck! Everything is a bit strange. The people we come from do not receive these kinds of things, so we do not know how to act or behave. It’s a proud moment for everyone. ‘
Melanie raised her five children, three boys and two girls, in the harsh suburbs of Withington, Fallowfield and Northern Moor, working hard to make ends meet. Rashford is familiar with breakfast clubs and the school meal voucher scheme that he has struggled to extend during school holidays to help families battling the pandemic.
Another recipient of free meals as a child, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, led the tributes to Rashford. “When I first heard about Marcus’s campaign, and that he was advocating for the right of all children to have access to decent food all year round, I was deeply moved,” Khan told Sportsmail.
The Man United striker is excited to bring his mother Melanie (above) to Buckingham Palace
Everything from the conviction with which he expressed his position to the determination with which he pursued this cause, spoke of someone for whom little had been easy but who wanted life to be a little easier for others.
Like Marcus, my opinions about free school meals were not based on political ideology, but on my own experience. They were something my siblings and I trusted and provided us with the necessary sustenance to do our best in school.
“What Marcus has accomplished on behalf of so many young people is extraordinary and he deserves this honor.”
Friends describe Rashford as a humble person who doesn’t want this to be about him, but United legend Bryan Robson thinks he’s right to use his status to bring about change.
Rashford has also been awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester.
“Footballers have a great platform to influence people, so it is important that when they think of others in difficult times their influence is harnessed,” said Robson, himself an OBE.
“Marcus has not only thought of others, he has lived it. He has been able to take advantage of his childhood and use that as motivation for this fight. That is why he is so passionate about it.
‘The government was not very receptive at first, but it did not give up. His determination helped change politics and that inspires those he is trying to help. It would have been easy to say, “Well I’ve tried, someone else can try” and go back to his football life, but he didn’t.
As much as Rashford’s campaign has been a national effort, pride in his award will be felt most deeply in Manchester.
Rashford’s campaign has been a nationwide effort and helped numerous families and children
“Marcus is a truly outstanding ambassador for our city-region and we couldn’t be more proud of him,” said Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. “ He is the embodiment of everything we stand for here, a place where people moving forward in life are always ready to give back and never forget where they came from.
‘Marcus has been vocal about his upbringing and has given a voice to thousands of young people who too often go unnoticed and unheard. He’s building a movement that will change millions of lives, and hopefully our country, for the better. ‘
Those who knew Rashford growing up spoke fondly of the boy who became a working-class hero. At Button Lane Elementary School on Northern Moor, teaching assistant Pat Woolham remembers the boy who always helped clean up at the breakfast club. “He comes back here a lot, he was here last week, and he always comes looking for me,” he said. “We were very proud of him when he went to Manchester United, but more so now.”
Dave Horrocks, the president of Rashford’s first club, Fletcher Moss Rangers, used to drive him to the United academy every Sunday. “Marcus has challenged himself every step of the way,” Horrocks said. “Every challenge you have faced and been prepared for.”
When Rashford’s older brother Dwaine got a car, he and family friend Elliot Marshall took over the driving. “I would go out and go straight down the green near where I lived and play soccer with the other boys and girls,” recalls Marshall. ‘I wasn’t showing off. I would pass the buck and let them do things. Marcus has always had time for people.
